AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/glossary/surrogacy
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is when a woman carries and gives birth to a baby for another person or couple.
Summary
- It is legal in the UK, but a surrogacy agreement cannot be enforced in court.
- A surrogate cannot be paid more than her reasonable expenses.
- The surrogate is the child's legal mother at birth. The intended parents become the legal parents through a parental order from the court.
- In 2023 the Law Commissions recommended that intended parents could be the legal parents from birth. The law has not changed.
Interview questions
- What are the ethical concerns about surrogacy?
- Should surrogates be paid?
- A surrogate changes her mind after the birth. Who should the law treat as the parent?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.