FAQ: Surrogacy, egg donation and the surrogate mother

Find out what a surrogacy programme in Colombia costs here.

Find out what a surrogacy programme in Georgia costs here.

Find out what a surrogacy programme in the USA costs here.

Children born through surrogacy arrangements in the destination are entitled to the care offered under the rules of the country in which they are born.

This care is paid for by the intended parents in the surrogacy arrangement and any insurance policies covering such situations.

It is completely possible to do a surrogacy process as a single person. Surrogacy arrangements for single men are available in countries such as Colombia and the United States. A single woman can undergo a surrogacy process in the USA.

This is due to many different factors, such as where the embryos were created and what original documentation you have access to. Please contact us to determine whether it is possible to use your already created embryos for a surrogacy process!

Once the woman seeking to become a surrogate mother has undergone comprehensive medical, psychological and social assessments, and a legal contract has been signed, an embryo transfer is carried out using IVF (assisted fertilization). The embryo transferred is created from the sperm of the father-to-be and the egg of the mother-to-be or an egg donor. This embryo transfer makes a pregnancy possible.

Research indicates that children born through surrogacy generally have equivalent physical and mental health to children born in other ways. No significant differences have been noted based on method of birth; it is instead other factors, such as family environment and social support, that may have an influence.

Altruistic surrogacy is a type of surrogacy arrangement where the surrogate mother does not receive any financial compensation beyond the costs directly related to the pregnancy and delivery. She instead participates in the surrogacy process for altruistic reasons, such as helping a friend or family member. Legislation on this varies considerably from one country to another.

No, the child cannot receive the surrogate mother’s DNA in full surrogacy; in other words, the egg comes from another woman – either the mother-to-be or an egg donor.

When the child has a given nationality, the embassy/consulate associated with this nationality will usually assist in issuing travel documents for the child.

The legal process consists of three parts in most countries: Establishment of paternity or maternity, the application for sole custody and a family member adoption for an eventual partner who is the other parent of the child.

If you choose a guarantee programme for the surrogacy process with Nordic Surrogacy, all necessary medical steps are included, as many times as required, until a child is born.

In guarantee programmes, embryos are always created with an egg donor

We only conduct processes in countries where there is clear regulation governing surrogacy and parenthood. It is not currently possible for us to be involved in processes where a family member or friend agrees to act as a surrogate.

Surrogacy within the country is not permitted by the legislation of most European countries.

At Nordic Surrogacy, we work with clinics in countries where there are regulations governing surrogacy processes. Our partners, the clinic or local agency are responsible for the surrogates. We are therefore unable to help those who wish to become surrogate mothers.

In Colombia and Georgia, all egg donation is anonymous, meaning that the donor’s identity is kept hidden from the family.

In the USA, once they are 18 years old, the child has the right to be able to contact the egg donor.

All of our egg donor databases show pictures and provide detailed and comprehensive information about the women.

At Nordic Surrogacy we work with surrogates in the USA, Colombia and Georgia.

USA – for everyone regardless of sexual orientation and marital status.

Colombia – for same-sex couples (men), for single men, and heterosexual couples.

Georgia – for heterosexual couples who are married or have been cohabiting for at least one year.

In all destinations, it is possible to meet the surrogate either in person or online if both parties wish to do so. In the US, it is common for you to have direct contact with the surrogate throughout the entire process. In the other destinations, we at Nordic Surrogacy serve as a helpful intermediary to navigate language and cultural barriers.

Careful and frequent check-ups are carried out during a pregnancy in the surrogacy process in order to ensure the health of both the child and the surrogate.

The check-ups carried out depend on the destination of the surrogacy process and are determined by the treating physician, but you as intended parents will be informed of the plan for scheduled check-ups.

In all our destinations, the surrogate mother has access to medical care as well as psychological support both during and after pregnancy, if needed.

Enter the surrogate process with an open mind, trust in the process, and be aware that things will change along the journey. This is completely normal! It is therefore extremely important that we work together, manage the process as a team and maintain a productive dialogue. The focus is on our common goal – for you to have a baby.

