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Third Party Parenting
Third party parenting is the involvement of a third person (a person outside of the couple) to create a baby. There are several ways to participate in third party parenting, including:
Pacific Fertility Center is able to assist you with egg donation through its Egg Donor Agency. We also support you by coordinating your care and that of your egg donor, if you choose an egg donor through another agency or wish to use a known donor.
If you require a sperm donor, we can provide referrals to reliable sperm banks.
If you require the services of a gestational carrier, we can provide referrals to reliable agencies that arrange for gestational carriers.
Our third party coordinators will then facilitate your care.
IVF with a Gestational Carrier
A gestational carrier is woman who accepts to bear (or be pregnant with) the child of another woman who is incapable of becoming pregnant using her own uterus. The gestational carrier provides a host uterus for the offspring, and does not contribute genetic material. The offspring's genetic material may come from the egg and the sperm provided solely by the aspiring couple, or in combination with recipient egg and donor sperm, which depends on the needs of the intended parents.
Women who need gestational carriers include those who:
- do not have a uterus
- have an abnormal uterine cavity
- have had several recurrent miscarriages
- have had recurrent failed IVF cycles
Surrogate or gestational surrogate is an older term for what we now refer to as a "gestational carrier".
Pacific Fertility Center will refer you to agencies that assist you in selecting a gestational carrier.
Traditional surrogacy and Adoption
Classic or traditional surrogacy involves the use of a third party to carry a baby to term. In classic surrogacy, the surrogate also provides the egg (in contrast to a gestational carrier who only carries the pregnancy). The intended father provides the sperm.
Traditional surrogacy and adoption services are not provided by Pacific Fertility Center. |
