'Surrogacy' literally means 'help'. In reproductive medicine it has come to mean a special kind of help; it's when a woman gets pregnant on behalf of someone who herself can't carry a pregnancy and have a baby. This is usually because the infertile woman has been born without a uterus or has had a hysterectomy.

Surrogacy means having IVF; it's expensive, and there are no Medicare rebates. The eggs from the infertile woman are fertilised with her own partner's sperm. A resulting embryo is then transferred to the uterus of the surrogate, who carries the pregnancy and has the baby. Genetically it's the child of the infertile couple, but it is a child to whom the surrogate (the pregnancy and birth mother) may have an understandable and ongoing attachment.

Surrogacy is illegal in several states. While it is not illegal in NSW, guidelines for surrogacy are quite strict. If you are considering surrogacy, your Sydney IVF counsellor can discuss with you all the steps you are required to take.

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