In some rare cases, although the patient has functioning ovaries, she is unable to carry pregnancy, either because she has undergone hysterectomy in the past, or secondary to uterine anatomic defects or medical conditions in which a pregnancy is a contra indication. For these couples, a solution could be gestational surrogacy.

With this method the patient’s oocytes are aspirated, fertilized in vitro with the partner’s sperm and the resulting embryo is transferred to a surrogate mother who will carry out the pregnancy. After the delivery, the infant is given to the biological parents, who are legally considered to be the sole parents of the child.

The surrogate  has to be medically tested and would have to accept the general risks associated with pregnancy, including  an ectopic pregnancy or other complications such as psychological effects.