What is a surrogate mother? Surrogacy. In what cases do they resort to the services of a surrogate mother?

Story

By now, surrogacy has become quite common. In particular, it was used by such celebrities as Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alena Apina, Ricky Martin, Annie Leibovitz. In some cases, the cause of this was not infertility, but homosexuality.

Ethical issues

Opponents of surrogacy fear the vicious practice of turning children into a kind of commodity, creating a situation in which rich people can hire women to bear their offspring. Many feminists believe the practice exploits women, while religious leaders see it as an immoral trend that undermines the sanctity of marriage and the family.

There are also justified fears that some surrogate mothers may be severely psychologically traumatized by the need to give away a child who has become “their own” after pregnancy and childbirth (even if at first the surrogate mother thought that she could part with such a child without much worry).

Proponents of the use of surrogacy argue that for a family childless due to the wife’s inability to conceive or bear a fetus, this is the only way to get a child who will be genetically related to both spouses (with in vitro fertilization and transplantation of the resulting embryo into the surrogate mother) or only to the husband ( during artificial insemination of a surrogate mother with her husband’s sperm). They point out that this procedure is not so different from adoption. In their opinion, this is not the commercialization of childbirth, but a deeply human act of love and cooperation. Supporters of surrogacy do not consider it a form of exploitation of women; they argue that a woman who voluntarily decides to become a surrogate mother receives both sufficient material compensation for this and moral satisfaction from the benefits brought to other people.

Legislative regulation

The laws governing surrogacy and the rights and responsibilities of the surrogate mother and those for whom she is carrying a child vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

An important point when concluding a surrogacy agreement is the question of how aware all parties involved in the process are of the possible risks.

The most famous case of a legal conflict related to surrogacy is the so-called “Baby M case” in the USA, when the surrogate mother refused to hand over the child she gave birth to to his biological father. In 1988, a New Jersey family court ordered the child to be placed for "adoption" and given parental rights to the biological father, but ruled that the surrogate mother must have visitation rights and participation in the child's upbringing.

Surrogacy in Russia

In Russia, surrogacy is regulated by the following legislative acts and regulatory documents:

• Family Code of the Russian Federation, art. 51-52.
• Federal Law of November 21, 2011 No. 323-FZ “On the fundamentals of protecting the health of citizens in Russian Federation».
• Law “On Civil Status Acts” dated November 15, 1997. No. 143-FZ, art. 16
• Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated February 26, 2003. No. 67 “On the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in the treatment of female and male infertility.”

To register a child (children) born by a surrogate mother, parents must provide the following documents to the registry office: a medical birth certificate, the consent of the surrogate mother, a certificate from the IVF clinic.

“Blank spots” in Russian legislation

It is a mistake to believe that the services of a surrogate mother in Russia can only be used by married couple. Current legislation does not provide for any prohibitions or restrictions based on marital status or gender when implementing surrogacy programs.

The law does not prohibit the registration of children born to single women and men using assisted reproductive technologies, including surrogacy, but only regulates the procedure for registration of children born as a result of the implementation of a surrogacy program for married persons (clause 4, article 51 RF IC), establishing as the only condition for such registration the receipt of the prior consent of the surrogate mother.

References to paragraph 7 of the order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated February 26, 2003 No. 67 “On the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in the treatment of female and male infertility” are untenable, since the first paragraph of the mentioned paragraph directly indicates that the legal aspects of surrogacy are defined other norms of current legislation, that is, this document does not regulate any legal issues related to surrogacy.

Judicial precedents

Case of Natalya Gorskaya

The answer to the question whether single people can or cannot use the services of surrogate mothers for procreation was given by arbitrage practice. In its precedent-setting decision in the case of Natalya Gorskaya, the Kalininsky District Court of St. Petersburg indicated that, in accordance with Art. 35 of the Fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation on the protection of the health of citizens, a single woman has equal rights to realize the function of motherhood as married women.

The court found that other norms relating to health care and family planning do not contain any prohibitions or restrictions regarding the opportunity for an unmarried woman to realize herself as a mother.

The court indicated that paragraph 4 of Art. 51 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation provides only for a particular, one of several possible cases - the case of registering the birth of a child born as a result of the implementation of a surrogacy program for married persons, noting that the civil registry office erroneously applies this private norm(Clause 4 of Article 51 of the RF IC) as general, drawing from it the conclusion that it is impossible for a woman who is not in a registered marriage to participate in the surrogacy program. The court noted that such an interpretation of the legislation violates the rights of citizens established by Art. 38, 45, 55 of the current Constitution of the Russian Federation.

The court pointed out that the surrogate mother’s statement only confirms that she herself does not claim to be the registered mother of the child born as a result of the surrogacy program. Paragraph 2, clause 4, art. is all about guaranteeing the rights of the surrogate mother. 51 of the Family Code.

The court considered the refusal of the civil registry office to register the birth of a child with the applicant as a result of the use of surrogacy according to the rules established for registering the birth of children from single mothers, not corresponding to the above provisions of the law and subject to cancellation. Gorskaya became the first Russian woman to defend her right to motherhood through court.

In November 2009, a similar decision in an identical case was made by the Kuntsevsky District Court in Moscow. The Moscow court, following the St. Petersburg one, indicated that “a single woman has equal rights with married women to exercise the function of motherhood.”

After the publication in the media of these precedent court decisions, Russian registry offices began to register the children of single women without waiting for court decisions. Thus, on January 13, 2010, the registry office of Veliky Novgorod, on the day of the application, registered a “surrogate” child born to an unmarried resident of the Novgorod region.

The case of Natalya Klimova

However, difficulties in registering “surrogate” children for single women still persist. If we are talking about unusual reproductive programs (posthumous reproduction, a combination of surrogacy with donor programs, etc.), the difficulties increase exponentially.

Subsequently, Russian courts made several more virtually identical decisions in similar cases involving “single” parents, both women and men, for example, the decision of the Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg on the claim of a single St. Petersburg resident, whom the civil registry office refused to register his "surrogate" twins.

The basis for the refusal was also the applicant’s marital status, namely the fact that he was not and is not in a registered marriage. Referring to Part 3 of Art. 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the court indicated that “the current legislation is based on the equality of rights of women and men. The right of single men to have children and create a family, which will include only children and their father, is no exception.” The court clearly established that “the current legislation does not contain a ban on registering the birth of a child born as a result of implantation of an embryo into another woman for the purpose of bearing it, by a single mother or father of the child.” The court stated that the refusal to register the birth of a child is not based on the law and violates the rights and legitimate interests of not only the plaintiff, but also his newborn children.

