The Ultimate Glossary of Surrogacy Terms: What Every Surrogate Should Know
Stepping into the world of surrogacy can feel like learning an incredibly complicated new language. Between complex fertility treatments and detailed legal contracts, understanding the most common surrogacy terms is essential to a stress-free journey.
Knowing exactly what your doctors and lawyers are talking about helps you make confident decisions and easily decode confusing surrogacy medical terms.
To help you go through this process, we’ve created a comprehensive surrogacy glossary. By mastering this surrogate mother terminology and the essential terms you should know as a surrogate, you will proceed with absolute clarity and peace of mind from day one.
Key Takeaways
- Understanding essential surrogacy terms and surrogate mother terminology helps you make informed medical, legal, and financial decisions throughout your year-long journey.
- There are distinct medical and legal differences between gestational and traditional surrogacy that you must understand before signing any agreements.
- Knowing the specific roles of medical professionals, like OB/GYNs and Reproductive Endocrinologists, ensures you understand who is managing your care, making complex surrogacy medical terms much less intimidating.
- Familiarizing yourself with a complete surrogacy glossary covering critical legal and financial terms is important to protecting your family’s rights and financial stability.
The Ultimate Surrogacy Glossary of Terms
To sort out the confusion of the fertility world, we have prepared a highly detailed surrogacy glossary featuring the most common surrogacy terms you will encounter.
Reviewing these terms you should know as a surrogate, especially the complex surrogate mother terminology regarding the IVF process, will make sure you’re never caught off guard during your medical appointments, agency check-ins, or legal reviews.
1. Surrogate / Surrogate Mother / Gestational Carrier (GC)
These terms can be used interchangeably in most settings. The definition of a surrogate mother is a healthy, generous woman who carries and delivers a baby for another individual or couple who is otherwise unable to have a baby or safely carry a pregnancy to term themselves.
In professional medical and legal settings, you’ll often hear the term “Gestational Carrier” or “GC” used instead of surrogate.
2. Gestational Surrogacy (GS)
A gestational surrogate becomes pregnant through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and does not have any genetic connections with the baby she is carrying. The embryos are created in a laboratory using the eggs of an egg donor or the intended mother, and the sperm of a sperm donor or the intended father.
Understanding the fundamental medical and legal differences between gestational vs traditional surrogacy is one of the most vital surrogacy terms you must grasp before committing to a journey.
3. Traditional Surrogacy
In this older, legally complex process, the surrogate gets artificially inseminated with the intended father’s sperm or a chosen donor’s sperm.
A traditional surrogate is the baby’s actual biological mother because her own eggs were used to create the embryo. This practice is largely antiquated, highly legally risky, and has been universally replaced with gestational surrogacy by reputable agencies.
4. Intended Parent(s) (IPs)
The legal parents of the child born through the surrogacy arrangement. In gestational surrogacy, the Intended Parents take over the parenting responsibilities immediately after the birth in the delivery room.
You’ll usually hear terms such as Intended Mother (IM) and Intended Father (IF) used in your legal contracts and medical files.
5. Egg Donor (ED)
A healthy young woman who donates her eggs (oocytes) to be used for assisted reproduction via IVF.
This is often used when the intended mother cannot use her own eggs to create a viable embryo due to age, medical conditions, or diminished ovarian reserve. It is also required for same-sex male couples and single fathers.
6. Sperm Donor (SD)
A man who donates his sperm to be used in the creation of an embryo via IVF. This is a common family-building option for single mothers, same-sex female couples, or heterosexual couples dealing with severe male factor infertility.
7. Double Donor
This surrogate mother terminology refers to the creation of an embryo using both a third-party egg donor and a third-party sperm donor simultaneously.
Neither of the intended parents shares a genetic link with the child, but they are still the sole legal parents.
8. Embryo Adoption
Embryo adoption is a wonderful possibility for intended parents who need double donors.
It involves legally adopting a fully formed, frozen embryo that was created by another family who previously completed their IVF journey and generously chose to donate their remaining frozen embryos to another family.
9. Surrogacy Agency
A professional organization that facilitates the entire surrogacy arrangement.
