Surrogacy is a process in which a woman, known as a surrogate, carries and delivers a baby for another person or couple, known as the intended parents. There are two types of surrogacy: traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy.
Traditional Surrogacy
- The surrogate is artificially inseminated with the intended father's sperm or a sperm donor's sperm.
- The surrogate carries and delivers the baby, and it is her own genetic child.
- The intended parents will adopt the child after birth.
Gestational Surrogacy
- The surrogate carries an embryo created using in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the intended parents or donors' egg and sperm.
- The surrogate is not genetically related to the child and is referred to as a gestational carrier.
- After the baby is born, the intended parents will become the legal parents through a process called the pre-birth order or the adoption process
In both types of surrogacy, the intended parents and the surrogate will usually work with a surrogacy agency or attorney to draw up legal contracts outlining the rights and responsibilities of each party before the pregnancy begins.
- In most cases, the intended parents will also have to undergo medical and psychological evaluations to make sure they are suitable to become parents.
- The process of surrogacy can be emotionally and financially demanding, it is important for the intended parents and the surrogate to be well-informed and have a good support system in place.