Considering that “the current legislation does not regulate the issue of establishing paternity and registering the birth of children who do not have a mother, but have only a father,” the court considered it necessary to “use the norms of the current family legislation by analogy,” especially pointing out that, as stated in the decision court, “the absence of legal norms cannot be a basis for the derogation and violation of the rights and legitimate interests of children and their father.” The refusal of the Civil Registration Department to register the birth of the first “surrogate” twins in St. Petersburg, born to a single father, was declared illegal by the court

Russian law does not stipulate the situation that may arise in the event of divorce or death of biological parents before the birth of the child.

In any case, parents must be included in the birth certificate of their “surrogate” child. The question of which parent will raise him must be resolved as provided for in paragraph 2 of Art. 66 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation by an agreement on the exercise of parental rights by a parent living separately from the child, or in court with the participation of guardianship and trusteeship authorities.

Despite the fact that, according to the Family Code of the Russian Federation (clause 4 of Article 51), customers can be registered as the parents of a child only with the consent of the woman who gave birth to him, there have been no cases of a surrogate mother refusing to sign such consent. The surrogate mother no longer has the right to withdraw her consent after registering the child.

The most famous single father in Russia is pop singer Philip Kirkorov. On November 26, 2011, with the help of a surrogate mother, his daughter Alla Victoria was born. and son Martin-Christine, born June 29, 2012

see also

Notes

1. WHO recommendations: ART terminology. Journal "Problems of Reproduction". Publishing house "Media Sphere". Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
2. Federal Law No. 323-FZ "On the fundamentals of protecting the health of citizens in the Russian Federation" (Chapter 6, Article 55, paragraph 10) - http://base.garant.ru/12191967/6/#160
3. Yu. A. Dronova. What you need to know about surrogacy, 2007
4. P. Tsvetkova, O. Rodina. Stars for surrogacy!
5. Fundamentals of the social concept of the Russian Orthodox Church // Official website of the Moscow Patriarchate, September 12, 2005.
6. Sokolova N. A.// Demography.ru, 07/07/2011.
7. Surrogacy is enshrined in law
8. Kalininsky District Court of St. Petersburg, decision dated August 5, 2009 in civil case No. 2-4104, judge A. Yu. Korchagina.
9. Svitnev K. N. ART and the right to motherhood. / Medical law. - 2010. No. 3 (31). - P. 5-9.
10. Kuntsevsky District Court of Moscow, decision dated November 3, 2009 in civil case No. 2-3853/09, judge M. E. Makarova.
11. Rosyurconsulting - News
12. Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg, decision of October 6, 2010 in civil case No. 2-3927/10, judge Matusyak T.P.
13. Elena Novoselova. I won't die at all // " Russian newspaper" - October 6, 2010
14. Babushkinsky District Court of Moscow, decision dated August 4, 2010 in civil case No. 2-2745/10, judge Martynenko A.A.
15. Svitnev K. N. Assisted reproductive technologies: Legal conflicts / Legal issues in healthcare. 2011. No. 5. P. 52-59.
16. Smolninsky District Court of St. Petersburg, decision dated March 4, 2011 in civil case No. 2-1601/11, judge Matusyak T.P.
17. Elena Novoselova. A lonely Petersburger became the father of “surrogate” twins // Rossiyskaya Gazeta. - March 22, 2011

Literature

• S. V. Lebedev What is surrogacy?

• S. V. Lebedev Legal comments on legislation on surrogacy issues.

• O. A. Peresada, A. V. Lebedko Assisted reproductive technologies: ethical and legal problems // Magazine "Medical News" (Belarus). - 2005. - № 6.
• K. N. Svitnev Surrogacy: problems legal regulation and law enforcement. (Russian) // Journal "Legal Issues in Healthcare". - 2011. - No. 9. - P. 52-61.
• Sokolova N.A. Surrogacy in the new bill on health care: “green light” to child trafficking // Demography.ru, 07/07/2011.
• Ivaeva E. A. Surrogacy: legal and moral dimensions of the problem. (Russian) // Journal "Medical Law". - 2008. - № 3.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Surrogacy is one of the methods of reproductive medicine that helps infertile couples solve the problem of childlessness. They turn to it when other technologies are powerless.

To give birth to a child for a childless couple and help them find long-awaited, full-fledged happiness is a noble goal, but ethically and legally it is very problematic issue. Moreover, this is not easy psychologically for surrogate mothers, and if it comes solely to material interests, all arguments in favor of the last and only chance for infertile families lose their significance.

In Russia, surrogacy is allowed and legal, but there are many opponents and condemners. There were no radical changes in people's consciousness. Moral and legal adaptation continues, there is no unity of opinion, meanwhile the number of people wishing to use the services of surrogate mothers is growing every year. What is this, pure calculation or nobility towards those who are deprived of the opportunity to have children? Are there prospects for surrogacy and how safe is it for all participants in non-traditional conception? Let's try to find the answers.

Types of surrogacy

Surrogacy is a modern reproductive technology in which women voluntarily agree to carry, give birth to, and give a child to legal parents, usually receiving a reward for this. The process of conception involves the use of the genetic material of a married couple and the participation of three people:

1. Genetic father;
2. Genetic mother;
3. Surrogate mother:

Each situation is unique; there are no identical stories in surrogacy. There are too many nuances and factors influencing the development of events in an individual family. Any surrogacy center with a good reputation will offer its own plan for the upcoming operation and will control every stage of the process. The fertilization procedure itself is identical to the IVF method. There are three known methods of fertilization and conception, each of them deserves attention.

Technology of fertilization and conception during surrogacy?

There is a lot of evidence in history of the existence of similarities of surrogacy. It was customary to bear and give away children in ancient times. You can find hundreds of cases from later periods in which rich young ladies forced slaves to give birth to children, and then unceremoniously took them away. Times, morals and approaches to this issue have changed; the surrogacy program has been practiced for more than a hundred years. Nowadays, three of the known fertilization technologies are actively used:

Use of genetic mother's egg

For an embryo to implant, the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) must reach maturity. For this purpose, the cycles of both mothers are synchronized. The synchronization stage begins immediately after examinations and a whole range of laboratory tests. To speed up the maturation of the embryo, the woman who is to bear the child is given special medications. She should not take hormonal contraceptives.

