What Are The Different Types of Surrogacy?

Broadly speaking, surrogacy can be looked at through five different lenses:

1. How the embryo is created (gestational vs. traditional)
2. Whether the surrogate is compensated (altruistic vs. commercial)
3. Where the process takes place (domestic vs. international)
4. Who manages the process (agency vs. independent)
5. The family structure of the intended parents (heterosexual vs. LGBT)

Each one is worth understanding before you make any decisions.

How Will the Embryo be Created?

This is the question that matters most, and it comes down to one thing: is the surrogate genetically related to the child or not?

Traditional Surrogacy

In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate uses her own eggs. That means she is biologically related to the child she carries and gives birth to. It is less common nowadays, mostly because that genetic connection adds legal and emotional complexity that many intended parents and surrogates prefer to avoid.

There are two variations:

With the intended father’s sperm: The surrogate is artificially inseminated with the intended father’s sperm, either through Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), where sperm is placed directly into the uterus, or through home insemination. The child will share genetics with both the intended father and the surrogate.

With donated sperm: The same process, but donor sperm is used instead. The child will be genetically linked to the sperm donor and the surrogate. Neither intended parent will have a biological connection to the baby.

Want to learn more? Our guide to traditional surrogacy covers this path in much more detail.

Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy works differently. The surrogate carries the baby but has no genetic connection to the child. The embryo is created through In Vitro Fertilization, or IVF, where an egg is fertilized in a lab and then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. It has become by far the most popular form of surrogacy today. According to the CDC, over 3,500 babies are born via gestational surrogacy each year in the United States alone, which tells you something about how much it has grown as a path to parenthood.

Depending on whose eggs and sperm are used, there are four sub-types:

• With the intended parents’ own eggs and sperm: The most straightforward scenario. The intended mother’s eggs and the intended father’s sperm create the embryo. The child is genetically tied to both intended parents. The surrogate has no biological connection.
• With donated eggs: This comes up when there is no intended mother, as is the case with gay male couples, or when the intended mother cannot use her own eggs. A donated egg is fertilized with the intended father’s sperm. The child shares genetics with the intended father only.
• With donated sperm: Used when there is no intended father, such as with lesbian couples, or when the intended father cannot provide sperm. The intended mother’s egg is fertilized with donor sperm. The child will be genetically tied to the intended mother.
• With a donated embryo: The least common of the four. This happens when both intended parents have fertility issues and neither can contribute genetic material. The surrogate carries an embryo donated by another couple, often one left over from a previous IVF cycle. The child has no genetic connection to the intended parents or to the surrogate.

Will the Surrogate Be Compensated?

This question shapes a lot about how a surrogacy arrangement works in practice, and it also determines what is legally possible depending on where you live.

Altruistic Surrogacy

In altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate is not paid a base fee. She may be reimbursed for pregnancy-related costs, things like medical appointments, travel, or maternity clothing, but there is no financial compensation beyond that. She is doing it because she wants to help, not for the money.

As you might expect, finding someone willing to do this takes longer. It is also the only form of surrogacy that is legal in countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Commercial Surrogacy

In commercial surrogacy, the surrogate receives financial compensation in addition to having her expenses covered. How much, and under what conditions, depends heavily on local law. Surrogacy regulations vary widely from one country to the next, so it is worth doing your homework.

Commercial surrogacy is permitted in the United States, Ukraine, and parts of Eastern Europe. In many other countries it is not allowed at all. If you are unsure what applies to your situation, speaking with a reproductive law specialist early in the process is a smart move.

Where Will the Process Take Place?

Geography matters more in surrogacy than in most other family-building paths. Depending on local laws, the same arrangement can be completely legal in one place and illegal in another.

Domestic surrogacy means the process takes place in the intended parents’ home country. Generally simpler, but only possible where surrogacy is legally permitted.

International surrogacy means traveling to another country where surrogacy is allowed. Common destinations include the United States, Canada, and the UK. It works, but it adds layers of legal complexity, because you need to understand the laws of both your home country and the country where the surrogacy takes place.

One more thing worth keeping in mind: even within countries that allow surrogacy, the rules can vary significantly from one state or region to another. Always check what applies specifically to your location.

Who Will Manage the Process?

There are essentially two approaches here, and they suit very different situations.

Agency surrogacy means working with a professional surrogacy agency that handles the process from start to finish. That includes recruiting and screening surrogates, coordinating medical procedures, and managing legal paperwork. Most agencies focus exclusively on gestational surrogacy because traditional surrogacy carries more legal risk.

Independent surrogacy, sometimes called private or Indy surrogacy, means the intended parents and surrogate manage the process themselves. They work directly with a family attorney and an IVF clinic, without an agency coordinating things in the middle. This route tends to work best when the surrogate and intended parents already have an existing relationship. You can read more about how this works in our independent surrogacy guide.

When the surrogate is a friend or family member, the arrangement is often called Identified Surrogacy. It comes with its own set of emotional and legal considerations that are worth thinking through carefully.

Who Are The Intended Parents?

The family structure of the intended parents affects the process in a practical way: it determines what genetic material is available and what kind of donor may be needed.

Heterosexual couples may both have a genetic connection to the child, as long as both partners can contribute eggs and sperm without difficulty.

Gay and LGBT couples can only contribute one type of genetic material, which means a donor is always required for the other. The overall process is otherwise quite similar. If you are part of an LGBT couple exploring this path, our gay surrogacy guide is a good place to start.

The Takeaway

No two surrogacy journeys look exactly alike. These five categories give you a framework for understanding the landscape before you get into the details. Whether you are just starting to explore the idea or already further along, knowing how the different types work helps you ask better questions and make more confident decisions.

Common Questions About Surrogacy Types

What are the two main types of surrogacy?

The two main types are traditional and gestational. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate uses her own eggs, which means she has a genetic connection to the child. In gestational surrogacy, the embryo is created using the intended parents’ eggs and sperm, or donor gametes, so the surrogate has no biological link to the baby at all. Most surrogacy arrangements today are gestational.

What is the difference between altruistic and commercial surrogacy?

It comes down to money. In altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate is not paid a base fee. She can be reimbursed for pregnancy-related expenses, but that is it. In commercial surrogacy, she receives financial compensation on top of those reimbursements. Which one is legally available to you depends entirely on where you live.

How is surrogacy classified by location?

Surrogacy is either domestic, meaning it takes place in the intended parents’ home country, or international, meaning the intended parents travel to another country where surrogacy is permitted. The right choice depends on local laws and what is legally available where you live.

What is the difference between agency and independent surrogacy?

With agency surrogacy, a professional organization manages the process from start to finish, including finding and screening surrogates and handling medical and legal coordination. With independent surrogacy, the intended parents and surrogate handle things themselves, typically working directly with an attorney and an IVF clinic. Independent surrogacy is more common when the two parties already know each other.

Can surrogacy be classified by the type of intended parents?

Yes. Heterosexual couples may both have a genetic connection to the child if both can contribute eggs and sperm. LGBT couples can only provide one type of genetic material, so a donor is always needed for the other. Beyond that, the process is largely the same.