What does surrogacy mean?
Surrogacy is the practice or arrangement by which a person carries a pregnancy and gives birth to a child intended to be raised by another person or couple. It may be gestational, when the surrogate also provides the child's biological egg, or traditional, when the surrogate contributes sperm but another woman is pregnant. Surrogacy involves medical treatment, legal contracts, and questions of parental rights, which differ across countries and jurisdictions. In its broadest sense, the term describes both the arrangement and the social or legal institution surrounding it. The word is used in family, healthcare, and legal contexts, where it can carry positive associations of hope and parenthood as well as practical and emotional complexity.
nounThe practice or arrangement of carrying and giving birth to a child for another person, who becomes the child's legal parent. It may involve gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate is also the child's biological mother, or traditional surrogacy, in which the surrogate provides sperm but does not carry the pregnancy.
- The practice or arrangement of carrying and giving birth to a child for another person.
- The legal and social system governing such arrangements, including the rights and responsibilities of the surrogate and the intended parents.
"The couple chose surrogacy after fertility treatment failed to result in pregnancy."
"Surrogacy laws vary considerably between countries and jurisdictions."
"She described her experience with surrogacy as both demanding and profoundly rewarding."
The plural is used when referring to different instances or arrangements of surrogacy.
"The documentary examined how surrogacies are regulated around the world."
Surrogacy allows people who cannot carry a pregnancy to become parents through an arrangement built on medical care, legal agreements, and trust.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does surrogacy come from?
Surrogacy is a modern formation built on the word "surrogate" and the suffix "-acy." The noun "surrogate" comes through French from Latin surrogare, meaning "to put in place of" or "to substitute." Its use for a person who acts or gives something on another person's behalf developed from that earlier general sense. The specialized medical and legal sense of surrogacy became established in the late twentieth century as assisted reproduction and gestational surrogacy developed.
How surrogacy is actually used
The term is most commonly used in legal, medical, and social contexts. It can refer to both gestational and traditional surrogacy, although gestational surrogacy is the most widely discussed. Wording should respect the preferences of the surrogate and intended parents, and terms such as "surrogate mother" remain common in some regions and legal systems.
Easily confused with surrogacy
A surrogate is the person who carries the pregnancy and gives birth to the child, whereas surrogacy is the practice or arrangement itself.