Surrogacy

At Manchester Fertility we can help you if you need to use a surrogate to have a baby.

There are many reasons why using a surrogate could give you a good chance of having a family:

• You’ve had repeated failed cycles from IVF or infertility treatment
• You’ve suffered recurrent miscarriages
• You aren’t physically able to carry a baby
• You’re a man in a same-sex relationship and need a surrogate to help you both have a family of your own

Types of surrogacy:

Host/Gestational surrogacy

If you aren’t able to carry a baby, but you have your own eggs, then it follows the same procedure as IVF – your eggs are fertilised by your partner’s sperm, or that of a donor’s, but instead of transferring any resulting embryos into your body, they are placed into the surrogate’s instead. This type of surrogacy is called host or gestational surrogacy, and the procedure is carried out at our clinic.

Partial/Straight surrogacy

If you’re not producing any eggs at all then you can use the surrogate’s eggs. This type of surrogacy is called partial or straight surrogacy. The surrogate is inseminated with your partner’s sperm, or a donor’s, in the hope that she will get pregnant.

Surrogacy for male couples

We’ve helped many same-sex male couples have a family through surrogacy, and our experienced team will guide and support you through the surrogacy treatment pathway. Read our Guide for Male Couples: Surrogacy for more information on your surrogacy options.

Finding a surrogate

You need to have found or be in the process of finding your own surrogate before approaching us for surrogacy treatment. In the UK it is illegal to advertise for a surrogate, but surrogacy organisation COTS (Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy) has a Triangle scheme which introduces surrogates to couples. However there is no guarantee, as any decision to proceed is purely up to the surrogate herself. For more details on the scheme, visit Surrogacy.org.uk.

You can also find your own surrogate if you can – perhaps there is a family member or friend who would be willing to help you.

Payment to your surrogate is not allowed in the UK (unlike in some other countries) but reasonable receipted expenses may be reimbursed and could include travelling expenses, costs due to loss of earnings from time off work, maternity clothes, etc.

Legal parentage and advice

Under UK law the surrogate is always considered the legal mother of the baby, regardless of whether you have used her eggs, or that of a donor’s. If your surrogate is married, or in a civil partnership, her partner or husband will be considered the baby’s other legal parent.

If your surrogate is unmarried, then one of the intended parents – either you or your partner – will usually be considered the legal parent at birth.

This can all be changed in court via a Parental Order. This is where all parental rights are transferred from the surrogate and her partner/husband, if she has one, to you and your partner so you become the legal parents.

We’ll give you all the relevant forms to complete when you undergo surrogacy treatment with us. But as surrogacy is a very complicated treatment with many legal issues to consider, it’s very important that you take the specialist legal advice also.

For more information on the legalities, visit Surrogacy.org.uk.

Counselling

Our counsellors are highly-experienced in guiding people through surrogacy and if you undergo surrogacy treatment at Manchester Fertility you will be offered this support. It’s crucial that everyone understands the implications of surrogacy before proceeding with this form of treatment.