The preparatory stage also includes monitoring the level of hormones in the blood, ultrasound of the ovaries and endometrium. Once synchronization is achieved, IVF is performed. The egg of the genetic mother is fertilized by the sperm of the genetic father. Afterwards, the fertilized cell is implanted into the surrogate’s uterus.

Fertilization of a donor egg

This method is used in cases where it is not possible to take an egg from the biological mother. This may be due to pathologies and disorders of the ovaries, the onset of menopause, a high risk of hereditary diseases in the child and a number of other medical indications.
The law prohibits egg donation to surrogate mothers.

These must be two different people. Donors can be relatives, acquaintances of genetic parents, or so-called professional anonymous donors. The selected candidate undergoes a thorough medical examination. In the absence of contraindications, synchronization, egg retrieval, fertilization with sperm and transfer of embryos to the uterus of the surrogate mother take place.

Use of donor sperm

If men have problems (infertility, hereditary risks, sexual disorders), they resort to donor sperm. Donors are healthy men under 40 years of age who, after providing their sperm, sign a waiver of parental responsibilities. After donation, donor sperm is frozen for six months. To avoid the transmission of diseases, the donor’s responsibilities include taking repeated blood tests for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, C.

At the same time, the genetic and biological mother is examined. If no contraindications are identified, cycles are synchronized and the removed eggs of the biological mother are fertilized with donor sperm. The embryos are grown in vitro for several days, after which they are implanted into the surrogate mother.

Surrogacy. Common Stereotypes

A lot is said and written about surrogacy; there are supporters and opponents. First for opportunities modern medicine make dreams of procreation come true for spouses who do not have the opportunity to have children. Opponents of surrogacy actively advocate non-interference in the process of childbirth, considering it solely a matter of nature.

There are many stereotypes, let’s highlight the most common:
Most surrogate mothers give birth for money. It is difficult to deny the financial benefit and this is understandable. There is no guarantee that a surrogate mother is protected from negative health consequences while carrying a child. In addition, it is almost impossible to meet wealthy ladies among surrogate mothers. This is done by women who, as a rule, already have a husband and children.

Surrogacy in Russia is one of the reliable ways to replenish the family budget. The interest in the monetary side of the issue is understandable, and yet no one has canceled the nobility. Among surrogate mothers there are many who want and are ready to simply help families dreaming of their own little happiness.

It is always difficult for a surrogate mother to part with a pregnant child. There is some truth in this too. Nine months of coexistence do not pass without a trace, however, surrogate mothers are initially warned and realize that they are not carrying their own child. Such women should not have any psychological problems; their presence or absence is carefully checked even before conception.

After the birth of a child, all relations with his family are severed. This is not true; you can give a lot of examples when, during pregnancy, the surrogate and genetic mothers manage to become friends. They have to spend a lot of time together, this brings them closer together and has a beneficial effect on future relationships.

Advantages and disadvantages of surrogacy

The main advantage is the opportunity to have their own child for couples who, for many reasons, cannot have children. A big plus is that genetic abnormalities can be identified even before the implantation of a fertilized egg. There are no problems with determining the sex of the child.

There are also disadvantages. Only wealthy families can take advantage of tempting opportunities. This procedure is paid, and the costs will be high. Medical supervision, the process of artificial insemination itself, payment of compensation to the surrogate mother - for many these are unaffordable costs.

The problems of surrogacy are associated with fraudsters and unscrupulous intermediaries. The awakened one also causes a lot of trouble for biological parents. maternal instinct surrogate mothers after childbirth. There are very complex, often scandalous stories when women who have given birth do not want to give up the baby.

Psychological instability is one of the most serious problems. IN current law it is interpreted that genetic parents can register a child in their name only after the consent of the surrogate mother. Theoretically, she may not give up the child; there is always a risk, but the probability is low, since there are guarantees from the parties and clear obligations that are spelled out in detail in the contracts.

Legal basis

All rights to the born child belong to the surrogate mother. This is one of the main provisions of the law. Officially, genetic parents are recognized after the voluntary and notarized refusal of the surrogate mother.

The law also sets out age restrictions for a woman planning to give birth to someone else’s child. She must not be older than 35 years. If the woman is married, her husband's permission will be required for the operation. A surrogate mother cannot become an egg donor; a fertilized embryo is implanted into her. The law excludes other options.

There are also rules regarding those who wish to become a participant in the surrogacy program. First of all, this is the consent of both spouses and the presence of medical indications, that is, reasons why there is no opportunity to have children of their own.

There are no answers to a number of questions in the law. Let's say what to do if the parents divorced during the surrogate mother's pregnancy? A child was born with mental and physical disabilities and everyone abandoned him, this also happens. There can be many unforeseen, controversial situations; they are not spelled out in the law, so no one is responsible for the consequences.

Lawyers, as a rule, advise stipulating all issues when drawing up an agreement; however, any competent agreement only provides for the transfer or acquisition of rights and obligations. The child is not the subject of the transaction, it is illegal. Since the final decision remains with the surrogate mother, in order to avoid financial losses, the contracts stipulate situations when the surrogate mother decides to keep the child.

In what cases do you resort to the services of a surrogate mother?

The consent of both partners is mandatory in any case. Let's look at the most common cases when women turn to surrogacy:

• Absence of the uterus, congenital or surgically removed;
• Dangerous pregnancy associated with a risk to life;
• Serious deformities and pathologies of the cervix or uterine cavity;
• Multiple failed IVFs;

Despite the fact that couples are increasingly being diagnosed with infertility, a ban on surrogacy is in force in many countries. Thanks to reproductive medicine, women and men with disappointing diagnoses do not want to deprive themselves of the joys of motherhood and actively use the services of surrogate mothers. This is not hampered by the opinions of opponents of this method of procreation, and competition contributes to stricter requirements.

Not every woman can become a surrogate mother. The list of requirements is quite impressive.

What should a surrogate mother be like?

Health comes first in importance. It must be physically and mentally strong, this is checked very carefully. The woman's age is not younger than 25 and not older than 35 years. She must have experience of motherhood, a woman must have her own child. The list of requirements includes the absence of bad habits and chronic diseases.

