Surrogacy/Gestational Carrier
Gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate is not related to the child she is carrying, is the most common type of surrogacy today. While gestational surrogacy statistics are difficult to find, this path to parenthood has helped thousands of couples and individuals grow their families, and it is becoming increasingly common.
In gestational surrogacy, the child is not biologically related to the surrogate mother, who is often referred to as a gestational carrier. Instead, the embryo is created via in vitro fertilization (IVF), using the eggs and sperm of the intended parents or donors, and is then transferred to the surrogate.
This form of surrogacy is sometimes also called “host surrogacy” or “full surrogacy.” In most cases, at least one intended parent is genetically related to the child, and the surrogate is not. This makes gestational surrogacy less legally complicated than other forms of surrogacy because stepparent or second-parent adoption is not required.
The following people might consider gestational surrogacy:
- People who have struggled with infertility
- Hopeful single parents
- Same-sex couples
- People who don’t want a genetic link between the surrogate and their child
- Anyone who is unable to safely carry a pregnancy to term
Difference between a Surrogate and a Gestational Carrier:
A Surrogate: is a type of pregnancy in which a woman carries and gives birth to a baby for a person who is not able to have children. In a surrogate pregnancy, eggs from the woman who will carry the baby with sperm from a sperm donor or intended father to make an embryo. The embryo is implanted in the uterus of the surrogate mother, who carries the baby until birth.
Gestational Surrogate/Carrier: A technique called “in vitro fertilization” (IVF) now makes it possible to gather eggs from the mother (or an egg donor), fertilize them with sperm from the father (or a sperm donor), and place the embryo into the uterus of a gestational carrier (GC). The GC then carries the baby until birth. They don’t have any genetic ties to the child because it wasn’t their egg that was used.
Surrogacy can be a difficult journey, if you’re doing this alone or for you and your partner. If you are contemplating surrogacy, have already obtained a surrogate or at the end, please contact me if you would like someone to be there with you and/or your partner.