Surrogacy arrangements implicate a woman carrying a baby for another person or couple. Let's look at the different types of surrogacy arrangements:
What Types of Surrogacy Options Do I Have?
Traditional Surrogacy (TS)
Implicates artificially inseminating the Surrogate Mother with the Intended Father's sperm via IUI, IVF or home insemination. Using this approach, the child is genetically linked to the father and the Surrogate Mother.
Traditional Surrogacy & Donor Sperm (TS/DS)
Involves artificially inseminating the Surrogate Mother with donor sperm via IUI, IVF or home insemination. Using this approach, the child is genetically linked to the sperm donor and the Surrogate Mother.
Gestational Surrogacy (GS)
If an Intended Mother cannot carry a baby to term her egg and the Intended Father's sperm are used to create a donor embryo (by IVF) that is implanted into the Surrogate Mother. Using this approach, the child is heritably linked to the Intended Parents.
What is Gestational Surrogacy & Egg Donation (GS/ED)
If an Intended Mother is incapable of producing eggs, the Surrogate Mother embraces the embryo established from a donor egg which has been fertilized with the Intended Father’s sperm. Using this process, the child is genetically related to the Intended Father and has no relation to the Surrogate Mother.
Gestational Surrogacy & Donor Sperm (GS/DS)
If an Intended Father is unable to produce sperm, the Surrogate Mother carries an embryo established from the Intended Mother's egg (who is unable to carry a pregnancy herself) and donor sperm. Using this approach, the child is genetically related to the Intended Mother and has no relation to the Surrogate Mother.
What is Gestational Surrogacy & Donor Embryo (GS/DE)
If both of the Intended Mother and Intended Father are incompetent, the Surrogate Mother can carry a donated embryo. Using this approach, the child is not genetically related to any of the involved parties.
In addition to the six types of surrogacy, these agreements are often classified bestowing whether a financial reward is introduced or not.
What is Commercial Surrogacy?
Implicates that the Surrogate Mother is rewarded compensation fee for her involvement. This fee covers not only medical expenses but also miscellaneous expenses related to the pregnancy, including travel provisions, but a sum for her time and unselfish efforts.
What is Altruistic Surrogacy?
Conceals the Surrogate Mother in agreeing to become pregnant and delivering the baby for the Intended Parents without any rewarding financial compensation. Conversely, in this case, the Surrogate Mother can still be compensated for her pregnancy-related expenses.
Throughout some places in the world, commercial surrogacy is illegal and gestational surrogacy is prohibited in other places. However, a number of countries allow all types of surrogacy agreements.
Follow our surrogacy laws section to see what’s allowed in your location.