A gestational carrier is a woman who agrees to carry a pregnancy for an individual or couple. This form of third-party reproduction makes it possible for same-sex male couples, or women who are unable or choose not to carry a pregnancy, to be parents.
At Penn Fertility Care – Lancaster General Health, we do not match you with gestational carriers or provide counsel on any of the (many) legal and financial considerations of gestational surrogacy. However, our fertility specialists can give you answers to common questions about using a gestational carrier. If you choose this route, we refer you to Penn Medicine in Philadelphia for testing and treatment.
Is There a Difference Between a Gestational Carrier and a Surrogate?
A gestational carrier doesn’t have a genetic link to the baby they carry. They receive an embryo created from the sperm and egg of the intended parents. This is also called gestational surrogacy. But sometimes the person carrying the baby is also the egg donor, which is called traditional surrogacy. Gestational carriers are much more common than traditional surrogates.
How Do I Find a Gestational Carrier?
Most people find a gestational carrier or surrogate through an agency that specializes in these matches. Less often, people have a known friend or family member who agrees to carry a pregnancy for them. No matter which option you choose, we recommend contacting a reproductive lawyer who can guide you through the process.
Who Might Need a Gestational Carrier?
You might consider a carrier or surrogate in the following scenarios:
- Same-sex male couples or single men using their own sperm and donor eggs
- Women who are unable to carry a pregnancy because they’ve had a hysterectomy
- Women who have medical conditions that make it unsafe to carry a pregnancy
- Women who have had recurrent pregnancy loss
How Much Does Using a Gestational Carrier Cost?
The cost of using a gestational carrier varies widely. You pay fees to the carrier and the agency you use to select the carrier. You also pay for the fertility treatment, such as in vitro fertilization. You should factor in costs for testing and the possibility that it will take your carrier or surrogate multiple treatments to get pregnant. There will also be legal costs.
What Can I Expect During the Gestational Carrier Process?
The intended parents undergo comprehensive testing to make sure their sperm and eggs are healthy enough to create an embryo. If you decide to use donor sperm or donor eggs, you get these from a third-party sperm or egg bank.
You work with an agency to select a carrier or surrogate, or choose a known surrogate (a friend or family member). The surrogate becomes our patient and goes through all the same tests and preparation necessary during a normal IVF cycle, including ovulation induction, monitoring, egg retrieval and embryo transfer.
Make an Appointment
Call 717-544-0107 or request an appointment to schedule your fertility
consultation.