The surrogate uterus has been accepted as an alternative for women who can not carry their babies in the womb but may still have a biological child and can be presented as an alternative to adoption.
There are different names for this process: surrogate uterus, uterine surrogate, surrogacy, donor uterus, substitute womb, among others, but all refer to a procedure that uses a woman's surrogate uterus, and the gametes of the couple, while the surrogate carries-out the pregnancy for the receiving couple.
The process begins with a search for the surrogate mother, which in many cases is family member, through an exhaustive selection to ensure that medical criteria, personal, psychological and social aspects of the women will provide for a successful pregnancy. This selection process includes several interviews between parents and the woman providing the surrogate uterus, and many couples spend the duration of the pregnancy with the woman.
One can differentiate between two types of surrogacy: in the first case the surrogate uterus also provides its own egg to be artificially inseminated with sperm from the male in the donor-couple. In the second case, the donor-mother provides her egg to be inseminated by semen of the donor-father, and in this case the donor partners are the biological parents of the baby.
After the eggs are extracted from the biological mother or a donation bank, they are combined with the father's sperm in a process called in vitro fertilization. When the egg is fertilized, the embryo is transferred into the surrogate uterus that will host the pregnancy.
Due to the fact that a third person is involved in the reproduction of a couple, the surrogate uterus is a complex issue, in fact in many countries this procedure is prohibited by law. In countries such as Ukraine, the United States and Colombia this practice is allowed.
While the surrogate uterus is an option for couples who want biological children, the issue carries several considerations that should be contemplated carefully. The use of a surrogate uterus takes time, is emotionally stressful, may be accompanied by legal obstacles if it is not well defined, and the process can become costly.
If you have questions about this process, please contact Reprotec Fertility Center, at the Hospital Fundación Santa Fe de Bogota. We are ready to help you resolve your concerns and provide the best care in fertility clinics in Colombia. Click here to speak with one of our Fertility Center Experts.
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