Legal advice and psychological testing required. The woman is given time to make a final decision, after which she undergoes a medical examination, which includes a whole range of measures.

Analyzes and examinations:

Analyzes

1. Blood for hepatitis B and C, HIV, syphilis;
2. Clinical and biochemical blood test;
3. Smears of the cervical canal, to determine the degree of cleanliness of the vagina and the flora from the urethra;
4. Analysis to determine blood group and Rh factor;
5. General urine analysis;
6. Fluorography;
7. Electrocardiogram;
8. Oncocytological examination of smears from the cervix.

Virus testing

1. Herpes;
2. Rubella;
3. Chlamydia;
4. Cytomegalovirus;
5. Mycoplasmosis;
6. Ureaplasmosis.

Examination and conclusion of doctors

1. Therapist;
2. Psychiatrist;
3. Gynecologist.

How to become a surrogate mother?

Advertisements with offers to provide surrogate mother services can be found everywhere today. The Internet remains the leader with popular resources for advertisements from women who want to improve their financial situation, and not only.

Often genetic parents become hostages of the situation. Threats of abortion, demands for increased payment, or the banal flight of a woman who agreed to carry and give birth to a child are likely. Blackmail is a very common phenomenon in this area; finding a surrogate mother is the biggest problem for many parents.

Difficulties also arise for decent women who want to give birth to a child for another family. Convincing oneself of one's honesty can be difficult. In addition to the legal requirements stipulating age restrictions and having your own child, there are many others. Those who, in addition to excellent health, have recommendations and experience have a greater chance of becoming a surrogate mother. The consent of a potential surrogate mother to draw up a contract and knowledge of the legal principles are always welcome.

Genetic parents are usually very careful about appearance and communication style when choosing candidates. A woman with a criminal past and bad habits has no chance.

How much does surrogacy cost?

The most pressing and troubling question for infertile couples. Each case is individual, deviations are possible, but the minimum cost and approximate expenses can be calculated:

• Gestation and birth - 500 thousand rubles.
• Food for a surrogate mother - 20-30 thousand rubles per month.
• Medicines and in vitro fertilization - 600 thousand rubles.

The summation will definitely exceed the million ruble mark and this is only the main part of the expected expenses. There will be additional ones, take at least legal support. Any unpredictable situation will require costs and you need to be prepared for this.

Problems of surrogacy

Most problems are related to psychological difficulties. There is no guarantee that after the birth of the child, the woman will not demand a large amount or will not declare her rights. No one is safe from scammers. There are many cases where genetic parents changed their minds and abandoned their child after birth.

The ethical challenges of surrogacy are similar to those of IVF. The main one is the so-called extra embryos. They do not have legal status and are at the complete disposal of private medical clinics. Abuse and sale of embryos can provoke incest, there is a lot of talk and debate about this now. A male donor could have hundreds of children he doesn't know about. Legally, paternity has not been confirmed in any way.

The children themselves do not know about the relationship. The likelihood of marriages between brothers and sisters becomes more obvious every year. The consequences can be very serious, especially considering the fact that there are no people responsible for what is happening.

Surrogacy is a commercial service. This is another ethical problem. Some women become participants in the reproductive process solely for the sake of money, and where there is money, traditional market rules and schemes work. In the case of surrogacy, human life becomes a commodity.

The conflict of interests and perspectives of the surrogate and genetic mothers often leads to a dead end. This is due to the lack of a clear legal framework. There are also ambiguities regarding confidentiality. Parents who resort to surrogacy prefer to hide this fact. Pregnancy is simulated in front of neighbors, relatives and close friends are warned about non-disclosure of information, but no one is immune from surprises. Anyone who is privy to the family secret can tell about the true origin. There is a possibility that the surrogate mother herself will remind about herself, for the sake of monetary gain or because of torment of conscience.

Each party must initially understand the extent of responsibility and solve the problem of infertility, preferably without victims or scandals. The most unpleasant thing is that the innocent baby who is born may suffer the most. Those wishing to take advantage of the surrogacy program should be aware possible problems and difficulties.

Conclusion

The ongoing debates and condemnations of surrogacy have almost no effect on the demand for this reproductive technology in modern society.

With the development of reproductive medical technologies, infertile couples have more and more opportunities to become parents. They often wonder what surrogacy means. Speaking in simple language it is a process of conceiving a child that involves three parties.

The genetic mother is the source of the eggs. The genetic father acts as the person from whom sperm are collected for subsequent fertilization of the oocytes taken from the woman. A surrogate mother is a girl who has agreed to bear and give birth to a child for a married couple.

A woman who has agreed to become a participant in the surrogacy program can do so either free of charge or for a certain fee. financial reward. The bottom line is that a girl who does not have the physical ability to give birth to a child will be able to become a mother.

If we consider the procedure from a medical point of view, it can be of two types. Therefore, let us consider in detail what a surrogate mother does, what each option means:

• A traditional surrogate mother is a person who carries and gives birth to a child for a couple who has a genetic connection with the baby.
• A gestational surrogate mother is an option in which the girl does not act as the genetic parent of the born child.

When a surrogate mother has already been found, what does this mean and where do biological materials come from, let’s take a closer look.

First of all, let's look at who a traditional surrogate mother is and how. Similar view applicable in situations where it is impossible to obtain a healthy oocyte suitable for subsequent fertilization from a genetic mother. The material is taken either from a woman who has agreed to carry a child, or from an egg donor.

Currently, in Russia, taking eggs from surrogate mothers for subsequent pregnancy is prohibited by law. It is also worth noting that the father will be biologically related to the baby, since fertilization is performed by his sperm.

Many questions remain regarding the concept of a gestational surrogate mother. What is it? This is when they take an egg from a biological mother, fertilize it in vitro with the sperm of the biological father, and after receiving the embryo, they plant it in the uterine cavity of the girl who will bear the fetus. With this technology, the surrogate mother is not biologically related to the child; the genetic parents will be the married couple from whom the materials were collected.

Advantages and disadvantages

IN modern world everyone expresses their own pros and cons of surrogacy. This is not surprising, because there are always two sides: one is an infertile couple who wants to become happy parents, but due to certain physiological problems cannot fulfill their dream, the second is a social society in which many healthy people and happy parents condemn such actions.

