Surrogacy is when a woman carries and gives birth to a baby for someone else. The baby may be created using the parents’ own egg and sperm, or sometimes with a donor egg or sperm. The process allows someone who cannot carry a baby, or safely carry a baby, to become a parent (or parents).
For children born to a surrogate, the surrogate and her married partner (where applicable) will be deemed the parent, regardless of whether her egg or his sperm are used in the treatment. Following birth, the intended parents need to apply for a parental order/adoption order to transfer parental responsibility to the intended parents.
For more information about how surrogacy works, please contact the HFEA.
Yes. It protects all parties for lawyers to provide advice to both the intended parents and the surrogate to ensure all parties understand their rights, the legal implications of the arrangement, and UK surrogacy law. The primary role of a lawyer in UK surrogacy is to assist with applying for a Parental Order or Adoption Order. We can put you in touch with Lucina Troy at gunnercooke who is a specialist in this area.
The Lawyer in London