Surrogacy is a process with many interdependent relationships and can be demanding for all involved, including the intended parents. It is good to be prepared for unforeseen events and the need to repeat certain steps. It is also good to have a supportive network.

In practical terms, a surrogacy process involves intended parents travelling on two occasions to the destination where the process will be carried out. Firstly, to provide biological material such as sperm and/or eggs and secondly for the birth of the child.

You must also be available for updates throughout the process and to submit all necessary documentation.

The process of choosing an egg donor is different depending on the destination you choose for the surrogacy process. Most commonly, you choose an egg donor from a database or the clinic selects a small number of donors who fit your requirements.

For most intended parents, choosing an egg donor is an emotional step, and it is not uncommon to become attached to the selected donor. To facilitate this part of the process, it is good to remember that the programme is both voluntary and medically demanding for the donor.

In some cases, the egg donor may decide to drop out of the programme for personal or medical reasons, such as not responding to hormone therapy. In such an event, a new egg donor will be selected.

At Nordic Surrogacy you can start the surrogacy process immediately after signing an agreement with us. Most clients usually make their first trip to the destination to deposit eggs and/or sperm within three months. Getting to this point requires documentation and results from medical tests, which we guide you through.

The surrogate mother’s lifestyle and health are regularly monitored in medical check-ups at the clinic. However, she continues to live and work as usual, in her own home with her family. In some cases, if she wishes, she moves closer to the clinic in the later stages of pregnancy as labour approaches.

The surrogate mothers are resident in the countries where the surrogacy process is carried out.

The clinics that Nordic Surrogacy works with are located in the USA, Georgia and Colombia.

Contact us via our contact form and we will arrange a free consultation. We hold meetings online or at our office in Stockholm. In the meeting, we discuss your thoughts on family creation and your circumstances in order to see how we can help you.

The surrogate’s health during pregnancy is always of the utmost priority. In addition to the initial and comprehensive medical and psychological testing, she undergoes frequent medical check-ups for her own health and that of the foetus during the pregnancy. She can also see a therapist for psychological support if necessary.

The citizenship of the child will depend on the regulatory framework for surrogacy in the country where the surrogacy process takes place. In some countries the child is born without any citizenship (stateless), and in other countries the child is born with the citizenship of the country of birth. Ultimately, however, after a legal process, the child always gets the citizenship of the parent’s home country.

If there are medical reasons, in other words if the health or life of the mother or child are at risk, the surrogate may have an abortion. Otherwise she may not terminate the pregnancy.

In most cases she will continue working as usual during her pregnancy. The surrogate mother receives pre-defined compensation for being a surrogate and is reimbursed for care, expenses and loss of income.

In some destinations it is also possible to take out insurance to cover financial loss for the surrogate.

The surrogate mother has no biological connection to the child and is aware from day one that she is carrying the child for someone else. We only work with countries where surrogacy is clearly regulated and voluntary, as ensured by medical and psychological screening that the woman undergoes before beginning the process. This is therefore regulated through contracts and legislation in each specific country.

Emotions naturally get involved in a surrogacy process. Surrogates receive support from a psychologist as needed; this may even continue after the end of the surrogacy process.

Surrogacy is voluntary and there are many reasons for becoming a surrogate, or surrogate mother as it is commonly referred to in everyday language.

Anyone seeking to become a surrogate must undergo a strict screening process that differs between destinations, but includes medical and psychological tests as well as other factors, such as standard of living and family situation. The woman must also have at least one child already, and have had at least one pregnancy free of complications.

Surrogacy is further regulated by the legislation of each country.

As a full-service agency, we will assign you a personal coordinator to guide you through the entire process. We handle the practicalities together with our partners at the destination, and are always there along the way to answer your questions and provide you support. This lets you focus on becoming parents.

Surrogacy involves a woman carrying and giving birth to a child for someone else. Most commonly, the child is biologically that of the intended parents or, alternatively, the egg or sperm is donated by a third party. These different options are referred to as full surrogacy and are the types we offer at Nordic Surrogacy.