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Surrogate mother Wikipedia

A surrogate mother or ersatz mother is a woman who pregnancy|carries a child for a couple or single person with the intention of giving that child to that person/people once the being is childbirth|born (also called surrogate pregnancy). The surrogate mother may be the baby's biological mother (traditional surrogacy) or she may be implanted with someone else's fertilization|fertilized egg (gestational surrogacy). The most common reason for using a surrogate mother is infertility. Gay male couples have also used surrogate mothers in order to have children that at least one partner is biologically related to.

It is estimated that in the United States, the payment for a surrogate mother ranges between US$28,000 and $45,000 (?). According to a poll on www.surromomsonline.com, fees anywhere from $10,000 to 30,000+ are considered fair by the surrogates themselves; with most voting in the $17,000-$22,000 range. The fees for the rest of the process- including fertility clinics; lawyers; medical fees; and agencies and/or egg donors (if they're used) generally cost more than the fee going to the surrogate. Gestational surrogacy costs more than traditional surrogacy, since more complicated medical procedures are required. Surrogates who carry a baby for a family member (i.e., sister or daughter) usually do so without reimbursement.

The most famous case of surrogacy was the Baby M case, in which the surrogate mother refused to surrender the child she had borne to the child's biological father. The Supreme Court of New Jersey awarded custody to the biological father and visitation rights to the surrogate mother.

Contrary to popular belief, surrogate mothers are not all poor women being exploited for their fertility. Many are middle-class women who want to help make families. They come from all walks of life. Some are done having children of their own, while some want more children in the future. Also, most surrogate journeys end happily, with the parents getting their child(ren) without any problems. The ones you hear about in the news are generally the stories that end poorly, but many more stories end happily.

Last Modified:   2005-12-23