In surrogacy, the egg used can be from the intended mother or an egg donor. This depends on the specific circumstances and the type of surrogacy arrangement.
Egg Sources in Surrogacy
The egg source used in surrogacy is a key factor that defines the type of surrogacy and the genetic relationship between the child and the intended parents.
Intended Mother's Egg
- In some cases, the intended mother can provide her own eggs.
- This requires the intended mother to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) to retrieve her eggs.
- The eggs are then fertilized with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor.
- The resulting embryo is then implanted into the surrogate mother's uterus.
- If the intended mother's egg is used, she will be the genetic mother of the child.
Egg Donor's Egg
- If the intended mother is unable to produce viable eggs (due to age, medical conditions, or other factors), an egg donor may be used.
- The egg donor undergoes IVF to retrieve her eggs, which are then fertilized with sperm from the intended father.
- The resulting embryo is then implanted into the surrogate mother's uterus.
- In this case, the intended mother is not genetically related to the child, but the intended father is, if his sperm was used.
IVF in Surrogacy
According to the provided context, surrogate mothers are impregnated through the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this process, doctors create an embryo by fertilizing eggs from the intended mother or an egg donor with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor.
Summary
| Egg Source | Genetic Relationship of Intended Mother |
|---|---|
| Intended Mother | Genetically Related |
| Egg Donor | Not Genetically Related |
