The Genetics of Surrogacy: Whose DNA Does a Surrogate Baby Have?

Some of the most-asked questions from potential surrogates, their partners, and even intended parents revolve around the baby's genetics. Whose DNA does a surrogate baby have? Does a surrogate pass on DNA to the baby? For gestational surrogacy — the more practiced type of surrogacy — the answer is no, the surrogate does not pass any DNA to the baby. 

How Does DNA Work in Gestational Surrogacy?

Gestational surrogacy is the act of a woman carrying a baby for someone she has no genetic tie to — meaning, she did not use her own eggs to create the embryo. Through IVF, embryos are created in a lab at a fertility clinic with the genetic material from the intended parents or an egg and/or sperm donor. Once an embryo is ready to be transferred, the surrogate will travel to the intended parents’ IVF clinic.

Whose DNA Does a Baby Through Surrogacy Have?

Gestational surrogacy requires embryos to be created in a laboratory and transferred into the surrogate’s uterus. The egg and the sperm for the embryos can come from a few different places — however, none of these origins is the surrogate! The baby will have the DNA from whoever supplied the biology to create the embryos.

Eggs and Egg Retrievals

Intended mothers can use their own eggs if they are able and their eggs are good quality. If she is not able to use her own eggs, she can use the eggs from an egg donor. The intended mother (or egg donor) will take IVF medications to prepare her body for an egg retrieval. Once the eggs are retrieved they will either be frozen or will undergo fertilization with sperm.

Sperm

The second half to creating embryos is sperm, which will be collected from the intended father(s) or a sperm donor (if needed). If there is more than one intended father, both may decide to use their sperm, in which case the eggs will be fertilized.

Embryos

Once the embryos are created, developed, and deemed ready, an embryo will be transferred into your surrogate’s uterus. At this point, she is only the carrier of the baby — the gestational carrier — and is not biologically related to the child. Read our related blog post for answers to other questions about the baby's DNA and gestational carrier.

What Type of People Consider Gestational Surrogacy To Become Parents?

There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to who pursues surrogacy to grow their family. The different types of people who choose surrogacy are:

• Heterosexual couples who have struggled with infertility

• Intended mothers who are unable to carry a child

• Intended parents who have a genetic issue or health condition they don't want to pass onto the child

• LGBTQIA+ parents who want to have a genetic link to their baby

Surrogacy is just one way for people to grow their families who can’t do so on their own. 

If you’re interested in learning more about gestational surrogacy, our team would be happy to speak with you. We welcome you to learn more about being a surrogate or becoming a parent through our program.