Who is a surrogate mother |gestational carrier|traditional surrogacy

Who is a surrogate mother?

A surrogate mother is a woman who agrees to carry a non-biological baby for the tenure upon the agreement made with commissioning couples. She is impregnated using some of ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) be it artificial insemination process or in-vitro fertilization process. A surrogate mother carries the non-biological baby up to the term and gives birth, and then the hospital hands over the baby to the intended parents. There are two different types of surrogacy;

Surrogate mother as a gestational carrier:

A surrogate mother who accepts gestational type of surrogacy is referred as gestational carrier. Women who accepts this surrogacy is impregnated through IVF (In-Vitro fertilization) process. Here is a brief overview on how gestational surrogacy works

In this process, an embryo is created using commissioning couples gametes or donor gametes (if intended parents fail to produce quality and healthy gametes).

Strictly, at no point of time surrogate mother’s egg is used in this process. If the gestational carrier ovum is used to create embryo, then it is not considered gestational surrogacy.

The embryo is created from the gametes of either commissioning couples or donor using a specialized ART technique.

The created and cultured embryo is transplanted into the uterus of a surrogate mother. She then takes care of the baby and releases the child immediately to intended parents after birth.

Surrogate mother: In traditional surrogacy:

Unlike gestational surrogacy, a woman who accepted traditional surrogacy to carry baby is biologically connected with the child. In traditional surrogacy, she is impregnated through artificial insemination process where the sperms of an intended father are injected into the ovaries of a surrogate mother to achieve pregnancy. However, this surrogacy is completely banned by most of the states due to ethical and emotional factors associated in this process.