Surrogacy Timeline: A Step-by-Step Guide
Discover the complete surrogacy timeline, from initial consultation to the baby’s birth. Learn each stage of the surrogacy process with clear, expert guidance.
For many individuals and couples in the UK, gestational surrogacy offers a beautiful and life-changing path to parenthood.
Whether due to medical challenges, infertility, or being part of a same-sex male couple, surrogacy provides the chance to have a biological child with the help of a compassionate gestational carrier.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the gestational surrogacy process, how it differs from other types of surrogacy, what the laws say in the UK, and what to expect emotionally, legally, and financially along the way.
Gestational surrogacy is a process where a surrogate carries a pregnancy created through IVF (in vitro fertilisation) using an embryo that does not contain her own eggs.
Instead, the eggs and sperm come from the intended parents or donors.
This means the surrogate has no genetic connection to the baby she carries.
This approach is now the most common type of surrogacy worldwide — including for many UK families, because it offers clear biological connections and ethical boundaries for all involved.
Intended parents choose gestational surrogacy for various reasons, including:
Medical conditions preventing a safe pregnancy
Recurrent miscarriage or uterine factor infertility
Same-sex male couples wishing to have a biological child
Single intended parents
The journey begins with medical and psychological evaluations for both the surrogate and intended parents.
Clinics assess fertility health, medical history, and emotional readiness.
In the UK, surrogacy organisations like Brilliant Beginnings or Surrogacy UK also help match intended parents and surrogates and offer counselling to ensure both sides understand expectations.
Next comes IVF treatment. Eggs are retrieved from the intended mother or an egg donor, then fertilised with sperm from the intended father or a donor.
The embryos are cultured and tested (if desired), and one or more high-quality embryos are selected for transfer.
The chosen embryo is transferred into the gestational carrier’s uterus.
Once a positive pregnancy test is confirmed, she begins prenatal care, often supported by the fertility clinic and later by her own obstetric team.
Throughout pregnancy, communication between the surrogate and intended parents is encouraged and often guided by the surrogacy agency or counsellor.
Here lies one of the key distinctions in the gestational surrogacy process in the UK: under UK law, the woman who gives birth is the baby’s legal mother at birth, regardless of genetics.
If she is married, her spouse may also be the second legal parent.
Intended parents must therefore apply for a Parental Order after the birth to become the child’s legal parents.
The court verifies that all legal requirements are met and that the surrogate freely consents to the arrangement after birth.
Because of these complexities, many UK families also explore international surrogacy in destinations where legal parentage is pre-established, such as Georgia, the USA, or Cyprus.
Still, legal advice is always essential before doing so.
Surrogacy is legal in the UK, but commercial surrogacy (where the surrogate is paid beyond reasonable expenses) is not permitted.
This means arrangements must be altruistic, though the surrogate can receive reimbursement for medical, travel, or loss of earnings.
Importantly, surrogacy agreements are not legally enforceable in UK courts.
The foundation of any arrangement must therefore be trust, transparency, and mutual understanding.
After the birth, a Parental Order transfers parenthood from the surrogate (and her spouse, if applicable) to the intended parents.
This process can take several months, during which intended parents usually care for the baby from day one.
Gestational surrogacy is a journey built on empathy and trust. The emotional connection between surrogate and intended parents often becomes a lifelong bond.
Still, it’s essential that everyone involved receives psychological counselling and ongoing support throughout the process.
From a medical standpoint, the surrogate faces the same risks as any pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, or delivery complications.
These risks are managed through careful screening and medical monitoring.
Ethically, the UK’s emphasis on altruistic surrogacy aims to protect everyone involved, ensuring that motivations are caring, not commercial.
In the UK, since surrogates can only be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, total costs are often lower than in countries where commercial surrogacy is legal.
Typical expenses may range from £20,000 to £40,000, depending on IVF cycles, legal support, and surrogate compensation.
However, many UK families who pursue surrogacy abroad (in regulated destinations such as Georgia, Cyprus, or Armenia) may face higher costs, often £60,000 to £120,000, but benefit from more structured legal frameworks and faster timelines.
A complete gestational surrogacy process usually takes 12 to 18 months, though international arrangements may vary depending on medical, visa, and legal timelines.
Work with reputable UK organisations like Gaia Fertility, COTS, Surrogacy UK, or Brilliant Beginnings that offer matching and support.
Seek specialised legal advice early to understand Parental Orders, citizenship, and international implications.