A reputable agency handles the recruiting, background checks, medical screening coordination, matching, legal referrals, escrow management, and emotional support for both the surrogate and the intended parents throughout the 12 to 18-month journey.
10. Matching Process
The matching process occurs during the initial phase of your journey. During this phase, the agency team aligns your goals, personality, communication preferences, and IVF center requirements to create your ideal match. Picture profiles are securely shared, and a meet-and-greet video chat is scheduled.
Knowing exactly how to choose a surrogacy agency as a surrogate is crucial here, as a good agency will facilitate this process to ensure your boundaries completely align with the parents.
11. Medical Pre-Screening / Medical Clearance
Before you are presented as a potential surrogate candidate to an IP, you go through a thorough background check, and your entire pregnancy medical history is screened by a physician team. You also undergo proper and necessary diagnostic lab work.
Once fully cleared, a medical clearance letter is issued, proving your body is ready for pregnancy.
12. Obstetrician and Gynecologist (OB/GYN)
An obstetrician (OB) is a physician who delivers babies, while a gynecologist (GYN) specializes in treating diseases related to female reproductive organs.
Many surrogates use the local OB physician that delivered their own children once they successfully graduate from the fertility clinic at the end of their first trimester.
13. Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE)
These specialists provide medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the female reproductive tract. In general, an RE is an OB/GYN who went on to specialize specifically in the function of the reproductive organs and oversees the entire IVF process.
Surrogacy medical terms like this tells you exactly who is in charge of your body during the complex medication phase.
14. Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist (Perinatologist)
A perinatologist is an obstetrician who specializes in the care of mothers and fetuses who are at a higher than normal risk for complications. They are often called in to consult on complex cases, twin pregnancies, or to perform specialized, high-resolution ultrasounds.
For instance, if your routine blood work shows elevated AFP levels, a perinatologist will be brought in to review your baby’s development closely and provide expert guidance.
15. Neonatologist
A neonatologist is a specialized pediatrician who focuses exclusively on the medical care of newborn infants, especially those who are ill, underweight, or born prematurely. They oversee the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Let’s say the baby is born prematurely at 34 weeks and needs extra breathing support. In that case, a neonatologist will immediately take over their care in the hospital.
16. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF is the complex medical process where fertilization takes place by manually combining an extracted egg and sperm in a laboratory dish.
This incredible scientific process creates the embryo that Reproductive Endocrinologists will carefully nurture for several days before transferring it to your prepared uterus.
17. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
ICSI is a highly specialized form of assisted reproductive technology often used alongside IVF.
It involves an embryologist directly injecting a single, healthy, live sperm into the center of a mature egg using a microscopic needle to force fertilization.
18. Egg Retrieval
This is the minor outpatient surgical procedure where mature eggs (oocytes) are carefully retrieved from the ovaries of an egg donor or the intended mother.
The patient is placed under light sedation while a needle is guided through the vaginal wall to extract the eggs.
19. Cycle Suppression & Self-Injectables
To perfectly prepare your uterus to accept an embryo, you must start with cycle suppression (often using birth control pills or Lupron) to stop your body’s natural ovulation.
Then, you begin self-injectable medications (like estrogen and progesterone) to build a thick, healthy uterine lining. You will require these injections to help your uterus properly accept and nourish the embryo.
20. Progesterone in Oil (PIO)
Progesterone is a hormone that is absolutely critical for maintaining a pregnancy in its early stages. Because a gestational surrogate’s body did not ovulate naturally to create the pregnancy, it will not produce enough progesterone on its own to keep the baby alive.
To compensate, surrogates must take progesterone supplements. The most common and effective form is Progesterone in Oil (PIO), which is administered via an intramuscular injection, typically in the upper buttocks.
21. Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT / PGD)
PGT (or PGD) is the process in which one or two microscopic cells of an IVF embryo are safely removed in the lab to check for genetic abnormalities, missing chromosomes, and diseases before the embryo is transferred.
It can also be performed to determine the baby’s gender. This is an important term for surrogates to know because transferring a PGT-tested, genetically normal embryo drastically reduces the risk of miscarriage.
