What surrogacy is

Surrogacy is when a person (known as a surrogate) has a baby for someone else.

Surrogacy can be a long and complicated process. You should get independent legal advice if you’re involved in a child being born through surrogacy. This includes if you’re:

• planning to have a child through a surrogate
• planning to have a child for someone else as a surrogate
• the partner of a surrogate

A solicitor can help you through each stage of the process. Find a solicitor on the Law Society of Scotland.

Types of surrogacy

There are 2 types of surrogacy. They are:

• full surrogacy – also known as gestational or host surrogacy
• partial surrogacy – also known as straight surrogacy or traditional surrogacy

Treatment for both types of surrogacy should take place in a licensed fertility clinic.

Full surrogacy

The egg of an intended parent or a donor is used together with the sperm of the intended father or a donor.

This means there will be no genetic link between the baby and the surrogate.

Partial surrogacy

The surrogate’s egg is used together with the intended father’s sperm.

This means there is a genetic link between the baby and the surrogate.