Gestational and Traditional Surrogacy: Understanding the Difference

The main distinction is whether the person carrying the pregnancy also provides the egg. This difference affects the medical process, while legal implications depend on the jurisdiction and arrangement. This guide explains the terminology and the questions to review before considering a program.

Traditional surrogacy

The surrogate’s own egg is used, usually by insemination. She is therefore the genetic mother of the baby. This creates legal and emotional complexity, and many countries do not allow it or do not protect the intended parents in this situation.

Gestational surrogacy

The embryo is created by IVF from the intended parents’ egg and sperm — or with a donor egg or donor sperm — and transferred to the surrogate. She carries the pregnancy but has no genetic link to the baby.

	Traditional	Gestational
Whose egg?	Surrogate’s	Intended mother or donor
Genetic link to surrogate	Yes	No
IVF needed	Usually no	Yes
Legal position	Depends on jurisdiction and the arrangement	Depends on jurisdiction and the arrangement
Practiced in Armenia	No	Yes

Why Armenia uses gestational surrogacy only

Armenian law provides for gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate is not the genetic mother; after a DNA test the intended parents are registered on the birth certificate. How that parentage is recognized in your home country is a separate legal question for a lawyer there.

What it means for you

• For foreign intended parents, the child must be genetically related to at least one of you
• In Armenia, the surrogate is not registered as a parent of the child
• Donor eggs or donor sperm can be used if needed — for foreign parents not both together, because a genetic link to one parent is required

Learn more: Armenia surrogacy law · complete guide.