Surrogacy Services
Affordable surrogacy pathways with our dedicated team of experts to guide you through each step of the journey.
What is Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is when a person with a uterus (which can be a woman, trans man or non-binary person) agrees to carry a baby for a couple or single person to help them have a child.
The person carrying the baby is called the surrogate or host , and the couple or person who intends to become the parent(s) is/are called the intended or commissioning parents (IPs).
Surrogacy is used in situations where there is no intended mother involved, or where it is either physically dangerous or impossible for the intended mother to carry a child herself.
You might consider surrogacy if:
- You don’t have a womb – either because you were born without one or it’s been removed (for example because of womb cancer, gynaecological problems or following gender reassignment surgery
- You have a womb, but it’s not safe for you to become pregnant (for instance, following radiotherapy for cancer, repeated miscarriages or multiple IVF attempts without success)
- You’ve been advised to avoid becoming pregnant because of an underlying medical condition (for example, a heart or lung condition)
- You are a gay male couple in a same-sex relationship
A potential surrogate host could be a close relative or friend, or an altruistic volunteer. It’s up to you to find your own surrogate. There are a several agencies that can help you such as Surrogacy UK.
Your Surrogacy Options Explained
Why chose the Agora Clinic for your surrogacy journey?
We are one of the most inclusive fertility clinics in the UK, so rest assured you will be welcome with open arms whether you are in a heterosexual relationship, a gay male couple, a lesbian couple or single, trans or non-binary. We are also the number one clinic for surrogacy in Sussex.
At first sight, surrogacy may seem a little complex as there are quite a few steps involved, which is why we always suggest you give us a call first so we can listen to your situation and your wishes and talk you through the best options. We will then arrange a free Q & A session with one of our Consultants. We also work alongside experts to ensure you have the best legal advice and counselling.
We know that every surrogacy journey is going to be different; there is no one size fits all at the Agora and we spend time at the very beginning mapping out the best pathway for you and your surrogate to give you bespoke care.
Meet the Surrogacy Team
The ethos of the Agora Clinic is to ensure all individuals and couples, whatever their gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity are celebrated, educated and professionally supported throughout their parenting journey.
We are long established UK pioneers and leaders in inclusive fertility care and offer both NHS and privately funded bespoke LGBTQ+Q+ treatment programs.
We are proud to have the highest IVF success rates in London and the South-East but also recognise the emotional demands of the parenting journey which is why our approach is to offer an exceptional patient experience through a boutique approach to fertility care.
Let the Agora family make your dreams come true.
Dr Carole Gilling-Smith, MA (Cantab), FRCOG, PhD
Carole is the CEO, Medical Director and Founder of the Agora Clinic in Hove. She is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist.
She believes that all individuals, whatever their sexual orientation, gender identity and ethnic background should have equal access to fertility care and be professionally supported and guided throughout their parenting journey. This is the ethos of the Agora, a clinic renowned for embracing diversity and leading the UK provision of inclusive fertility care through supporting those from the LGBTQ+Q+ community find safe and fulfilling routes to parenthood.
Michèle Gilling-Ulph BA
Michèle is passionate in supporting the LGBTQ+Q+ people in their journey to parenthood.
Michèle has been running the egg donation programme at the Agora for the last two years and has helped grow the service and options available to patients. She is also part of the surrogacy team and supports intended parents, surrogates and donors.
She has a real interest in promoting the quality of a patient’s experience developing the extensive patient support program and is involved in day-to-day patient care helping her find ways to constantly innovate and improve the way the Agora fertility care is delivered.
Samantha Backley BSc
Sammi is a Senior Fertility Nurse at the Agora and Nursing Lead for the surrogacy program.
Soon after joining the Agora, Sammi developed a specialist interest and expertise in both egg donation and surrogacy and helped shape the clinic’s approach to delivering bespoke surrogacy programs.
She enjoys working closely with both intended parents and surrogates during their fertility journey, serving as their advocate and support at all times and striving to provide personalised care for all, however that may be needed.
Kerry Martin
Kerry is our Surrogacy coordinator. Starting out on a surrogacy fertility journey can be daunting and IPs and surrogates have many questions, not just at the start but at many points along the way.
Kerry is there to ease that pathway and be the first port of call at every step of your journey. She meets all new intended parents (IPs), egg donors when they are needed, and surrogates and works closely with the medical, nursing and scientific experts on the team to help map out a bespoke surrogacy journey for each person involved to ensure everyone has a truly positive experience.
Kerry also makes sure our patients understand their options and costs for each step of their journey. Kerry is also Admin Manager and PA to the CEO.
Surrogacy – Frequently Asked Questions
What will your surrogate need to do?
Your surrogate will need to arrange the following appointments:
- A medical consultation at the Agora to discuss the proposed treatment and what would be involved, including any risks
- A transvaginal scan to look at the womb and ovaries (if the surrogate is using her own eggs)
- An ovarian reserve assessment (if the surrogate is using her own eggs)
Once these initial steps have been taken, we’ll design an individualised program of care for you and your surrogate.
Who can become a surrogate?
To become a surrogate, a woman must be healthy so she can undergo a pregnancy with the minimum amount of risk to herself or the baby. Risks include:
- Certain medical conditions
- Having any medical problems which could lead to complications with the pregnancy or put the surrogate or baby at risk
- Being overweight
- Being a smoker or drinking heavily
- Drug misuse
What do I need to do first?
As intended parents, we’d advise you to begin your surrogate journey by having:
- A consultation with one of our Fertility Doctors to discuss your individual needs and possible treatment options
- A transvaginal scan to look at your ovaries and an ovarian reserve assessment if you’re planning to use your own eggs
- A semen analysis, with or without a DNA fragmentation test if you are the partner and want to use your own sperm
If you need an egg or sperm donor to create embryos, one of the nurses or embryologists coordinating our donor programmes will be able to advise you about this.
Surrogacy and UK law?
Although the UK law around surrogacy is changing, as it stands now, the IPs can only become the legal parents of the child by applying for a Parental order 6 weeks after the child is born.
Please note:
- You cannot advertise that you are looking for a surrogate and a surrogate can’t advertise
- The Agora can’t advertise on your behalf or become involved in any surrogacy arrangement
- Surrogacy agreements in the UK are unenforceable
- A surrogate can’t be paid anything other than reasonable expenses
- You must have consulted a specialist legal firm before undergoing treatment using a surrogate at the Agora
We advise everyone having surrogacy treatment at the Agora to seek independent legal advice before beginning their surrogacy journey.
Counselling for Surrogacy
Everyone involved must be clear about the implications of surrogacy before going ahead. That’s why everyone involved in a surrogacy arrangement at the Agora must agree to have counselling. This needs to be arranged before you start any treatment.
- Your potential surrogate must consider how she might feel about the developing child, the possibility of miscarriage or termination, pregnancy-induced illness or complications – and the effect of parting with the child if the pregnancy is successful
- You may have concerns about how you’re going to bond with a child carried by another woman or worry that your surrogate will decide to keep the child
- Both you and your surrogate need to consider how you would react if the child was born physically or mentally disabled, how you would wish to proceed and how this would affect your surrogacy arrangement
It’s normal to have anxieties and concerns about the process. Our specially trained counsellors are experienced in all areas of surrogacy. They can provide the support and reassurance you need throughout your journey.
Find further resources on Surrogacy from Stonewall.
Surrogacy articles
