Types of surrogacy
Surrogacy means that a woman agrees to carry and give birth to a child for another person or couple. However, people often think that surrogate mother is in any case the genetic mother of the child. Let's figure out why this is not always true and what forms of surrogacy exist today.
There are two types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational. The main difference between the two processes is how the embryo is created—more specifically, whose egg is used. This affects both the method of conception and the genetics of the child.
Gestational SM
In gestational surrogacy, the egg of the expectant mother or donor oocyte is fertilized with the sperm of the biological father or the sperm of the donor using the IVF method in controlled laboratory conditions. One or more embryos are then implanted into the surrogate mother's uterus. This is a small and safe procedure during which the doctor inserts an embryo into the woman’s uterine cavity through a very thin catheter.
Thus, the surrogate mother is not genetically related to the child she is carrying, and cannot pass on any diseases, character traits or appearance to the baby.
Gestational surrogacy requires more medical procedures, which makes it more expensive than traditional surrogacy. However, since the surrogate mother is not biologically related to the baby, potential parents (and surrogate mothers themselves) feel much more comfortable during the program. Today, it is this type of surrogacy that is recommended by reproductive specialists and is becoming more and more popular every year.
Traditional surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy implies that the surrogate mother acts as a egg donor and is the biological mother of the child. Before modern technology made it possible to create embryos outside the uterus, this was the only way to get pregnant with the help of a surrogate.
The potential father provides a sperm sample at a clinic, where doctors clean and prepare the material. Then the specialist injects sperm into the surrogate mother’s uterus during the ovulation period through intrauterine insemination. Natural fertilization of the egg occurs and the woman becomes pregnant. Or the embryo is obtained using IVF, as in the case of gestational surrogacy - only the oocytes of the surrogate mother are used.
For almost all future parents and surrogates, gestational surrogacy is a safer process, as with from a legal and medical point of view. Due to the genetic connection between the baby and the surrogate mother, traditional surrogacy comes with potential risks and complications, such as the question of parental rights or the emotional attachment of the surrogate mother to the child. This type of surrogacy is currently much less common than gestational surrogacy.
Surrogacy in Russia
The surrogacy procedure is regulated by Federal Law N 323- Federal Law, Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia N 803n and Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation N 307. According to these documents, only the gestational form of surrogacy is allowed in the Russian Federation. The use of germ cells from one or both genetic parents is mandatory, and during IVF, donor oocytes and donor sperm cannot be used simultaneously, because as a result the child will be biologically related only to the surrogate mother, but to neither of the parents.
There are several basic requirements for women who want to become surrogate mothers. The candidate must be a Russian citizen aged 20 to 35 years, with at least one healthy child, who has undergone a full medical examination and given voluntary consent to medical intervention.
SpecialistsISA Fertility take into account all the wishes and needs of potential parents in order to make the program as comfortable and special as possible for each client. We strictly follow the law and strictly fulfill all obligations. If you want to get more information about surrogacy, write to us and our managers will answer all your questions.