Of course, there are pros and cons of surrogacy, for example, according to statistics, more than 1,500 children were born in the world under the surrogacy program. However, this option of having a biologically natural child is far from clear-cut.

Pros of surrogacy:

1. This technique becomes the only opportunity for men and women who cannot have children to become happy parents of their baby. If it is possible to pay for the services of a surrogate mother, then the problem can be solved.
2. After birth, if the biological materials of the wife and husband were used, the child is clearly their genetic offspring, therefore, from the legal side, it is always considered their own.
3. Carrying a child occurs in the conditions of the body and body of an absolutely healthy woman. Thanks to this, the risk of miscarriage or miscarriage is minimized.
4. Professional surrogacy services help preserve the health of a woman who is unable to bear a child, and in some situations even her life. In their desperate attempts to become happy parents, infertile women can put themselves in great danger.

It is important to understand that a woman’s desire to bear a child for an infertile couple is always voluntary. Therefore, you can completely exclude any operational actions in relation to it.

Disadvantages of surrogacy:

1. The cost of surrogacy is quite high. Unfortunately, not every childless couple has good financial income, so they will not be able to afford to become parents in this way.
2. The risk of psychological rejection cannot be ruled out. Many spouses are sure that after the baby is born they will love him and feel a sense of responsibility or care. Sometimes it happens that after the birth of a child, he still cannot become their family.
3. During the process of carrying a child and after its birth, surrogate mothers perceive it as their own; against this background, there is a high probability that the woman will not want to pass it on to the genetic parents, and then it will take a long time to resolve the conflict through the courts.
4. It is possible that if a child ever finds out that he was carried by the wrong woman who is raising him, he will suffer severe psychological trauma.

Despite all the advantages and disadvantages, the services of a surrogate mother are quite in demand in fertility clinics. Here, everyone must make a decision for themselves and understand whether solving the problem of infertility in this way is acceptable for them or not.

Peculiarities

When a couple is faced with the choice of whether to decide on such reproductive assistive technology, they have many doubts. In search of answers to the question: surrogacy - what it is, more and more unknowns remain.

Some explanation of this delicate procedure can always help in making a decision. After all, it is possible that if you find the wrong answer to a question, then you may never experience the joy of motherhood and fatherhood, even in this way.

If you study everything about surrogacy, then first of all it is worth understanding when it arose. For the first time such a practice was carried out by British scientists. They were able to take an egg from one girl, fertilize it with the sperm of a healthy man, and then successfully transplant it into the uterine cavity of another woman.

In those distant times, the transfer of biological materials, in relation to the specifically described case, was performed on the sister of an infertile woman. The birth of a healthy child using this method occurred in 1989. It turns out that surrogacy is a fairly ancient technology, and it also has historical roots.

Considering surrogacy in detail, what it is and how it happens, we need to mention the indications for it. First of all, this is necessary for those married couples who do not have the physical ability to conceive a baby, and also do not want to take a child from an orphanage.

People who are unable to conceive a child in the traditional way and do not want adoption. In some cases, if permitted by the laws of the country where surrogacy is carried out, a healthy woman who does not want to spoil her figure or is afraid of pain during childbirth can resort to the services.

Sometimes same-sex couples are also interested in who the surrogate mother is. The fact is that for such people, such a service is the only way to have children with their own genes, naturally, only in those countries where same-sex relationships are not illegal.

Quite a few people are still interested when searching for an answer to the question: surrogacy – what is it – the level of legality and legality in different countries. Specifically in Russia, this method of assisted reproductive technology is permitted. But identical acts in Austria, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, some US states, France and Switzerland are punishable by law.

Based on certain articles Federal Law“On the fundamentals of protecting the health of citizens,” which is dated January 1, 2012, as well as some articles of the Family Code and other regulatory acts, the commercialization of this service is also allowed in Russia. Perhaps this is why attitudes towards surrogacy are both positive and negative. You can study the situation in different countries in detail by searching for “video surrogacy.”

Requirements

If the concept of a surrogate mother, who it is and when it is necessary is all relatively clear, then it is not clear what kind of girls can become one. First of all, doctors pay attention to the state of physical and mental health of the candidate.

Until a contract for the provision of surrogacy services is concluded with the girl and the couple or clinic, she will be examined in detail at the reproductive center. If the state of health is satisfactory, then pay attention to age (acceptable from 20 to 35 years). Candidates who do not have at least one child of their own are not accepted for surrogacy.

If a woman applying for this role has had in the past or suffers in the present from various bad habits, or has been diagnosed with chronic and genetic pathologies, then the candidate will be refused cooperation.

It is very important that a girl who decides to become a surrogate mother for the first time clearly understands the definition of a surrogate mother, what it is and what rights and responsibilities she will have.

For this purpose, there are competent lawyers who, even before signing an agreement between the interested parties, clearly explain all the provisions of the prepared contract, as well as what punishment follows for failure to fulfill obligations by both parties.

After all this, the girl is asked to think about her desire and decision for several days. If she agrees, the contract is certified by a notary and executed.

Programs

The principle of surrogacy, in fact, is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. The entire procedure is regulated by law and legally certified. In the event of conflict situations, their resolution is carried out in court.

Modern clinics always have a clear surrogacy program, but not everyone can take advantage of it. When taking such a step, clinic doctors and specialists first of all pay attention not to the whim of couples, but to medical indications to carry out the procedure.

Surrogacy (2017) is necessary for couples with the following indications:

1. Absence of a uterus in the expectant mother (the pathology can be either congenital or acquired);
2. Certain deformities of the cervix or uterine cavity, in which it is not possible to carry a child to term and give birth without complications;
3. Diagnosed with cancer or other serious diseases;
4. Identification of pathologies in which pregnancy is a contraindication because it threatens the woman’s life;
5. In situations where couples have made several attempts to conceive through in vitro fertilization, but they have not been successful;
6. Three or more miscarriages, after which the doctor diagnosed recurrent miscarriage.

The legislative level also stipulates that surrogacy 2017 can only be carried out by couples who are legally married. In some cases, the participant may be a single woman.

To select a suitable program for a couple and implement it, spouses should contact a trusted surrogacy institute, where specialists will provide qualified assistance and answer all questions.

Problems

It is very important to clearly understand that there are certain social aspects of surrogacy. After all, there are a lot of opponents of such assisted reproductive technology, and accordingly, the problems that arise will be of a multifaceted nature. From here, less than ideal pictures of surrogacy emerge.

