Define Surrogate Mother

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By Violet Mabe
eHow Contributing Writer

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Surrogate mothers carry children to term for couples who can't do it themselves.

Surrogacy is one option for infertile couples. The couple contracts with a healthy woman who volunteers to carry their child to term. This volunteer is often called a surrogate mother. According to the Organization of Parents Through Surrogacy, there have been at least 10,000 and as many as 28,000 surrogate births since 1976.

Why Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is usually chosen when a woman can't carry a child to term. Women who can't sustain a healthy pregnancy can still have genetically related children using a surrogate.

In-Vitro Fertilization Surrogacy

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IVF Surrogacy starts in a laboratory, where the embryos are created.
In in-vitro fertilization surrogacy, embryos made from the eggs and sperm of the intended parents are implanted in the surrogate. The resulting child is biologically related to both of the intended parents.

Artificial Insemination Surrogacy

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A positive pregnancy test is the first big news in the surrogacy process.
In artificial insemination surrogacy, sperm from the intended father is used to inseminate the surrogate mother, who effectively "donates" her own eggs in order to conceive a child.

Donor Egg/Gestational Surrogacy

In donor egg/gestational surrogacy, eggs are donated by a known or anonymous donor and inseminated with the intended father's sperm. The resulting embryos are implanted into the surrogate.

Surrogacy Arrangements

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Medical expenses are covered for surrogate mothers to ensure that baby and mother stay healthy through the birth.
According to The Surrogacy Source, mothers in the U.S. are typically paid $24,000 to $37,000 on top of medical and related expenses. Arrangements are made either through an agency or directly between the intended parents and the surrogate mother, and the process is regulated differently from state to state.

Protecting Yourself

As laws are always changing, every surrogacy agreement should be overseen by a qualified attorney. You should also carefully investigate an agency before signing a contract to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable business.