Surrogacy Glossary
This glossary provides clear, accessible definitions of common terms used in surrogacy, fertility care, legal processes, and assisted reproduction. It is designed to help intended parents, surrogates, donors, and families better understand the language of the surrogacy journey.
Surrogacy involves medical, legal, emotional, and ethical considerations. Because terminology can vary across clinics, agencies, and countries, having a reliable glossary is useful for informed decision-making.
A
Altruistic Surrogacy
A surrogacy arrangement in which the surrogate is not paid a commercial fee for carrying the pregnancy, although certain reasonable expenses may still be reimbursed, depending on local law.
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
A broad term covering medical procedures used to achieve pregnancy, including IVF, embryo transfer, egg retrieval, and related fertility treatments.
Agency
An organization that may assist with matching intended parents and surrogates, coordination, education, screening, logistics, and support throughout the surrogacy process.
C
Commercial Surrogacy
A surrogacy arrangement in which the surrogate receives compensation beyond reimbursement of expenses. Its legality varies significantly across jurisdictions.
Carrier Screening
Genetic testing used to determine whether a person carries inherited conditions that could potentially be passed on to a child.
Compensation
Payment made to a surrogate in jurisdictions where compensated surrogacy is permitted. This may differ from reimbursement for medical, travel, or pregnancy-related costs.
Clinic Coordinator
A healthcare or fertility clinic professional who helps organize appointments, treatment timelines, patient communication, and procedural steps.
D
Donor
A person who provides eggs, sperm, or embryos to help another individual or couple build a family.
Donor Egg
An egg provided by a donor for use in fertility treatment when the intended mother or intended parent is not using their own eggs.
Donor Sperm
Sperm provided by a donor for use in fertility treatment, often used when a male partner is unavailable or where male-factor infertility exists.
E
Egg Retrieval
A medical procedure in which mature eggs are collected from the ovaries, usually as part of an IVF cycle.
Embryo
A fertilized egg in its early stage of development. In IVF, embryos may be cultured in the lab before being transferred or frozen.
Embryo Transfer
A procedure in which an embryo is placed into the uterus of the surrogate or intended mother with the aim of achieving pregnancy.
Embryo Freezing
The preservation of embryos at very low temperatures for future use. This is also called cryopreservation.
Escrow Account
A managed financial account sometimes used in surrogacy arrangements to hold and disburse funds for compensation, reimbursements, and other agreed payments.
F
Fertility Specialist
A medical doctor with expertise in reproductive medicine, fertility diagnosis, and assisted conception treatment.
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
The transfer of a previously frozen embryo into the uterus after thawing, commonly used in surrogacy arrangements.
G
Gestational Surrogacy
A type of surrogacy in which the surrogate carries a pregnancy created from an embryo that is not genetically related to her. This is the most common form of modern surrogacy.
Gestational Carrier
Another term for a surrogate in a gestational surrogacy arrangement, where the carrier has no genetic link to the child.
I
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)
A laboratory procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg to assist fertilization, often used in IVF treatment.
Intended Parents
The individual or couple who plan to become the legal parents of the child born through surrogacy.
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)
A fertility treatment in which eggs are fertilized with sperm outside the body in a laboratory before embryo transfer.
L
Legal Parentage
The legal recognition of who the child’s parents are under the law. Parentage rules in surrogacy can differ substantially by country or region.
Legal Agreement
A formal contract or legal arrangement outlining rights, responsibilities, expectations, reimbursement terms, and other aspects of the surrogacy journey.
M
Medical Screening
Health assessments, tests, and evaluations undertaken to determine whether a surrogate, donor, or intended parent is medically suitable for treatment.
Multiple Pregnancy
A pregnancy involving more than one fetus, such as twins or triplets. Fertility teams often aim to reduce this risk through careful embryo transfer planning.
Match
The process by which intended parents and a surrogate are introduced and agree to move forward together in a surrogacy arrangement.
O
Ovarian Stimulation
The use of fertility medication to encourage the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs for retrieval in an IVF cycle.
P
Parentage Order
A legal order in some jurisdictions that transfers or confirms legal parenthood from the surrogate to the intended parents after birth.
Pregnancy Test (Beta hCG)
A blood test performed after embryo transfer to determine whether implantation has occurred and pregnancy has been established.
Prenatal Care
Medical care provided during pregnancy to monitor the health of the surrogate and the developing baby.
Psychological Screening
An assessment conducted to evaluate emotional readiness, understanding, mental wellbeing, and the suitability of all parties involved in the surrogacy process.
S
Surrogate
A woman who agrees to carry and give birth to a child for the intended parents under an agreed surrogacy arrangement.
Surrogacy
A family-building pathway in which a woman carries a pregnancy with the intention that the child will be raised by the intended parent or parents.
Surrogacy Journey
The full process of surrogacy, typically including matching, screening, legal preparation, medical treatment, pregnancy, birth, and post-birth legal steps.
T
Traditional Surrogacy
A type of surrogacy in which the surrogate uses her own egg and therefore has a genetic connection to the child. This form is less common and may have different legal implications.
Transfer Cycle
The treatment cycle during which the uterus is prepared and an embryo is transferred to attempt pregnancy.
U
Ultrasound Monitoring
Imaging used throughout fertility treatment and pregnancy to assess ovarian response, uterine lining, embryo implantation, and fetal development.
Uterine Lining
The lining of the uterus, also called the endometrium, which thickens in preparation for embryo implantation.