Surrogacy is a process in which another woman carries a pregnancy for a woman or a woman and her partner. There are two types of surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate provides the egg, which is fertilized with the male partner's sperm. She then carries the pregnancy. In traditional surrogacy, the woman and her partner provide all the genetic material. Egg and sperm are united in a laboratory, and the embryos are then transferred to the surrogate who carries the pregnancy for them. The surrogate is not genetically related to the child in this method.

In any type of surrogacy arrangement, it is essential to have an experienced attorney represent you and handle the paperwork. State laws vary widely when it comes to surrogacy. In some states (Michigan, New Mexico, New York, and Washington) it is a crime to pay for surrogacy. In others, surrogacy contracts are unenforceable, though some states have laws permitting surrogacy contracts. California is the state that is friendliest to surrogacy.

The state has a specific court procedure set up to allow the prospective parents to have legal ties to their baby before it is born.

To find a surrogate, you can either work with an agency that specializes in surrogacy, or you can locate a potential surrogate on your own. It is very important that you have an attorney involved in each step of the process.