A certain mass of people who do not accept surrogacy are inclined to think that children born to surrogate mothers are a kind of “good” that one side sells and the other buys

There were situations when fairly wealthy married couples or single women and men took so-called servants into their family (girls who have no self-esteem and are ready to do anything for money). Thanks to them, surrogate children also appeared, after which the couples no longer needed the services of girls. This is not a legal activity and is also against moral principles.

If you understand the concept of surrogate, this means fake, unreal. This is where women appear for whom financial reward, a certain profit from a problem in the family, is a priority. Taking care of your health and creating favorable conditions for the unborn child fade into the background. Therefore, a not entirely healthy baby may be born.

Also, do not forget about the various feminist movements. Their participants are deeply convinced that such assisted reproductive technology will allow women to be exploited sexually. After such violence, children will appear from surrogate mothers who will not be loved.

Church ministers are also ardent opponents of substitute motherhood. The fact that a surrogate child is born can serve as a trigger for a violation of humanity, a violation of traditions, and a departure from moral and spiritual values.

Probably the biggest problem is that the girls, who at the beginning of bearing the baby clearly realized that they would be able to give him away after birth, after nine months of unity, realized that this child was theirs. Natural instinct begins to manifest itself. Children of surrogacy are also close and dear to them, so the desire to give them to genetic parents disappears.

Statistics

Many couples are interested not only in surrogacy itself. Statistics also have great importance. The picture clearly demonstrates the results of conceptions and births carried out according to various programs. Data are presented for 5 years.

Considering the fact that the treatment cycle is quite long, plus there are certain difficulties in collecting statistical data, more recent results for the queries “surrogate mother 2017” are relatively ambiguous and may contain inaccuracies that distort the real situation.

Price

After a detailed study of the issue: what is a surrogate mother and who can help in implementing the technology, it remains to find out the price of the issue.

On average, for a woman agreeing to carry and give birth to a child for a married couple, she must pay half a million rubles. In addition, biological parents will need to fully pay for high-quality food for the surrogate mother. This can cost about 20 thousand rubles monthly. Another 600 thousand rubles will have to be spent on purchasing the necessary medicines, as well as payment for artificial insemination procedures.

On the Internet, upon request, surrogacy - photo, you can find detailed costs. They are done both by clinics and by parents who have completed the program.

Many people don’t always understand why the amount is so large. It is very simple to explain the high cost of the procedure. Initially, you should understand that the probability of conception after the first IVF procedure is quite low. Sometimes you have to do two or three of them. Also, let’s not forget about the natural factor, because who is a surrogate mother is, first of all, a person who cannot guarantee that she will not experience rejection or miscarriage of the pregnancy.

If you resort to the help of elementary mathematics, you can understand that the cost of the procedure is very high. On average, parents spend more than one million on surrogacy.

This price also always includes payment for the services of a professional lawyer, who clearly explains who surrogate mothers are and describes all the intricacies of the contract, what awaits the woman if after birth she refuses to give the child to the biological parents.

Only after the couple has studied in detail the question on the topic: what is a surrogate mother and why is it needed, can psychologically prepare for the process and finds a good clinic, can they decide to implement their plan.

About surrogacy (video)

With some types of infertility, not only the process of conception is impossible, but also pregnancy and childbirth. The solution in such a situation is surrogacy. In our country, this procedure is officially permitted.

Despite the fact that at the legislative level, bearing a child by another woman is allowed, it is condemned by some social institutions, including Orthodox Church. Conflicting ideas regarding surrogacy make it a subject of debate, although for some couples this procedure is the only opportunity to become parents.

Surrogacy refers to assisted reproductive technologies. Its essence is that the conception and birth of a child occurs with the participation of 3 people:

1. Genetic father– a man who provides sperm for fertilization and agrees to formalize the adoption of a child after his birth.
2. Genetic mother– a woman who provides an egg for fertilization and agrees to formalize the adoption of a child after childbirth.
3. Surrogate mother– women who consent to pregnancy, childbirth and subsequent abandonment of a child conceived using material from genetic parents.

In some cases, surrogacy involves two people: a man who provides the sperm and a woman who provides the egg, carries and gives birth to the child, but does not claim to raise him, that is, she agrees to renounce parental rights. In other words, the genetic and surrogate mother are one person.

Such situations occur if:

• in a married couple wishing to have a child, the woman cannot become an egg donor due to infertility;
• the adoptive mother is absent, a single father or a homosexual couple wants to have a child.

In Russia, this practice is prohibited. It is legally established that a surrogate mother should not be an egg donor.

Common Stereotypes

Surrogacy faces many ethical issues. His criticism is based on several ideas. First, the child begins to be viewed as a commodity with value. This situation is aggravated when the surrogate mother does not want to sign a waiver of the newborn, without increasing the previously approved cost of the service.

Secondly, surrogacy can be seen as a way of exploiting women. And thirdly, the intervention of a stranger in a marriage - conceiving and carrying a child - undermines the sanctity of the union (religious point of view).

More justified concerns are related to the fact that surrogacy psychologically traumatizes the woman who has to give away the child she carried and gave birth to. And although at the beginning of the procedure most surrogate mothers are convinced that they can easily part with the newborn, in practice this is not always the case.

But, despite all the criticism, surrogacy remains in demand among infertile couples. For them, this method is the only opportunity to raise a genetically native child. From the psychological side, this procedure is similar to ordinary adoption.

According to supporters of surrogacy, it is not an example of the commercialization of childbirth, but is based on cooperation and the desire to help. In this case, exploitation does not occur; a woman who decides to become a gestational courier is rewarded financially for this and receives moral satisfaction from the fact that she benefits and makes other people happy.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of surrogacy is obvious - an infertile couple has the opportunity to raise a biologically natural child. And this is the main point of the procedure. Another advantage is that a woman carrying a baby receives both material and moral rewards: she earns a fairly large amount of money and makes people happy who have no other opportunities to become parents.

But surrogacy also has its disadvantages. This method of conception, gestation and birth is not natural and therefore can cause psychological problems both for the genetic parents and for the woman involved.

The couple faces the same problems as with the usual adoption of a child: the feeling that he is not his own, the absence or lack of love and affection. Surrogate mothers, as already noted, experience a feeling of loss when parting with a newborn.

