Surrogacy gives people a chance to become parents when carrying a pregnancy themselves isn’t possible or would be risky for health reasons. But does being carried by another woman change anything about a child’s genes, health, or development?
To answer this, it’s important to look at what a surrogate mother does during pregnancy, what shapes a child’s genetic traits, and how the pregnancy environment can affect a child’s health.
Does a surrogate mother pass her genes to the child?
A child’s genetic traits are determined by the DNA inherited from the egg and sperm used to create the embryo.
In IVF programs, the egg may come from the intended mother or a donor, and the sperm from the intended father or a donor. The resulting embryo is transferred into the uterus of the surrogate mother, who carries and gives birth to the child.
If the surrogate mother’s own egg isn’t used, it’s called gestational surrogacy. Here, the surrogate isn’t the child’s genetic mother. The child’s traits come from the people whose egg and sperm were used to make the embryo.
There is also traditional surrogacy, in which the egg of the woman carrying the child is used. In this case, she is both the surrogate and the genetic mother.
Genes affect many things about a child, like eye and hair color, looks, and risks for some health conditions. But a child’s development is shaped by more than just genetics.
Can the surrogate mother’s body affect the child’s development?
In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother doesn’t pass on her genes, but her body creates the environment for the child to grow and develop.
During pregnancy, the fetus gets oxygen and nutrients through the placenta, and waste products are exchanged. This means the woman’s health, nutrition, any medical conditions, medicines she takes, and exposure to harmful substances can all influence the pregnancy and the baby’s development.
For example, if a woman has uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, smokes, or drinks alcohol, it can raise risks for her pregnancy and the baby. That’s why a woman’s health is checked before she joins a surrogacy program, and doctors monitor her regularly during pregnancy. This helps spot risks early and keep track of the baby’s development.
Can a surrogate mother affect the child’s personality and intelligence?
Many things shape a child’s personality, temperament, abilities, and intelligence. Genetics is important, but so are prenatal development, home life, upbringing, education, and what the child experiences after birth.
Some medical conditions and harmful exposures during pregnancy can affect how a child’s nervous system develops. But there’s no strong evidence that being carried by a surrogate mother alone harms a child’s psychological development. Still, because long-term studies are limited, we can’t be sure about every possible outcome yet.
Are there any particular features of a surrogate pregnancy?
How a pregnancy goes depends on the woman’s health and other medical factors. That’s why it’s important to check for possible risks before transferring the embryo and to pick the right way to monitor the pregnancy.
In a systematic review published in JAMA Network Open in 2024, researchers analyzed data from more than 28,000 pregnancies involving surrogate mothers. The analysis found that complications related to high blood pressure were more common among surrogate mothers than among women who conceived without assisted reproductive technologies. However, compared with pregnancies following other reproductive programs, no significant difference was found.
This doesn’t mean that complications will always happen. These findings show why it’s important to choose surrogates carefully, assess medical risks, and monitor the pregnancy closely.
That’s why Silk Medical pays special attention to choosing the right surrogate mother. Before joining the program, each candidate has a full medical checkup. The Silk Medical team, including the lead fertility specialist, reviews her health and eligibility.
Selection criteria include:
- Age between 20 and 38.
- At least one previous healthy pregnancy and birth.
- Good physical and psychological health, confirmed by comprehensive medical evaluation.
- No harmful habits, including tobacco, alcohol, or drug use.
- No significant complications during previous pregnancies.
This approach lets us check the candidate’s health before the program starts and helps create the best conditions for the pregnancy. After the embryo is transferred, Silk Medical supports the pregnancy at every stage, from confirmation to delivery. Regular checkups help us keep track of the surrogate mother’s health and the baby’s development, spot any risks early, and adjust care if needed.
Does surrogacy affect the child’s health after birth?
Current research doesn’t show that gestational surrogacy by itself harms a child’s health or psychological development. Still, many factors can affect outcomes, like how the pregnancy goes and when the baby is born.
Like any pregnancy, there are always some risks. The long-term effects of surrogacy on child development haven’t been fully studied yet. But so far, research doesn’t show that surrogacy itself has a negative effect on a child’s development.
The main point: a surrogate mother provides the environment for a child’s development, but she doesn’t determine the child’s genetics
In gestational surrogacy, the child gets their genes from the people whose egg and sperm were used to make the embryo. The surrogate mother doesn’t pass on her genes, but her health and the pregnancy environment are important for how the pregnancy goes and the baby’s health.
Current evidence doesn’t show that surrogacy alone harms children’s development. Still, the safety of the program depends on checking medical factors for each person, careful monitoring, and choosing the right care plan.
At Silk Medical, our specialists help patients learn about assisted reproductive technology programs, review medical needs, and find the best way to become parents. If you’re just starting to look into surrogacy, we also suggest reading about who can consider surrogacy and how long the process takes, from the first consultation to delivery.
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