Surrogacy glossary
Common terms and definitions used in surrogacy.
- Agency
- An organization that matches intended parents with surrogates and coordinates the process, including case management, legal referrals, and escrow.
- Amparo
- A Mexican constitutional remedy sometimes used by foreign or LGBTQ+ intended parents to secure parentage in surrogacy cases where no federal law exists.
- Compensatory surrogacy
- Surrogacy in which the surrogate receives payment beyond expenses. Contrast with altruistic surrogacy.
- Escrow
- A third-party account that holds and disburses surrogate compensation and expenses according to the surrogacy agreement.
- Gestational surrogacy
- The surrogate carries an embryo created with egg and sperm from others (donors or intended parents). She is not genetically related to the baby.
- Intended parent (IP)
- The person or couple who will be the legal parent(s) of the child born via surrogacy.
- Independent path
- Matching directly with a surrogate without an agency; IPs handle coordination, legal, and escrow themselves or with individual professionals.
- Pre-birth order
- A court order issued before birth naming the intended parent(s) on the birth certificate, available in many surrogacy-friendly US states.
- Employer fertility benefits
- Coverage through your employer for IVF, egg retrieval, embryo transfers, and sometimes surrogacy-related care. Common providers include Progyny, Carrot Fertility, WIN Fertility, Kindbody, and Maven. Check your benefits to see what's covered.
- Progyny
- One of the largest employer fertility benefits providers. Covers IVF, egg retrieval, and transfers at in-network US clinics. Often used by Fortune 500 employers.
- Surrogate compensation
- Payment to the surrogate for carrying the pregnancy, typically in addition to reimbursed expenses. Ranges vary by state and country.
- Traditional surrogacy
- The surrogate provides her own egg and is genetically related to the child. Less common and legally complex in many jurisdictions.
- Transfer
- Procedure to place an embryo into the surrogate's uterus. Multiple transfers may be needed for a successful pregnancy.