Understanding Gestational Carriers

A gestational carrier (sometimes called a gestational surrogate) is a third-party individual with a uterus who carries a pregnancy for the intended parent(s). The intended parent(s) are involved in the pregnancy, may be present at the birth, and become the legal parents after the baby is born.

People often confuse a gestational carrier with a surrogate. A gestational carrier strictly carries a pregnancy that is conceived using IVF with someone else’s eggs (either a donor or an intended parent). A gestational carrier has no genetic relation to the child. A traditional surrogate provides both the egg and uterus in a pregnancy and is therefore genetically related to the child. 

Gestational carriers allow one or both partners to pass on their genetics to their children. The egg and/or sperm comes from the intended parent(s) or a donor.

WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE OF IVF WITH A GESTATIONAL CARRIER?

IVF with a gestational carrier is a highly successful assisted reproductive technology treatment. Just like IVF with the intended parent carrying the pregnancy, success depends on multiple factors, including the age of the person providing the eggs (intended parent or egg donor), sperm factors and whether the embryos have been screened for chromosomal abnormalities. 

HOW DO I FIND A GESTATIONAL CARRIER?

People may ask a friend or family member to carry their baby. Using a known gestational carrier can create a unique, special bond between the intended parent(s), gestational carrier, and child. 

People often work with an agency to find the right gestational carrier to meet their family building goals. Your fertility clinic will connect you to gestational carrier agencies and help guide you through the selection process. 

Gestational carriers working with agencies will have background checks and be educated on what is involved in the process. 

Before starting any fertility treatment, both the intended parent(s) and the gestational carrier must be aware of their state surrogacy laws and legal implications. The third-party reproduction agency and/or attorneys will assist in this process to ensure the interests of both the intended parents and the gestational carrier are represented. 

Please note that gestational carrier services are not currently available at our New York fertility centers. 

HOW DO I USE MY OWN EGGS WITH A GESTATIONAL CARRIER?

To use your own eggs, you would take fertility hormone medications to stimulate the production of multiple mature eggs, which are then retrieved in a quick outpatient egg retrieval procedure, exactly as it would be for anyone going through IVF, egg donation or egg freezing. 

The eggs are then inseminated with sperm (from the intended parent or their selected sperm donor) to create embryos which grow for several days in special incubators in our embryology lab. The embryos are typically frozen and at a future date an embryo is transferred into the gestational carrier’s uterus as part of a frozen embryo transfer cycle.

HOW DO I USE DONOR EGGS WITH A GESTATIONAL CARRIER?

First, you would choose an egg donor. The egg donor can be a relative or someone you know, or in most cases, a non-identified egg donor selected from either an egg donor agency or one of our frozen donor egg banks. Our team at Boston IVF will help you navigate the egg donor selection process to procure donor eggs for you to use. 

Egg donors who are providing donor eggs to a frozen donor egg bank, are thoroughly screened before they are accepted as an egg donor.  Frozen donor eggs would then be thawed and inseminated in our embryology lab. If using fresh eggs, the person who is providing the eggs (either the intended parent or their selected egg donor) will need to be thoroughly screened prior to undergoing their IVF cycle at Boston IVF. 

The thawed or fresh eggs will be inseminated with sperm (either from the intended parent or their selected sperm donor) to create embryos. After several days of growth in the incubators, a reproductive endocrinologist will transfer an embryo into the prepared uterus of the gestational carrier.

WHAT CAN A GESTATIONAL CARRIER EXPECT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS?

Gestational carriers have the opportunity to give the gift of parenthood, and many find great joy in providing this to a growing family. However, a gestational carrier must be aware of all emotional, legal, and health implications involved in gestational surrogacy.

Communication is one of the most critical parts of surrogacy. The intended parent(s) and the gestational carrier have to be honest about their expectations throughout the pregnancy and after delivery. A contract is essential to ensuring the gestational carrier's health, safety, and financial security as well as protecting the interests of the intended parent(s).

Intended parent(s) who have a friend or family member act as their gestational carrier often find it natural to include them in the child’s life. When people find a gestational carrier through an agency, that may not be the case. Both parties should agree on expectations around the role, if any, the gestational carrier will play in the life of the family after the birth and detail those expectations in the gestational carrier contract.

A gestational carrier can expect all the same body changes and health risks associated with regular pregnancy. Gestational carriers and intended parents both are required to undergo psychological evaluation and counseling to ensure they are prepared for this experience.