22. Surrogate Mother Cycle Schedule
This refers to the master surrogacy calendar created by an IVF doctor or clinic coordinator. The schedule lists highly time-sensitive appointment dates, ultrasound checks, and exact medication protocols leading up to the embryo transfer and through the first trimester.
23. Single Embryo Transfer (eSET)
Elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET) is the practice of transferring only one high-quality embryo into the surrogate’s uterus at a time.
Reputable agencies and modern IVF clinics heavily mandate eSET because carrying multiples (twins or triplets) drastically increases the health risks for both the surrogate and the babies.
24. Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
This is the simple, painless procedure where a frozen embryo (a fertilized egg that was cryopreserved) is safely thawed and transferred directly into the surrogate’s prepared uterus.
The embryos are placed in fluid in a syringe with a very small, soft catheter tube, which is guided through the cervix and into the uterus via ultrasound.
25. Blastocyst or “Blast”
This term refers to an embryo that has developed successfully in the lab for 5 to 7 days after fertilization. An embryo must reach this multi-celled blastocyst stage before it can be successfully implanted in the uterus.
26. Mock Cycle
Sometimes, an RE will order a “mock cycle” before the actual embryo transfer. During a mock cycle, the surrogate takes the same fertility medications she would for a real transfer, and the doctor monitors how well her uterine lining responds.
No embryo is actually transferred – it’s simply a test run to ensure the medication dosages are perfect.
27. Lining Check
A transvaginal ultrasound appointment designed to measure the exact thickness and quality (often looking for a “trilaminar” or three-layered appearance) of the surrogate’s uterine lining (endometrium).
The lining must reach a certain thickness (usually around 7-8mm) before the doctor will approve the embryo transfer.
28. Bed Rest
After the embryo transfer procedure, you may be required to be on bed rest for 24-72 hours depending on the specific physician’s protocol.
While on bed rest, you’re advised to remain calm, avoid heavy lifting, and stay off your feet to give the embryos the best possible chance for implanting successfully.
29. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
hCG is the hormone produced by the placenta after an embryo successfully implants in the uterine wall. It’s the specific hormone that home pregnancy tests detect to show a positive result.
In the surrogacy world, doctors monitor your hCG levels very closely in the early weeks to ensure the pregnancy is progressing normally.
30. Beta Testing
A specific type of quantitative blood test to help indicate whether a woman is pregnant by measuring the exact levels of hCG in her blood.
It’s usually performed 10 to 14 days after an embryo transfer. You’ll typically have two or three beta tests spaced a few days apart to ensure the numbers are rising appropriately.
31. Confirmation of Pregnancy (COP)
After your positive beta tests, there will be a heartbeat ultrasound (usually around 6 to 7 weeks of gestation) to officially verify a viable clinical pregnancy.
Once COP is achieved, you reach a major legal and financial milestone in your journey and often receive the first significant portion of your base compensation.
32. Surrogacy Monitoring Clinic
A local fertility clinic or specialized lab near the surrogate’s home where she goes for routine medical care.
For example, if you opt for Physician’s Surrogacy, you won’t have to go to our IVF clinic in California every week. You simply drive 15 minutes to your local monitoring clinic for your morning blood draws.
Since these treatments include necessary transvaginal ultrasounds and blood work during the cycle preparation and early surrogate pregnancy, surrogacy monitoring clinics save surrogates from constantly traveling to the IP’s main clinic.
33. Psychological Evaluation / MMPI-2
During the screening phase, you will have a comprehensive psychological evaluation. If you’re wondering, “Am I emotionally ready for surrogacy?” this evaluation is specifically designed to help you and your clinical team find out.
Both the egg donor and Surrogate Mother may need to do standardized tests like the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) to determine mental health and emotional readiness.
34. Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) / Saline Sonogram (SIS)
Specialized radiology or ultrasound procedures used to determine the exact condition and anatomy of the uterus.
An SIS involves injecting sterile saline into the uterus to expand it, allowing the doctor to see if there are any polyps, fibroids, or scar tissue that could prevent an embryo from implanting.
35. Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)
Performed between 9–13 weeks, this advanced prenatal screening looks at DNA from the baby’s placenta through a simple, safe sample of the surrogate’s blood.
It’s 97 to 99 percent accurate for detecting common chromosomal conditions like Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18, and it can also confirm the baby’s gender.
36. First-Trimester Screening Blood Test
Performed between 10–14 weeks, this test offers early information about a baby’s risk of Down Syndrome (trisomy 21) and extra sequences of chromosome 18 (trisomy 18). It is a standard part of early prenatal care.
37. Nuchal Translucency (NT) Sonogram
Performed between 10–14 weeks, the NT scan uses high-resolution ultrasound to specifically assess the developing baby’s risk of having Down Syndrome, congenital heart problems, and other chromosomal abnormalities.
The test is typically performed alongside the First Trimester Screening blood test.
38. Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
A diagnostic prenatal test that can identify chromosomal abnormalities and other inherited disorders.
This test is usually taking place between 10 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. It involves a doctor inserting a needle through the abdomen or a catheter through the cervix to take a tiny sample of cells directly from the placenta.
39. Amniocentesis
This test looks for any chromosomal abnormalities, neural tube defects, and genetic disorders through the examination of a cell’s amniotic fluid.
Basically, this test takes place between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. A long, thin needle is used to extract a small amount of fluid from the amniotic sac.
40. AFP Quad Screen
Performed between 15–20 weeks, this maternal blood screen evaluates whether the baby has an increased chance of having Down Syndrome or neural tube defects. It looks for four specific substances: AFP, hCG, Estriol, and Inhibin-A.
41. Fetal Echocardiogram
Performed between 18–24 weeks, this detailed, specialized heart ultrasound is recommended in all IVF/ICSI pregnancies in accordance with recent American Heart Association practice guidelines. It is typically performed by a specially trained ultrasound sonographer and interpreted by a pediatric cardiologist to ensure the baby’s heart is structurally sound.
Example: The fetal echocardiogram provided a detailed, close-up look at the baby’s four heart chambers and valves to ensure everything was developing perfectly.
42. Carrier Agreement / Surrogacy Contract
This is the massive, all-inclusive legal contract between Intended Parents and Surrogates, drafted with clear legal guidelines. It covers everything from the medical procedure expectations to your exact reimbursement costs.
Having a strong, ironclad legal contract is your absolute best defense against being scammed by a surrogacy agency or left unprotected during medical emergencies.
43. Independent Legal Counsel / Reproductive Attorney
A lawyer who specializes exclusively in third-party reproductive law. Ethical surrogacy requires that the surrogate and the intended parents have different attorneys to avoid any conflict of interest. The intended parents pay for the surrogate’s independent legal counsel.
44. Selective Reduction / Termination Clause
This is a heavily discussed legal and medical term that will be in your contract. It dictates what happens if the fetus is diagnosed with a severe, life-threatening defect, or if a multiple pregnancy threatens the life of the surrogate.
The contract must align the surrogate’s and the IPs’ moral and ethical views on abortion and selective reduction before the journey begins.
45. Escrow Account / Escrow Company
All funds related to your surrogacy will be safely held in a highly regulated trust account that is managed by an experienced, bonded third-party escrow company.
This guarantees that all monies due for your Surrogate fees and reimbursement of related expenses are fully funded upfront and paid out in a timely manner.
46. Fixed Compensation Package vs. Line-Item Package
Some agencies use confusing line-item packages filled with “potential” miscellaneous expenses you may never see.
In contrast, our compensation structure ensures our surrogates receive an absolute, fixed base amount as their payment. We eliminate the need for submitting miscellaneous expenses such as local childcare, mileage, and pay stubs.
This radical financial transparency ensures you are ethically and financially secured, which is how ethical agencies combat the global concerns raised in the human trafficking vs paid surrogacy debate.
47. Lost Wages Stipend
If you are employed, you may be entitled to lost wages if a doctor orders you on bed rest.
Here at Physician’s Surrogacy, we’ve decided to include a stipend for lost wages at the outset of your fixed package. We believe whether you need it or not, the money should be there to protect your family’s financial stability.
