Suppose you’re trying to decide between various types of surrogacy and choose the best option for you. In that case, it may be confusing to navigate the complexities of each and distinguish the differences. In this article, we will explain what types of surrogacy are there and how they differ. Continue reading to learn about surrogacy types in detail and make the right choice for you.
Key Takeaways
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There are four types of surrogacy: traditional, gestational, altruistic, and compensated.
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Traditional surrogacy may be less expensive but is banned in most countries as it is considered to be legally and psychologically risky when the surrogate is genetically related to the child.
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Gestational surrogacy is usually more expensive and offers an advantage for a child being related solely to both or one intended parent and not a carrier.
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Compensated surrogacy can offer a more time-effective and legally straightforward process than altruistic surrogacy.
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Surrogacy options include independent or agency-assisted, domestic or international.
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The agency-assisted surrogacy process includes the agency fee and allows for an established surrogacy process, shorter wait times, and an extended surrogate and donor database.
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Surrogacy is banned in most countries, and many intended parents choose international surrogacy, which makes the process faster and easier.
Different Types of Surrogacy
Traditional Surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy is the kind of surrogacy in which a surrogate is genetically related to the child she carries. In this case, a surrogate is an egg donor and a carrier. The embryos are created from the sperm of the intended father or a donor through intrauterine insemination.
Gestational Surrogacy
Gestational surrogacy is the most common type of surrogacy in which a surrogate is not related to the child. It involves the process of creating embryos using the biological material of intended parents or donors, which are then transferred into a surrogate’s uterus. In this scenario, a surrogate is simply a carrier of the child.
Compensated Surrogacy
Compensated surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman agrees to carry a pregnancy for the intended parents and is financially compensated for it. A surrogate’s compensation is her financial reward for the invested time and physical and psychological toll on her body. The amount paid does not include medical fees, nutrition, maternity clothing, travel, and other expenses associated with carrying the pregnancy—all of these expenses are covered by the intended parents separately.
Altruistic Surrogacy
Altruistic surrogacy does not include financial compensation to a surrogate. It means that a woman carrying the baby for the intended parents does this as a charity and out of her desire to help. Such cases often include family members or friends of the intended parents.
Surrogacy Types: Pros and Cons
To choose what type of surrogacy fits your situation best, it’s essential to know the advantages and complications of the different kinds of surrogacy.
Traditional surrogacy may be less expensive but is banned in most of the countries. It is considered to be legally and psychologically risky as the surrogate is genetically related to the child. One of the issues is that the surrogate may change her mind and decide to keep the baby, causing the intended parents to go to court for custody. Another complication is that in many countries, traditional surrogacy is considered an adoption, which prohibits surrogate compensation.
Gestational surrogacy is usually more expensive than traditional surrogacy because it requires additional procedures, such as egg retrieval and embryo transfer, and working with an egg donor. On the other hand, it offers an unbeatable advantage for a child being related solely to both or one intended parent and not a carrier. Gestational surrogacy avoids legal and emotional complications associated with traditional surrogacy.
In most cases, the intended parents’ unique circumstances will identify whether compensated or altruistic surrogacy is the right option. Intended parents often find it challenging to find a woman who will carry a pregnancy with no compensation. At the same time, compensated surrogacy can offer a more time-effective and legally straightforward process. Surrogate compensation will vary depending on the country, type of pregnancy (singleton or twin), and the medical demands of pregnancy. Usually, the surrogate’s compensation takes up to 35% of the surrogacy cost.
See the surrogacy cost breakdown here.
Surrogacy Options
After you decide which type of surrogacy fits your situation best, you can start looking at surrogacy options such as independent or agency-assisted, domestic or international.
Independent surrogacy is a surrogacy arrangement where the intended parents manage the process without using an agency. This means that the intended parents are responsible for:
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Finding and screening a surrogate
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Working with the IVF clinic and other medical providers
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Handling the legal and financial process
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Overseeing pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum recovery
The agency-assisted surrogacy process includes the agency fee. However, reputable surrogacy agencies have the team, established surrogacy process, and extended surrogate and donor database to provide practical solutions in the shortest terms, usually resulting in a lower overall price.
Domestic vs International Surrogacy
Unfortunately, surrogacy is banned in most countries. For this reason, many intended parents choose international surrogacy, which makes the process faster and easier. There are international surrogacy programs that offer comprehensive solutions in the shortest terms.
Check out the list of countries World Center of Baby operates in.
To Sum Up
There are four types of surrogacy: traditional, gestational, compensated, and altruistic. Gestational surrogacy is the most legalized and widely used type in which a surrogate is not related to the child. Altruistic surrogacy does not include financial compensation to a surrogate, while compensated surrogacy does. However, it can be challenging to find a woman who will carry and deliver a child with no compensation for her efforts.
Intended parents can choose to go through the surrogacy process on their own or with the assistance of a specialized agency. Independent surrogacy may be cheaper. However, reputable agencies have the expertise, extended surrogate and donor database, and established processes for the most time-effective solution.
If you have questions about the surrogacy types and processes, contact us for more details and personalized guidance.