Also, the disadvantages of the procedure include difficulties in selecting a surrogate mother and legal registration of all possible nuances: complications at the stage of conception, gestation or childbirth, reluctance to sign a waiver of the child.

For more than 9 months, future parents are in tension, since they cannot influence the course of the pregnancy. In addition, the procedure itself is not only lengthy, but also financially expensive.

What is the cost of surrogacy?

The cost of such a service can vary, on average it ranges from 1 to 3 million rubles. To minimize the risk of medical complications and legal problems, surrogacy should be arranged in trusted companies. They control all aspects of this process.

The cost of the procedure will be fixed; in case of serious complications at any stage or the surrogate mother does not want to give up the child, the couple will receive compensation and a refund.

The contract with the medical center most often lists the following paid services:

• monthly payments to the surrogate mother throughout the entire gestation period;
• payment for a set of medical procedures necessary for collecting material, conception, pregnancy management and the birth process;
• payment of housing rent to the surrogate mother if she lives in another locality;
• salary compensation when a married couple does not want the woman to work while the child is being embroidered;
• remuneration for childbirth.

There is also related surrogacy. In this case, a relative of the husband or wife carries a baby for the couple, sometimes for free.

What are the requirements for surrogate mothers?

Not every woman can become a surrogate mother. The list of requirements is as follows:

• the woman must voluntarily agree to participate in the procedure;
• her age must be no less than 20 and no more than 35 years;
• it is important that she has at least one healthy child born;
• the woman herself must be physically and mentally healthy.

Also, future parents often indicate a positive Rh factor in the blood of the surrogate mother in their requirements. In order to confirm the absence of diseases, she is prescribed an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, fluorography and a number of laboratory examinations: both general and to detect infections.

Consultation with a psychiatrist, narcologist, or therapist is also necessary. If, after a comprehensive examination, there are no contraindications to pregnancy, then the candidacy of a surrogate mother is approved by documents.

In what cases do they resort to the services of surrogate mothers?

Surrogacy is indicated in case of infertility of a married couple, in which it is impossible to conceive, bear a child or give birth. Here is a list of such situations:

• the woman has no uterus as a result of congenital pathology or surgical intervention;
• the cavity or cervix is ​​deformed, as a result birth defects development or past diseases;
• there are adhesions inside the uterus that cannot be eliminated;
• There is serious illnesses internal organs that do not allow you to bear and give birth to a child;
• There have been previous unsuccessful attempts at artificial insemination, despite obtaining high-quality embryos.

How is everything going?

The process of carrying a child by a surrogate mother consists of several stages:

1. Preparation. For successful embryo implantation, the endometrium of the surrogate mother’s uterus must be mature. For this purpose, with the help of hormonal drugs, the doctor synchronizes the cycles of two women (donor and gestational courier).
2. Diagnostic. The spouses and the surrogate mother undergo a full range of examinations, including different kinds laboratory tests, ultrasound of the pelvic organs, consultations with a therapist, gynecologist, andrologist, geneticist.
3. Induction of superovulation. The genetic mother is administered according to the scheme hormonal drugs, and several eggs become ready for fertilization at once. This is necessary to obtain more material and to be able to select the highest quality embryos.
4. Sperm collection. A man, through masturbation, collects material for fertilizing an egg.
5. Follicle puncture. The eggs are retrieved either vaginally or laparoscopically from the ovaries of the genetic mother.
6. Fertilization. The eggs and sperm are placed in a Petri dish and kept in an incubator for 12 hours.
7. Embryo cultivation. Fertilized cells develop for several days in a special medium (preparation). At this time, the embryologist observes the development process of embryos and separates the highest quality, viable ones.
8. Embryo transfer. The surrogate mother is injected with liquid containing embryos (no more than 3) into the uterine cavity using a catheter. After this procedure, the woman takes hormonal drugs with progesterone for successful implantation of the fertilized egg.
9. Evaluation of IVF results. 3 weeks after the embryos are introduced into the surrogate mother’s uterine cavity, pregnancy is confirmed using ultrasound.
10. Gestation and childbirth. Pregnancy management during surrogacy requires more careful monitoring by a gynecologist, since the likelihood of complications is higher. Childbirth takes place as usual.

Rights of biological parents and surrogate mothers

After the birth, the surrogate mother signs the child’s relinquishment, and his biological parents formalize the adoption. These points must be specified in the contract for the provision of services. According to the Family Code of the Russian Federation, a surrogate mother has the right to refuse to transfer the child to genetic parents. Then her data is indicated on the birth certificate and she cannot demand any alimony or other payments.

Unfortunately, in such cases it is very difficult to protect the rights of a married couple; payment for surrogacy services is not provided for by law. In this regard, some medical centers providing this service guarantee compensation and a full refund if the woman who carried and gave birth to the child decides to keep it.

According to the law, the surrogate mother can learn in advance about all aspects of the procedure, including the external data and nationality of the genetic parents. But personal information about donors and the fact of IVF is a medical secret.

Surrogacy allows infertile couples to have a biologically natural child. However, this procedure is not natural, and therefore is subject to criticism. In Russia, surrogacy is officially permitted and regulated by several legislative acts.

Useful video: surrogacy in Russia

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Modern science provides a solution for those couples who cannot have offspring. This is surrogacy, the use of an outside woman to carry a fetus. This method has long been used in the world as a treatment for infertility.

This topic is quite discussed in society. For some, this method of conceiving a child is criminal, but there are also those who see this as their only chance. Surrogacy is a new phenomenon that has many nuances and questions. It is not surprising that it has become overgrown with a series of myths, both biological and legal.

The correct spelling is suragat or surrogate. In advertisements you can find references to the search for a surrogate or surrogate mother. They also talk about surrogate motherhood. It's actually worth giving credit to the grammar. The word "surrogate" means an inferior replacement. That is, this is a mother who simply replaces her own. Such a woman has nothing genetically in common with the fetus she carries.

The child being carried will have the blood of the surrogate mother. The truth is that the circulatory systems of the surrogate mother and fetus do not communicate with each other. So there is no blood connection between them, which many professionals and researchers on this topic write about.

The child carried by a surrogate mother will look like her. This will not happen, unless, of course, it is actually her own child.

