About Surrogacy

This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.

What is surrogacy?

This is when another woman carries a pregnancy and gives birth to a baby for the couple or person who wants to have a child.

You may require having a surrogate if you have a medical condition that makes it difficult, dangerous or impossible to get pregnant and give birth. Some of the medical conditions that may make surrogacy necessary include:

• Recurrent loss of pregnancy or miscarriages
• Repeated in vitro fertilization implantation failures
• Absence or malformation of the womb

• Gestational surrogacy (GS): The surrogate is implanted with an embryo, which is created by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The resulting child has no genetic relation to the surrogate. Gestational surrogacy is also known as full or host surrogacy. Gestational surrogacy can be further subclassified into:
• Gestational surrogacy with an embryo from both intended parents (GS/IP): The surrogate is implanted with an embryo created by in vitro fertilization (IVF).using the intended mother’s eggs and the intended father's sperm.
• Gestational surrogacy and egg donation (GS/ED): The surrogate is implanted with an embryo created by IVF, using the intended father's sperm and a donor egg whereby the donor is not the surrogate. The resulting child has genetic relation to the father but not the mother.
• Gestational surrogacy and donor sperm (GS/DS): The surrogate is implanted with an embryo created by IVF, using intended mother's egg and donor sperm. The resulting child has genetic relation to the mother but not the father.
• Gestational surrogacy and donor embryo (GS/DE): A donor embryo is implanted in a surrogate. The resulting child has no genetic relation to the intended parents or the surrogate.

This involves using natural or artificial insemination to implant the embryo in the surrogate. The intended father’s sperm can be artificially inseminated using IUI, IVF, and home insemination. The resulting child has genetic relation to the intended father and the surrogate.

Traditional surrogacy and donor sperm (TS/DS): The surrogate is artificially inseminated with donor sperm using procedures which include ICI, IUI or IVF. The resulting child has genetic relation to the surrogate but not to the intended parents.

The success rate of surrogacy is difficult to determine. Relevant factors that affect the success of surrogacy include:

• The age of the egg donor
• The ability of the surrogate to get pregnant
• The success of implantation procedures
• The quality of the gamete provided by the couple

• Once you have decided that surrogacy is for you, you must find a surrogate. You will then discuss the type of surrogacy you will undertake.
• You should ensure that you make all the necessary legal arrangements in order t be recognized as the legal parent of the child.
• You should choose a woman capable of having a safe pregnancy and birth as your surrogate.
• It is also recommended that you receive counseling before starting the surrogacy process to help cope with it.

• Surrogate expenses: The intended parents are responsible for all reasonable expenses of the surrogate such as clothes and loss of earnings.
• Clinic fees: This expense will be determined by the type of implantation procedures used. Other determining factors are how many attempts you will have and which clinic you use.