#11
Why Did I Choose Host Surrogacy?
Removing my genetic link to the child that I plan to carry
When I first started researching surrogacy I was overwhelmed by all the new vocabulary I had to learn. The most important terms that I had to understand were those for the two types of surrogacy that are available: gestational surrogacy (or GS), also known as host or full surrogacy; and traditional surrogacy (or TS), also known as straight or partial surrogacy. Not only did I need to understand what these meant but I also had to decide which of them was right for me.
Traditional surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy is similar to the conventional method of becoming pregnant. The surrogate monitors their ovulation and, when they are fertile, the intended father’s sperm is deposited into their uterus. This can either be done at home using a home insemination kit or at a fertility clinic. Conceiving using this method tends to involve less medical intervention and cost less than gestational surrogacy.
The genetic link
Children conceived this way share a genetic link with the parent whose sperm was used, but traditional surrogacy can’t be used by intended mothers who wish to keep a genetic link with their child. Because the surrogate’s egg was…
