2 Different Types of Surrogacy

You’d be surprised with the amount of people who have trouble conceiving a child.  Surrogacy now provides options for those experiencing infertility issues, and with the help of some of the most caring and giving women, it allows for these individuals to fulfill their dreams of becoming a parent. The following is a guide in understanding the concept of surrogacy.  

Surrogacy; is the involvement of a woman who carries a child to term and relinquishes her rights to said child over to the intended parent(s).

There are 2 types of Surrogacy: 

Gestational and Traditional Gestational Surrogacy; 

This is the most popular type of surrogacy; it includes the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatments such as InVitro Fertilization and embryo transfer (implantation) procedure. 

In Vitro Fertilization is a procedure in which the eggs are extracted from a woman's ovaries, either from the intended mother or an egg donor, and then fertilized with sperm  from the intended father or a sperm donor. Once the eggs are fertilized, they are considered embryos and are soon ready to be implanted into the uterus of a woman who will carry the child to term, i.e. the surrogate or gestational carrier. 

Because the fertilization process occurs outside of the human body, unnaturally and in a medical laboratory, the process can be costly and often times is not covered by one’s insurance plan. . Once created, embryos may be frozen and stored in a lab, which provide a safe, stable environment. If donors are involved in this process, it adds to the cost.

Additionally, the intended parents often need a written contract with the donor (anonymous or known) to ensure that the donor has no rights to any child resulting from the embryos created with her genetic material.

In the scenario described above, the woman carrying the child to term is not genetically linked to the child; this means she is classified as the gestational carrier. 

Before transferring the embryo into the uterus of the surrogate for implantation, a written contract needs to be drafted between the intended parents and the gestational carrier. This contract confirms the gestational carrier’s intention to relinquish any rights to the child she may have simply as a result of her birthing the child. Also, she acknowledges that the intended parents are in fact the legal parents of the child.  

This now brings us to the question of compensation for a gestational carrier. In some U.S.States and other countries, it is legal for you to pay someone to carry a child for you -- above and beyond the medical bills and travel she may incur to the medical facility to undergo ART procedures. This is sometimes referred to as commercial surrogacy.

Commercial surrogacy is becoming very widely known, as it has become legal in many U.S. states. Unfortunately, some of our states and other countries are still against this and have not legalized surrogacy in many areas.

Commercial Surrogacy is when the gestational carrier and the intended parents have an arrangement where the gestational carrier is paid to carry the child. Not only do the intended parents cover the medical cost, travel, and clothing, but they’re also paying the gestational carrier for other fees and expenses throughout her pregnancy.

Since there is money involved, a contract is a necessary document to have in place. This establishes when payments will be given to the gestational carriers and in what circumstances and amounts. All of these fees and expenses are paid according to the terms the intended parents and the surrogate have agreed upon and included in their contract.

Traditional Surrogacy;

While gestational surrogacy is very popular, traditional surrogacy, on the other hand, is less common, but often less expensive. 

The surrogate will be using her own egg and will become pregnant via an insemination process where the sperm of the intended father, or that of a sperm donor, is transferred to her uterus. In this case, the surrogate is genetically linked to the child she is carrying. 

This means that once the child is born, she must relinquish her parental rights, usually through an adoption hearing, so that the child can be raised by both the intended father and his partner or wife.

The process used for traditional surrogacy is known as intrauterine insemination also known as IUI.  As part of the IUI process, semen from either the intended father or from a donor is collected and washed carefully in a laboratory. The semen needs to be specially washed as semen is not only made up of sperm.

The sperm is then separated from any impurities. This will ensure the sperm is concentrated; the more concentrated it is the higher the rate of pregnancy. This concentrated sperm is then transferred into the uterus of the surrogate. Insemination can take place in either a sterile medical facility, where it is constantly being monitored, or in a home setting.

No two surrogate journeys are the same. Each has its own path, and may be a bit of a roller coaster while others more like a lazy river. Before deciding which type of surrogate journey is best for you (gestational or traditional), please take the time to do further research.

We welcome you to check our website www.reproductivepossibilities.com for more information.