Gestational Carrier vs. Surrogate: What’s the Difference?
If you are someone who has looked into surrogacy in Colorado as an option for your family’s needs, it’s almost a guarantee that you’ve come upon the terms “surrogate” and “gestational carrier.” While many people may assume that these terms are interchangeable, gestational carriers and surrogates are, in fact, not the same.
Do you know what differs? If not, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to outline the difference between gestational carriers and surrogates.
Gestational Carrier vs. Surrogate
While there are some underlying similarities between gestational carriers and surrogates, these terms mean largely different things. In order to gain a better understanding of surrogacy, knowing the difference between gestational carrier vs. surrogate is essential.
Difference #1: Traditional vs. Gestational Surrogacy
When considering where the terms surrogate and gestational carrier are used most frequently, one thing to understand is which type of surrogacy they are typically associated with. The term “surrogate” typically describes someone who carries another family’s child in traditional surrogacy, which is actually illegal across the United States and no longer recognized. On the other hand, “gestational carrier” is used as a term for the woman who carries intended parents’ children in gestational surrogacy, which is the form of surrogacy that Colorado specializes in and recognizes. Therefore, in almost all cases, gestational carriers are the women who carry children for intended parents in Colorado and throughout the United States.
Difference #2: Biological Mother or Not
Another key difference between surrogates and gestational carriers is whether or not they are the biological mother of the child who is born. In the case of traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is the actual mother of the child she carries. This can lead to major complications with custody and makes it impossible for more than one intended parent to maintain a genetic link to their children.
Gestational carriers, however, are not biologically related to the child they carry. Because gestational surrogacy involves the process of IVF and implantation of a fertilized embryo — created from the egg of the intended mother and sperm of the intended father — into the gestational carrier, she is not the biological mother. This is one reason why many people love gestational surrogacy. Intended parents have the option to maintain a genetic link to their child!
Difference #3: Legalities
Legal worries about surrogacy are among some of the top concerns that intended parents have when considering surrogacy as an option for them. However, these legalities can be managed much smoothly with gestational carriers than with surrogates. In gestational surrogacy, the gestational carrier and intended parents will enter into an agreement through a surrogacy contract. This contract serves to ensure the surrogacy process is as uncomplicated as possible, especially because many decisions are made before the pregnancy begins.
For surrogates, though, the legalities can be quite complex as the surrogate is also the biological mother of the child. Thus, she has the ability to express concerns about custody, especially because a surrogacy contract is typically not negotiated in traditional surrogacy.
If you are concerned about any legalities associated with surrogacy, a good way to help relieve these stresses is to reach out to a surrogacy agency like Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado.
Difference #4: Intended Parent Relationships
Many times, gestational carriers are women who may not know the intended parents prior to the process at all. With the help of a surrogacy agency, gestational carriers can be matched to intended parents who are a good fit for them. Therefore, they can foster a relationship that is related to the gestational surrogacy process and navigate where they may want to take the relationship after the fact.
Surrogates, though, may have a more involved relationship in the child’s life than gestational carriers due to their position as the child’s biological mother. Most surrogates may already know the intended parents that they will be working with, which can be great in some cases, but also lead to unexpected social consequences in others. For this reason, many people may prefer to develop and regulate their relationships with a gestational carrier over a surrogate.
Difference #5: Requirements
In order for a woman to become a gestational carrier, there are specific requirements set by each state that she must meet. Some of these requirements in Colorado include being within a specific age range, having already had a child of her own, and more. However, because traditional surrogacy is illegal in the United States, there are not specific requirements for women who want to act as a surrogate.
Having specific requirements for women who are interested in carrying someone else’s child is extremely valuable in helping to ensure a safe pregnancy and delivery. Thus, gestational surrogacy is an overall safer method for intended parents to seek the help of another woman (a gestational carrier) to help achieve their dreams of having children.
Interested in Becoming a Gestational Carrier?
If you are a woman who is interested in becoming a gestational carrier, or are a gestational carrier looking to be matched with intended parents, feel free to reach out to us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado. We have resources to support both gestational carriers and intended parents and are here to help ensure a smooth surrogacy process along the way. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions that you may have!
If you are interested in surrogacy and want to learn more about your options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Ashley Nies is an undergraduate student at Stanford University who is studying Human Biology and Political Science. Ashley is largely interested in various aspects of health and healthcare, and writes about these topics. She has taken classes on rhetoric, ethics and social media in health, as well as other creative writing classes during her freshman year at Stanford.
Ashley is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and considers herself to be fun-loving and adventurous. She values the importance of combining STEM with liberal arts education and hopes to integrate these in her writing.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!