Sometimes it is not possible for a woman to carry a pregnancy because of damage to her uterus or serious medical conditions that could jeopardize her life. The uterus must be regularly shaped and free of damage and large obstructions for the fetus to grow and develop properly.  Uterine damage can be caused by severe endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, cancer, congenital abnormalities and other conditions. Health conditions that might prevent a woman from carrying a baby to term include serious heart disease and others.

When the uterus is severely damaged, the couple will have to use a surrogate to carry the baby to term and delivery. Surrogates are sometimes related, such as a sister, a friend, or recruited from an agency.  There are several reputable surrogacy agencies operating in the United States.

There are two types of surrogacy known as traditional or gestational. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother is inseminated with the father’s sperm in an IUI cycle.  In gestational surrogacy, embryos are created in an IVF cycle using the mother’s eggs and father’s sperm and transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. The surrogate’s cycle must be synched with the mother’s so that her endometrium will be ready to accept the developing embryo. Once the baby is delivered it is given to the genetic parents.

Surrogacy agreements are understandably complicated and require the assistance of attorneys specializing in reproductive law.