What is Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is the process of transferring the embryo to another woman who is suitable when the intended mother does not have a healthy uterus for pregnancy and childbirth, does not have a uterus at all, or her health is not suitable for pregnancy.
The embryo to be transferred is created in a laboratory environment, just like in the process of in vitro fertilization, and then transferred to the selected surrogate mother. Couples seeking surrogacy treatment are not always required to use their own eggs and sperm. If there are health issues related to egg or sperm production, eggs and/or sperm cells from a bank can also be used.
How Does Surrogacy Become A Surrogate Mother's Genes Are Passed To The Baby?
A woman who carries and gives birth to a child on behalf of another individual or couple, without any genetic relation to the child, is referred to as a “surrogate mother.” The surrogate mother does not have a genetic connection to the baby born through this method. Babies born through surrogacy carry the genetic characteristics of their biological parents. The biological mother and father are the individuals who provide the egg and sperm, respectively. The baby inherits its genetic traits from the biological parents, not from the surrogate mother. In this context, the role of the surrogate mother is limited to carrying and giving birth to the pregnancy.
Is Surrogacy Legal in Cyprus?
Surrogacy has been allowed in only a few countries worldwide due to various ethical, moral, legal, and religious perspectives. In Cyprus, however, surrogacy is a legal method of treatment.
Some countries permit such procedures (Russia, India, Iran, South Africa), while it is prohibited in others (France, Italy, China). In some countries, the legality of the procedure varies by state or province (United States, Australia, Canada).
Under What Conditions Is Surrogacy Allowed?
In order to undergo surrogacy treatment in Cyprus, one must meet at least one of the following conditions:
- Absence of the uterus (womb) from birth.
- Removal of the uterus due to a benign or malignant tumor.
- Congenital anomalies in the uterus (e.g., T-shaped uterus or hypoplastic uterus).
- Irreparable damage to the uterus due to surgery or previous illnesses.
- Inability to carry the pregnancy to full term.
- Endometrial damage (lining of the uterus) that prevents successful implantation after repeated attempts of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Risk factors for the intended mother’s life: Serious heart disease, severe kidney failure, history of breast cancer, history of conditions like HELLP syndrome during previous pregnancies.
In the aforementioned cases, the patient’s diagnosis reports are submitted to the authorized committee, and the decision of whether to use a surrogate mother or not is made by the coordination board.
Who Can Be a Surrogate Mother?
- Healthy women aged between 21 and 40 years old.
- Women who have previously had a healthy live birth.
- Women without any contagious diseases.
- Women without alcohol, tobacco, drug, or substance addiction.
- Women whose social life and psychological state are suitable for surrogacy.
Firstly, necessary tests are conducted on the intended parents and the surrogate mother. After completing the required documents and forms, the patient file is submitted to the commission. Once the commission approves, medical preparations begin. The biological parents and the surrogate mother are prepared separately. Simultaneously, legal contracts and procedures are completed.
Those Who Have a Baby with a Surrogate Mother
Those who have a child through a surrogate mother are the legal parents of the baby. The role of the surrogate mother ends after the birth. She does not have any legal rights over the child. These processes are legally clarified through pre-treatment contracts made prior to the treatment.
Surrogacy Packages
In surrogate motherhood treatment, patients who wish to do so can provide their own surrogate mother candidate. In this option, the legal process between the candidate and the intended family is carried out by the family themselves. Once the legal agreements between the two parties are completed, the treatment process begins at our hospital. In the package where the surrogate mother is provided by our institution, the necessary permits and legal processes are managed by us.
Surrogate motherhood treatment is similar to the IVF process in medical terms. Pregnancy monitoring and delivery are carried out independently from our hospital, either in the family’s country or in another country of their choice.
Surrogacy Prices 2023
British Cyprus surrogate motherhood prices vary depending on the method of treatment. In order to provide an accurate price for the treatment, it is necessary to know your medical process and determine the program to be implemented. For surrogate motherhood pricing and detailed information, you can fill out our contact form or reach us via WhatsApp.
