Surrogacy Overview & Who Seeks Surrogacy

Surrogacy is a wonderful way for individuals and couples to build their families when they are unable to carry a pregnancy themselves. In surrogacy, a woman—called a surrogate—carries and gives birth to a baby for another person or couple. There are two main types of surrogacy: gestational surrogacy and traditional surrogacy, each offering different paths to parenthood.

Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy is the most common and widely preferred type of surrogacy today. In this process, the surrogate mother carries a baby that is not genetically related to her.

Key Features:

• No Genetic Connection: The surrogate has no genetic link to the baby. The embryo is created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) using eggs and sperm from the intended parents or donors.
• The Procedure: The embryo is transferred into the surrogate’s uterus to begin the pregnancy.
• Legal and Emotional Simplicity: Since the surrogate is not genetically related to the child, gestational surrogacy is often simpler from both a legal and emotional perspective.
• Common in Many States: Many states support gestational surrogacy and allow for pre-birth parentage orders, ensuring the intended parents are recognized as the legal parents before the baby is born.

Considerations:

• Higher Costs: Gestational surrogacy can be more expensive because it involves additional procedures like IVF and egg retrieval.
• Legal and Medical Steps: There are more medical and legal steps involved than in traditional surrogacy, but they are generally easier to navigate.

Traditional Surrogacy

Traditional surrogacy is less common and can involve more legal and emotional complexities. In this arrangement, the surrogate uses her own eggs, making her the genetic mother of the child.

Key Features:

• Genetic Connection: The surrogate is biologically related to the baby because her eggs are used in the conception process. Typically, sperm from the intended father or a donor is used for fertilization via intrauterine insemination (IUI).
• Simpler Medical Procedure: The process is less invasive than gestational surrogacy, as it doesn’t involve egg retrieval or IVF.
• Lower Costs: Traditional surrogacy may be more affordable since fewer medical steps are required.

Considerations:

• Legal Complexities: Since the surrogate is the biological mother, legal steps must be taken to transfer parental rights to the intended parents after birth.
• Emotional Challenges: The genetic connection between the surrogate and the child may create emotional complexities, particularly when it comes to attachment and parental rights.
• Restrictions: Some states restrict or prohibit traditional surrogacy, which can make the process more challenging.

Legal and Emotional Considerations

The main difference between gestational and traditional surrogacy lies in the surrogate’s genetic relationship to the child, which impacts both the legal and emotional aspects:

• Legal Simplicity: Gestational surrogacy tends to be more legally straightforward since the surrogate has no genetic link to the child. Parental rights are easier to establish.
• Emotional Complexity: In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is the biological mother, which can lead to more emotional challenges for all parties involved, especially around attachment and parental rights.
• Agency Preferences: Many surrogacy agencies focus on gestational surrogacy because of the clearer legal framework and fewer emotional hurdles.

Who Seeks Surrogacy?

Surrogacy offers a path to parenthood for people who are unable to carry a pregnancy for a variety of reasons. Here are the main groups who typically seek surrogacy:

Couples Struggling with Infertility

• Heterosexual Couples: Couples where one or both partners have infertility issues but still have viable sperm or eggs. If the woman is unable to carry the pregnancy, a surrogate is often the solution.
• Egg or Sperm Donors: Some couples may need donor eggs or sperm, especially if they are facing fertility challenges due to age or other medical conditions.

Same-Sex Couples

• Male Same-Sex Couples: Men who want to have a child that is genetically related to them can use a surrogate and an egg donor to make this dream come true.
• Female Same-Sex Couples: Women who experience infertility or other challenges may also turn to surrogacy to grow their families.

Single Parents

• Single Men: Men who want to be parents and have a genetically related child but are not able to carry a pregnancy themselves can choose surrogacy.
• Single Women: Women who cannot safely carry a pregnancy due to health issues or age may also consider surrogacy as a way to have a biological child.

Individuals with Medical Conditions

• Health Issues: Women with medical conditions (such as uterine problems or chronic illnesses) that make pregnancy unsafe may turn to surrogacy to have a child.
• Age-Related Issues: Older women who are still interested in having a biological child but cannot carry a pregnancy due to age-related infertility may also explore surrogacy.

Conclusion

Both gestational and traditional surrogacy provide valuable family-building options for people who are unable to carry a pregnancy themselves. Gestational surrogacy is generally the preferred option because it is legally and emotionally simpler. Whether it’s a couple dealing with infertility, a same-sex couple, a single parent, or someone with a medical condition, surrogacy offers hope for creating a family.