48. Surrogate Maternity Insurance
Many standard health insurance policies have explicit exclusions for acting as a surrogate.
If your personal insurance has a surrogacy exclusion, the Intended Parents must purchase an Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant maternity insurance policy or a specialized surrogacy-only policy to cover all your prenatal care and delivery costs.
49. Pre-Birth Order (PBO)
Before the surrogate mother gives birth, a court order must be acquired by the reproductive attorneys.
This crucial legal document legally establishes the Intended Parents’ rights over the child and allows the Intended Parents and the surrogate access to the baby in the hospital immediately upon delivery.
50. Post-Birth Order
After the surrogate gives birth to a baby, a court order will be acquired in certain states (depending on local state laws).
Basically, this legal action removes the surrogate’s name and leaves only the Intended Parents’ names on the official vital records birth certificate, establishing full guardianship of the parents forever.
51. Fast Track Legal
A specialized process where the legal phase can be completed quickly, often in just two to three weeks instead of months.
Surrogates who are highly responsive to emails and make themselves readily available for this legal fast track can even earn an extra $500 bonus for their efficiency.
52. Power of Attorney (POA)
Our agency makes sure that a medical power of attorney is in place well before the birth of the baby.
This power of attorney gives a Newborn Care Nanny or a designated guardian the legal rights to care for the baby until the Intended Parents are able to arrive and pick up the child.
Ready to Speak the Language of Surrogacy?
Understanding these surrogacy terms is your very first step toward an empowered, deeply rewarding, and fully legally protected journey.
When you are intimately familiar with the terms you should know as a surrogate and clearly understand key surrogate mother terminology, you can confidently advocate for your health, easily communicate with your clinical team, and fully understand your legal rights within your lengthy contract.
Physician’s Surrogacy is the nation’s only OB-managed surrogacy agency, dedicated to facilitating incredibly safe, highly supported gestational surrogacy journeys. If you still have questions about any of the surrogacy medical terms or need further clarification on our surrogacy glossary, our expert clinical staff is always happy to help you decode the jargon.
Are you ready to use your new knowledge to help a family grow?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it so important to understand surrogacy terms?
Understanding surrogacy terms is crucial because it directly helps you make highly informed medical, financial, and legal decisions. When you know the vocabulary and surrogate mother terminology, you can better understand your legal contracts, comfortably communicate with your medical team, and fully grasp the profound physical commitments required for the journey.
What is the difference between an OB/GYN and an RE?
An OB/GYN handles general female reproductive health and delivers babies, while a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) is a highly specialized fertility doctor. The RE manages the complex IVF process, the egg retrievals, and the actual embryo transfer. After your first trimester, the RE will release you to the care of your regular OB/GYN.
What exactly does a pre-birth order (PBO) do?
A pre-birth order is a vital legal document filed in family court before the baby is actually born. It legally establishes the intended parents as the true, sole parents of the child and ensures they have full rights to make medical decisions for the baby at the hospital.
What is a surrogate cycle schedule?
A cycle schedule is a strict, day-by-day medical calendar created and provided by your fertility IVF doctor. It outlines exactly when you need to take your injectable IVF medications, attend your local monitoring appointments, and fully prepare your body for the embryo transfer procedure.
Why is an escrow account necessary for my compensation?
An escrow account is absolutely necessary because it ensures all funds related to your surrogacy are safely held in a trusted, bonded, third-party account. This ensures your Surrogate fees and reimbursements are always paid in a timely manner. Most importantly, it removes all awkward financial matters from your personal, emotional relationship with the Intended Parents.
What does “medical pre-screening” actually involve?
Medical pre-screening happens before you even match with intended parents. It involves an internal OB review of your prior pregnancy and delivery records, comprehensive background checks, and preliminary diagnostic lab work. This process guarantees you are physically qualified and ready for the journey before your profile is ever presented.
Julianna Nikolic
Chief Strategy Officer Julianna Nikolic leads strategic initiatives, focusing on growth, innovation, and patient-centered solutions in the reproductive sciences sector. With 26+ years of management experience and a strong entrepreneurial background, she brings deep expertise to advancing reproductive healthcare.