Build emotional support — counselling helps both surrogate and intended parents navigate expectations and attachment.
Be patient and transparent. The surrogacy journey is deeply emotional, but honesty and communication make it smoother for everyone.
Gestational surrogacy offers hope, compassion, and new beginnings for families across the UK.
While the gestational surrogacy process involves emotional, medical, and legal complexity, it remains one of the most fulfilling journeys toward building a family.
With professional support, legal clarity, and genuine empathy between all parties, surrogacy can be a life-changing experience, one rooted in love, trust, and the shared dream of parenthood.
Gestational surrogacy is when a woman carries a baby with no genetic connection to her, using embryos created via IVF from the intended parents or donors.
In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate’s role is to nurture and carry the pregnancy, but she does not contribute her eggs, meaning she shares no DNA with the baby.
The embryos are created in a laboratory using either the intended mother’s or donor’s eggs, and the intended father’s or donor’s sperm.
This method offers a clear genetic link to at least one parent and minimizes emotional and legal complexities compared to traditional surrogacy, where the surrogate is also the egg donor.
It’s the preferred surrogacy model in the UK and globally for medical, ethical, and emotional reasons.
The gestational surrogacy process typically takes 12 to 18 months from start to finish.
The complete timeline can vary depending on matching, medical testing, and legal formalities.
The process begins with consultations and screening, which may take several weeks.
Creating embryos through IVF and finding a suitable surrogate can add a few months.
The pregnancy itself lasts nine months, and the final stage, obtaining a Parental Order to establish legal parenthood in the UK, may take several additional months after birth.
International surrogacy arrangements can sometimes move faster due to more structured legal systems, but they also require careful planning for travel, citizenship, and documentation.
No. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate has no genetic link to the baby.
This distinction is what sets gestational surrogacy apart from traditional surrogacy.
The embryo transferred to the surrogate’s uterus is created using eggs and sperm from the intended parents or donors.
The surrogate’s body provides a safe and nurturing environment for the developing baby.
This separation of genetics and gestation helps simplify legal and emotional aspects of the journey, providing clarity for everyone involved, especially when applying for a Parental Order in the UK.
Medical risks are similar to those of any normal pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes.
A gestational surrogacy process includes thorough screening to ensure the surrogate is healthy and suitable for pregnancy.
Nonetheless, as with any pregnancy, there are potential risks such as preterm labour, gestational diabetes, or hypertension.
These risks are carefully managed through prenatal care and close medical supervision.
Emotional well-being is equally essential; counselling is recommended for both the surrogate and intended parents to maintain open communication and healthy boundaries.
When handled with empathy and medical guidance, gestational surrogacy can be a safe and rewarding journey for all parties.
Most UK gestational surrogacy journeys cost between £20,000 and £40,000, covering IVF, medical, legal, and reasonable surrogate expenses.
Because commercial surrogacy is prohibited in the UK, surrogates can only receive compensation for reasonable costs, including maternity clothes, travel, childcare, and loss of income.
Intended parents also pay for fertility treatment (often at private clinics), legal fees for obtaining the Parental Order, and other practical expenses.
The overall cost can increase if multiple IVF cycles are needed or if complications arise.
Families pursuing international surrogacy, where commercial arrangements are allowed, can expect significantly higher costs, often between £60,000 and £120,000, depending on the country and clinic.
UK intended parents must apply for a Parental Order to become the child’s legal parents.
Under UK law, the surrogate (and her spouse, if she has one) are the legal parents at birth, even if they have no genetic link to the baby.
To transfer parenthood, intended parents must apply to the Family Court for a Parental Order.
This order permanently assigns legal parenthood to them and updates the baby’s birth certificate.
The surrogate must freely consent to the order at least six weeks after the baby’s birth.
This process can take several months, but it ensures legal recognition, citizenship, and parental rights.
Families pursuing surrogacy abroad must take extra steps to confirm recognition under UK law.
Yes. Most fertility clinics allow multiple embryo transfer attempts, depending on medical advice and agreement terms.
Not every embryo transfer leads to pregnancy, which is why fertility specialists may plan for multiple IVF attempts.
If the first transfer doesn’t result in implantation, embryos frozen during the initial IVF cycle can be used in future rounds without repeating the full stimulation process.
The number of attempts usually depends on medical recommendations, the surrogate’s health, and the availability of embryos.
Each new transfer can add time and cost, so it’s important to discuss all possibilities with your fertility team at the start of the gestational surrogacy process to set clear expectations and emotional support plans.
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