Questions, answered. Terms, explained.

Glossary of terms

Gestational carrier / gestational surrogate

A woman who carries a pregnancy with no genetic connection to the baby; the standard, modern form of surrogacy.

Intended parent(s) (IPs)

The person or people who will become the legal parents of the child.

IVF (in vitro fertilization)

The lab process of combining an egg and sperm to create an embryo, which is later transferred to the surrogate’s uterus.

Embryo transfer

The short medical procedure where the embryo is placed into the surrogate’s uterus.

Parentage order

A court order establishing the intended parents as the legal parents of the child — issued before birth (pre-birth order) or shortly after (post-birth order).

Independent legal counsel (ILC)

An attorney representing only the surrogate’s interests, separate from the intended parents’ lawyer.

Escrow account

A neutral, third-party-managed account that holds and disburses compensation funds according to the contract.

Base compensation

The core payment a surrogate receives, separate from reimbursements and bonuses.

Matching

The process of pairing a surrogate with intended parents based on mutual fit and shared expectations.