A surrogate mother is a woman who carries a child for someone else, usually an infertile couple. There are two different types of surrogacy. They are traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy. Explanations for both types can be found below.

Traditional Surrogacy

In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother is artificially inseminated with the sperm of the intended father or sperm donor. The surrogate's own egg will be used, thus she will be the genetic mother of the resulting child.

Usually, the intended father's name is put directly on the birth certificate and the intended mother will need to do a step-parent adoption, however, laws regarding this issue vary from state to state. Consult a lawyer who is knowledgable about surrogacy laws in your state to learn more.

Gestational Surrogacy

In a gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother is not genetically related to the child. Eggs are extracted from the intended mother or egg donor and mixed with sperm from the intended father or sperm donor in vitro. The embryos are then transferred into the surrogate's uterus. Embryos which are not transferred may be frozen and used for transfer at a later time if the first transfer does not result in pregnancy.

In many areas, the intended parents may petition the court during the third trimester of pregnancy to have both of their names placed directly on the birth certificate, however, laws regarding this issue vary from state to state. Consult a lawyer who is knowledgable about surrogacy laws in your state to learn more.