Gestational carrier
A gestational carrier is a woman who carries a pregnancy for another woman. She does not provide a genetic contribution (ovum) to the pregnancy but provides strictly a pregnancy carrier service ("a rented womb") and hands the baby over to the genetical or legal mother at the conclusion of the pregnancy. Thus, gestational carrying is a particular mode of assisted reproductive technology.
Terminology
A gestational carrier service is a form of surrogacy. Egg donation itself is another example of third party reproduction. The two may be combined: a gestational carrier may become pregnant using either a fertilised egg from the intending mother, or a fertilised donated egg or embryo and thus the child may not be the biological child of either of the gestational carrier or the intending mother.
Usage
Gestational carrier services may be needed by women who have normal ovarian function but have no uterus, be it the result of a congenital defect (i.e. Mullerian agenesis) or a hysterectomy at young age. Also, in some women, the uterus may be damaged from scarring (Asherman's Syndrome) or leiomyoma. Occasionally, gestational carrier services are required where the woman producing the egg is unable to carry a baby to full term due to problems arising from blood groupings.
The woman's egg will be fertilized by her partner's sperm or, where she has no male partner, sperm provided by a sperm donor may be used and the resulting embryo is placed in the uterus of the getational carrier. A gestational carrier may also carry a pregnancy produced as a result of embryo donation.
Carriers
Women who provide such services may be relatives, friends, or individuals specifically recruited through agencies who do this for a payment (commercial surrogacy), but also altruistically. Careful screening is needed to assure their health as the gestational carrier incurs potential obstetrical risks.
See also
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