Surrogacy for LGBT couples
The surrogacy arrangement offered at our London fertility clinic may be appropriate for male gay couples or single men wishing to become parents, or those who are transgender and have been through gender change treatment.
The different factors which our IVF clinic London will help you to consider will be how to identify a suitable surrogate mother, the processes involved and where to gain information about the legal, medical, and emotional aspects of surrogacy.
There are two kinds of surrogacy arrangements: traditional or straight surrogacy and gestational surrogacy. There are different legal and medical ramifications associated with both types of surrogacy, and as such you should be very clear about your particular needs, and the special circumstances associated with both types.
Straight surrogacy
In straight surrogacy, the surrogate mother has an embryo replaced that is created using the sperm of the intended father or sperm donor and her own eggs. As the surrogate’s own egg is used, she is the genetic mother of the resulting child.
Gestational surrogacy
In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate carries a child conceived of the egg and sperm of two other individuals. Specifically, the sperm of the intended (commissioning) father and an egg from the egg donor. These are fertilized and transferred, via in vitro fertilization, into the gestational carrier at our London fertility clinic. Due to various legal and emotional aspects of straight surrogacy, we at LIGC, will strongly recommend you to see a family solicitor to understand the implications involved before identifying and proceeding with any surrogacy arrangement, but particularly with straight surrogacy.
When having treatment as part of surrogacy arrangement at London IVF & Genetics Centre, you will be requested to identify your egg donor and host surrogate mother. We will undertake various blood tests and ultrasound scans to assess the suitability of the egg donor and surrogate. Following this, the egg donor and surrogate will undergo detailed infection and genetic screening prior to being exposed to fertility drugs and treatment at our London fertility clinic. The surrogate and her partner, if she has one, will also be screened for routine infections as part of the infection control policy and good medical practice.
