Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy refers to when one woman carries and delivers a baby for another person or couple, known as the intended parent or parents. The woman who carries the baby is known as a gestational carrier or gestational surrogate.

What is Gestational Surrogacy?

In gestational surrogacy, the baby is not genetically related to the woman carrying the pregnancy, oftentimes known as a gestational carrier. The technique of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is used to create embryos with the eggs and sperm of the intended parents or in some cases donor eggs and/or donor sperm. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the uterus of the gestational carrier.

Gestational surrogacy is most often used when the intended mother does not have a uterus, has problems with her uterus, or is unable to safely carry a pregnancy due to other health conditions. Individuals who do not have a female partner, such as single men and gay couples, also often choose to use gestational carriers to help them have children.

Selecting a Gestational Carrier

Gestational carriers can be women known to you, such as friends and relatives, or they can be found through an agency or reproductive health attorney. They are typically women who have successfully carried a pregnancy in the past. Society Hill Reproductive Medicine partners with several highly regarded gestational carrier agencies and attorneys to give our patients the best possible options.

As one of the most experienced Reproductive Endocrinologists in the country doing gestational surrogacy, Dr. Kelly can help you navigate the process of selecting a gestational carrier that meets your goals and needs.