A surrogate mother essentially gives away her own child. This is a misconception that can only be realized with the introduction of a traditional surrogacy program. It is officially legalized in many countries, including the USA. There, the surrogate mother, who is also a reproductive person, acts as an egg donor. She is subjected to artificial insemination with the customer's sperm. And it is the surrogate mother who will be in the reproductive clinic, and not the infertile couple. In such a situation, according to the current legislation in Russia, the names of the biological father (if he recognizes the fact of paternity) and the reproductive mother will be entered on the birth certificate. But in Russia such a situation is impossible, so if such an option is offered, then this indicates the incompetence of the party that provides the legal part.

The surrogate mother actually abandons the child in the maternity hospital. You can't give up something that doesn't actually belong to you. At the birth of a child, the surrogate mother must immediately agree to have the names of the baby’s biological parents recorded in the birth register. This consent is usually given in writing and confirmed by the seal of the medical institution where the birth took place. The document is also signed by an authorized person.

Only officially married couples can use the services of surrogate mothers. The Family Code of the Russian Federation establishes that legal marriage is only one of the conditions for making an entry about parents in the birth book at the registry office. An analogy can be drawn with adoption - such a procedure is not allowed for persons who are not married. So, to use a surrogate mother, you do not need a stamp in your passport; it will be required when registering the child at the registry office. If the parents are not officially married by that time, the surrogate mother will be recorded as the mother in the documents. So you still have to sign, why not do it before the start of such a responsible program. According to the laws of the Russian Federation, a single woman has every right for artificial insemination or implantation of a child. If she has medical indications, then she can resort to the help of a surrogate mother to carry her child. Then, at birth, it is the biological mother who will be recorded in the documents. And here the consent of the surrogate mother is required to make such a recording.

A woman who already has at least two children can become a surrogate mother. Documents from the Russian Ministry of Health indicate that a person with one child may well become a surrogate mother.

The surrogate mother has three days to decide to keep the child. The law does not establish in any way the period during which the surrogate mother must give her consent to be recorded in the birth register of the biological parents. This consent can be given at any time after birth and before discharge. Usually this period is exactly three days. But obtaining consent later will not prevent you from registering your child. By law, this must be done in month period after birth.

If the surrogate mother decides to keep the child, then all that remains is to come to terms with it. According to the law, it is possible to challenge not only paternity, but also maternity. Therefore, you can challenge the entry in the birth book, albeit in court. This process can be initiated by the person who is actually the father of the child. This is where numerous documents will be required from lawyers who deal with the legal support of surrogacy.

Surrogacy is inherently immoral and contrary to God's will. Even the Bible describes how two biblical characters, Abraham and Jacob, also used the services of surrogate mothers. Only narrow-minded believers who have not even read the Bible can condemn such a process. God gave man the opportunity to reproduce, including with the help of science.

Surrogacy is used by those who do not want to waste time on pregnancy and spoiling their figure. This statement is far from reality. In fact, women who either have serious pathologies of the uterus, or have no uterus at all, are forced to resort to such a step, as well as if numerous attempts to become pregnant using IVF have failed. Turning to the services of a surrogate mother is not an unwillingness to get pregnant, but, alas, a complete impossibility. Anyone who turns to such services has actually faced great grief. And only with the help of surrogacy does a couple get a chance to raise their own child. And you shouldn’t think that this procedure is simple for biological parents. “Conception” itself involves a rather aggressive intervention in a woman’s body. And it is unknown what this means in the future. That is why there is no point in talking about saving time or maintaining your figure.

Surrogacy is very expensive. They say that you have to pay for the services of a surrogate mother almost with an apartment in Moscow. In fact, these statements sound fantastic. The entire procedure, even taking into account full support, will cost much less. And often relatives are offered to become surrogate mothers of their own free will.

Surrogacy is an illegal method. In 2011, the law “On the fundamentals of protecting the health of citizens of the Russian Federation” was adopted. It was actively discussed in the press, which increased citizens' awareness. Naturally, surrogacy is a completely legal procedure, since even show business stars openly use it. And lawyers would not accompany an openly illegal case.

Surrogate mothers often keep the child for themselves. Legal standards actually allow the surrogate mother to keep the child. After all, in order for biological parents to be recorded on the birth certificate, the consent of the surrogate mother is required. In theory, she may well not give her permission. In practice, this happens very rarely. The entire procedure is based on an agreement, which clearly states the rights and obligations of the parties. This allows you to respect the interests of all participants in the process. The agreement with the surrogate must also be certified by a notary. In fact, such notarization will not give the agreement additional legal force. That is why such a step does not make any practical sense.

It is better not to resort to such a complex procedure, but simply adopt a child. Who among us does not dream of a child of our own who would take on our features and be like our grandparents. Adoption means taking in a completely alien child, with a different set of genes, different from the family. This is quite serious and not everyone can decide to take such a step. So in this case, there is only one possibility to prolong the birth - surrogacy.

If female reproductive indicators are normal, and age does not allow giving birth, then you will have to give up the dream of having a child. Today, age in itself is not a death sentence. Women gain children through surrogacy even after 50. For such a procedure, the main thing is that at least one viable egg has matured in the body. You can also freeze biological material in advance for later use. This is exactly what Alla Pugacheva did, and her plan was successfully realized.

Giving birth even with the help of a surrogate mother after 40 years is risky. And it is true. If the biological mother is already awaiting menopause, then the risk of giving birth to a child with abnormal development will be just as high as with self-bearing. It’s good that today there are prenatal diagnostic methods that allow timely recognition of the genetic background of the embryo and identification of disorders.

Children born from a surrogate mother are different from those children born naturally. This is not true, such children are no different from ordinary ones. On the contrary, doctors constantly monitor their health. When preparing for pregnancy, both the biological parents and the surrogate mother are checked. The entire process of bearing a child and childbirth is under the close supervision of specialists, which only increases the chances of a healthy person.

For this procedure, an egg from a surrogate mother may be used, rather than from a biological mother. In this case, the surrogate mother would give her genes to the child, becoming his own. In cases where it is not possible to use the egg of a woman seeking help, then they resort to the services of a donor. The very idea of ​​surrogacy is that a childless couple gives birth to a child with a related set of genes. And the process of fertilization here occurs similarly to IVF. The biological mother undergoes hormone therapy, which stimulates the maturation of follicles. When they reach the desired size, a puncture is taken under general anesthesia. The taken egg is fertilized with male embryos and after 3-5 days the embryos are transplanted into the surrogate mother.