Surrogacy refers to a legal and medical arrangement in which a woman (the surrogate) carries and gives birth to a child for another individual or couple (the intended parents).
Origin:
The term "surrogacy" first emerged in the 1970s when reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) made it possible for women who were unable to carry a pregnancy themselves to have biological children.
It gained widespread usage in the late 1970s and early 1980s as the practice gained legal recognition and became more common.
The term "surrogate mother" was originally used, but in recent years, the term "surrogate" has become more common to avoid emphasizing the mother-child bond.
Related Terms:
Surrogate: The woman who carries and gives birth to the child for the intended parents.
Intended parents: The couple or individual who have the legal right to the child after birth.
Gestational carrier: A surrogate who does not contribute her own eggs to the conception of the child but carries the embryo or fetuses created through IVF.
Traditional surrogate: A surrogate who contributes her own eggs to the conception of the child through artificial insemination.
