Manchester Fertility Bust Common Surrogacy Myths

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When discussing a topic like surrogacy, people’s ideas about what it is and what happens to the people involved in the surrogacy journey can vary widely. Separating fact from fiction can often be a challenge as there are different types of surrogacy, legalities around parentage, and different techniques that can be used depending on the intended parents and surrogate’s preferences. In this blog, the expert surrogacy team at Manchester Fertility addresses five common surrogacy myths.

Surrogacy Myth 1: Surrogacy is not an option for me

In the UK, there is a common misconception that surrogacy is primarily or exclusively for same sex male couples. However, surrogacy is an option for various individuals and couples, including heterosexual couples struggling with infertility, single women, and single men, as well as same-sex female couples.

Surrogacy provides a pathway to parenthood for anyone who is medically unable to carry a pregnancy themselves, regardless of their sexual orientation or relationship status.

At Manchester Fertility, surrogacy is available to anyone who is unable to conceive or carry a pregnancy themselves, regardless of gender, relationship status or sexual orientation. We have many same-sex couples and single individuals who have gone through our surrogacy pathway to have a child.

As long as there is a biological link between the intended parent and child, surrogacy can be offered if there is a medical reason someone can’t carry a pregnancy. This stipulation is in place due to UK law, meaning if you need both donor sperm and donor eggs surrogacy is not a pathway to parenthood we can offer you.

Surrogacy Myth 2:  Many people struggle to find surrogates

It is not unusual for a family member or close friend to act as a surrogate. However, some patients prefer to choose their surrogate from a recognised surrogacy partner for their treatment. Several UK-based organisations can support intended parents through surrogacy, we recommend My Surrogacy Journey.

We understand that finding a surrogate is a deeply personal choice, no matter how you find your surrogate it is important to seek legal advice about your surrogacy and have the proper agreements in place, this is especially important even if you have a close relationship with your surrogate.

Surrogacy Myth 3: Surrogates are only financially motivated

In the UK, HFEA, the Human Fertilisation & Embryo Authority, advises that you cannot pay a surrogate and instead should only reimburse any reasonable expenses that the surrogate incurs, such as maternity clothes, travel expenses and loss of earnings.

The surrogacy networks we work with, and recommend, ensure surrogates not only meet the necessary criteria to give you the best chance of success in treatment, but are truly altruistic and willing to undertake fertility treatment to truly help others share the joy of parenthood. 

Surrogacy Myth 4: The surrogacy process is confusing

Surrogacy can be a long process, and it is important to be realistic and take the time you need at each stage. As surrogacy experts, Manchester Fertility has a dedicated surrogacy team to help simplify your pathway and provide support at each stage of your journey.  A typical journey could look like this:

Initial Consultation: If you have decided surrogacy is the right path for you, we’ll ask that you attend a consultation at our state-of-the-art clinic so we can discuss implications of treatment and offer advice to help you begin your journey. 

Source an Egg and/or Sperm Donor: At Manchester Fertility, we offer access to donor eggs and sperm through our partner clinics Manchester Donors and Semovo. If you require either for your surrogacy, we can help you arrange this.

Choose Your Surrogate: Choosing a surrogate is an important part of your journey to starting a family, whether from a registered surrogacy partner or a loved one, however you choose we recommend you take the time to get to know your surrogate, see if they’re the right fit for you and iron out any of the legal details.

Fertilisation and Embryo Transfer Process: Depending on the type of surrogacy pathway and treatment type selected, sperm is either mixed with an egg (IVF) or inseminated (IUI) to be fertilised.

Maternity and the Birth of Your Child: After nine months, your surrogate will give birth, typically with the intended parents present at the hospital.

Transfer of Legal Parenthood: At birth, UK law automatically recognises the surrogate as the child’s legal parent. You must apply for a parental order to transfer legal parenthood to you as intended parents, but you will be the child’s caregiver from birth. Once approved, the parental order transfers legal parenthood from the surrogate to you. This process sounds complex but can be straightforward with proper legal advice and preparation.

Surrogacy Myth 5: Any baby born from a surrogate shares their DNA

The two types of surrogacy are gestational surrogacy, also known as full surrogacy, and traditional surrogacy, also known as partial surrogacy. The type of surrogacy pathway will determine if your surrogate shares DNA with a baby or not.

Gestational Surrogacy: Eggs from an intended parent or a donor are used to make embryos for the surrogacy treatment. Therefore, there is no genetic connection between the baby and the surrogate.

Traditional Surrogacy: Involves an egg from the chosen surrogate being fertilised using sperm from an intended parent of the baby. In this case, the surrogate and your baby would have a genetic connection. 

Regardless of whether or not you use donor eggs for your treatment, you will still need a parental order. 

As My Surrogacy Journey’s Centre of Excellence for the Northwest and Midlands, we’re incredibly proud of our support to intended parents as they navigate the journey to parenthood, we offer a tailored surrogacy service delivered by our specialist team. If you’d like more information, visit our surrogacy page, or if you need any advice for starting your surrogacy journey, contact our dedicated team on 0161 300 2730 today.