When a woman can’t carry a child, whether due to medical, genetic or social reasons, the couple or single woman may choose to find a surrogate mother who can carry the baby.
There are medical circumstances that may prevent a woman from carrying a child:
• Recurrent abortion or premature labor
• Dangers to the life of the Intended Mother - for example, severe heart, kidney or respiratory disease, unstable diabetes, or severe high blood pressure.
 Genetic diseases include a significant risk of an abnormal gene being passed on to the fetus can be avoided either by surrogacy or by IVF using a donor egg.
In case when the genetic disease needs to be carried by both partners in order to be of significant risk, AID - artificial insemination using donor sperm can also be an option.
The surrogacy born baby may be the biological child of:
• Both parents - the egg is retrieved from the IM - intended mother and joined with sperm from the IF - intended father. It is called as Gestational Surrogacy (the surrogate mother has no genetic connection to the child).
• Mother and sperm donor - the egg is retrieved from the IM - intended mother and joined with donor sperm. It is another type of Gestational Surrogacy.
• Surrogate mother and IF (intended father) - the surrogate mother goes through a process of AI (artificial insemination) using the IF's sperm. It is called Traditional Surrogacy (the surrogate mother is biologically the mother of the baby).
• Neither parent - often also referred to as embryo adoption. Such surrogate mother may or may not be a biological parent in this case.
The child’s biological background, and not its surrogate mother, determines the baby's genetics -- the way the baby will look, its blood type, height, and all other physical traits.
Additional Issues
Payment is commonly given to the surrogate mother. Fees are proposed to cover all medical costs incurred throughout the pregnancy and for payment to the surrogate mother. This is called surrogacy compensation.
Legal issues are an important issue to consider in all surrogacy situations. Ensure any arrangement is as safe as possible for both sides.
Worldwide there are many agencies that specialize in surrogacy arrangements. Inspect the agency you choose and make sure to get recommendations from other couples who have used it.
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