What is surrogacy, and how does it differ from adoption?

Surrogacy is a method of assisted reproduction where a woman, known as a surrogate mother, carries a child for another person or couple. The surrogate mother is usually impregnated using in vitro fertilization (IVF), which involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in a laboratory and then transferring the resulting embryo to the surrogate mother's uterus.

Adoption, on the other hand, is a legal process where a person or couple becomes the legal parent(s) of a child who is not biologically related to them. This can be done through various methods, such as agency adoption, independent adoption, or foster care adoption. Unlike surrogacy, adoption does not involve a biological connection between the child and the adoptive parent(s).

While surrogacy and adoption differ in their biological connections, they also have different legal implications. In surrogacy, the surrogate mother is usually contracted to carry the child for the intended parent(s) and then relinquish all parental rights and responsibilities after the birth. In adoption, the biological parent(s) of the child relinquish all legal rights and responsibilities to the adoptive parent(s).

Furthermore, surrogacy can be either traditional or gestational. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate mother is biologically related to the child as she provides the egg, which is fertilized using donor sperm. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother carries an embryo that is created using the intended parent(s) or donors' genetic material and implanted in her uterus. In adoption, there is no biological connection between the adoptive parent(s) and the child.

Overall, while surrogacy and adoption are both methods of creating a family, they differ in their biological connections and legal implications. Surrogacy involves a biological connection between the surrogate mother and the child, while adoption does not. Additionally, surrogacy involves a legal contract between the surrogate mother and the intended parent(s), while adoption involves a legal process of transferring parental rights and responsibilities.