Gay dads can pursue surrogacy to grow their family and within Australia or overseas. Surrogacy is an arrangement between the intended parents and the birth parents, whereby a woman carries a baby with the intention that the intended parents will [...]
If you and your team are planning a surrogacy birth, you will be keen to ensure that your healthcare provider is sensitive and responsive to the dynamics and needs of your team. Whilst most hospitals are keen to do the [...]
I spoke at the Melbourne Law School's Health Law and Ethics Network seminar this week, on the subject of surrogacy and ethics. Below is my speech. Thank you for having me and giving me the opportunity to speak about my [...]
There are many ways to grow a family, and co-parenting is a creative option. Whilst I primarily assist with surrogacy and donor arrangements, I am increasingly receiving enquiries from parties seeking to enter into a co-parenting arrangement. This might be [...]
Do you want to do your Parentage Order yourself? By the time you have your baby in your arms, you’ve spent considerable money on IVF, legal expenses, counselling and pregnancy and birth expenses for your surrogate…not to mention decorating the [...]
Gay dads are growing in numbers around Australia as they pursue surrogacy to grow their families. The media is buzzing with news that Ian Thorpe and his partner Ryan Channing, are planning to have a baby via surrogacy. Channing was [...]
Surrogacy in Australia is regulated in each State, which means there are no uniform laws that cover surrogacy across the country. Surrogacy laws in all States follow the same basic principles: The Intended Parents must not be able to either [...]
These steps are generally followed for surrogacy arrangements facilitated by a clinic. For traditional surrogacy arrangements not utilising a clinic, parties need to obtain counselling and legal advice prior to conception. Note that the laws vary from State to State [...]
Do I qualify for surrogacy in Australia? The first step when determining whether, as an intended parent, you qualify for surrogacy in Australia, is to work out which laws apply to you. The laws of the State where the intended [...]
So you want to be a surrogate? I remember when I first considered becoming a surrogate - searching everywhere for information and ending up down many an internet rabbit hole. I was excited and nervous; my husband was skeptical. How [...]
How do I find a surrogate in Australia? So you've decided to explore surrogacy as an option to grow your family. You've done some google searches and are finding the information-overload a bit overwhelming. Rest assured, you're not alone and [...]
The number one question that every surrogate is asked is "how much do you get paid?" And whilst we expect the question, and can even understand why someone may ask, the question itself can hurt, and undermine the altruism of [...]
The law surrounding children, adoption, parentage and surrogacy is complex. There are several legislative instruments that cover children, and the Family Law Act dedicates almost 200 pages to clauses regarding children’s issues. There’s also many cases that provide some insight [...]
Somewhere in the Top 10 Questions about Surrogacy is: Why aren’t surrogacy agreements enforceable? The answer is both simple and complex, and comes back to two primary concepts. Firstly, the rights and best interests of the child are paramount. You [...]
Intended parents are always keen to know how much surrogacy will cost them. There are so many variables depending on individual circumstances, so it can be hard to give an exact answer to that question. Intended Parents should expect to [...]
Surrogacy Laws Australia Are you exploring your options for growing your family through surrogacy? Below is an overview of Australian surrogacy laws as they stand today. Surrogacy in Australia is regulated in each State, which means there is no uniform [...]
The Final Report of the Independent Review of Assisted Reproductive Treatment in Victoria has been released, after a 12-month review of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008. The Review was conducted by Michael Gorton AM, Senior Partner at Russell Kennedy [...]
Wondering if surrogacy is legal in Australia? Thinking about pursuing surrogacy to grow your family? Thinking about being a surrogate to help someone grow theirs? Here's some answers to questions you might have. Don't forget to download your free copy [...]
One of the first questions asked by intended parents considering surrogacy in Australia is "What if she wants to keep the baby?" And one of the first questions asked by a surrogate and her partner is "What if they don't [...]
Do you need an Australian lawyer to assist you with your overseas surrogacy journey? The short answer is, mostly not. You can engage a lawyer in your destination country, who will guide you through the Surrogacy and Donor Agreements. You [...]
There are some surrogate age limits applied to surrogacy in Australia, and each State has it's own requirements and restrictions. In most States, the surrogate must be over 25 years of age. In South Australia and the ACT, the surrogate [...]
People entering into commercial surrogacy overseas are often anxious to know about returning home to Australia with their baby, any consequences, and whether they need to get court orders when they return to Australia. Parentage Orders are made to transfer [...]
Do you need a surrogacy broker or consultant? Surrogacy is bit like Project Management. In fact, by the time you’re home with your baby, you’ll feel like you deserve a PhD in international relations and event management. You did all that [...]
Intended Parents may be forgiven for thinking that everyone they talk to about surrogacy has their best interests at heart. If someone seems kind, knowledgeable and generous, surely they're only wanting to help you have a baby, right? But, surrogacy [...]
After a baby is born through an Australian surrogacy arrangement, a Parentage Order is required to transfer parentage from the surrogate and her partner to the intended parents. When the baby is born, the surrogate and her partner register the [...]
Parentage Orders are made to transfer parentage from a surrogate and her partner, to the intended parents. These are made in State Courts. These Orders provide for the Birth Certificate to be changed, removing the surrogate and her partner, and [...]
A surrogacy agreement is not the same as a commercial contract. The elements of a basic contract include (1) an offer, (2) acceptance, (3) consideration (usually money) and (4) an intention to create a legal relationship. For example, you offer to buy [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer assisting people across Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy arrangement within Australia or overseas, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and their partner including all advice, drafting [...]
Gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate is not the genetic mother of the baby she is carrying, is the most common form of surrogacy both in Australia and overseas. Gestational surrogacy is different from Traditional Surrogacy, where the surrogate conceives [...]
Traditional surrogacy is where a surrogate uses her own eggs to conceive, with sperm from an Intended Father or from a donor. It is different from gestational surrogacy, where the surrogate becomes pregnant with an embryo created with an egg [...]
Welcome to the Amazing Surrogacy Project. You can make a submission to the Project by emailing sarah@sarahjefford.com with answers to the following questions: First name, location, family make-up, occupation… I was a surrogate and gave birth [date] to [baby boy/girl/name] [...]
Kate, Medical Secretary & Receptionist I live in Melbourne and am a single mum to three children now aged 10, 8 and 6. I was a surrogate and gave birth to Annabelle a year ago [...]
Kirsty from Ipswich in Queensland. I am married with four children (all still under 10 years old). At the moment I am enjoying being a stay at home mumma, I became a surrogate because I grew up seeing my [...]
Charli, Brisbane. I'm a single mum of four older kids and one mini human. I was a surrogate for a straight couple, with one child already, carried by mum. However, a medical condition meant she could not [...]
Bree, nurse. I live in Central Victoria and I’m a married with three primary school aged daughters and two teenage step children. I gave birth to a surrogate baby for same sex, interstate IP’s [...]
Susan, Customer Service and Account Manager. I live in Brisbane, am a mother of three adult children and I've been married for 22 years. I became a surrogate because I wanted to be able to [...]
Melonie, Administrative Assistant I live in Launceston, Tasmania with my 5 year old daughter Poppi. I became a surrogate because I really enjoyed being pregnant with my own child and selfishly, wanted to have [...]
Michelle, doula. I am married with two kids, living in Perth. I was a surrogate and gave birth in 2019 to Jack for Kate & Kris. I became a surrogate because I loved being pregnant [...]
Sarah, Lawyer. I am married with two children, and live in Melbourne. I was a traditional surrogate for two dads and gave birth to a baby girl in 2018. I became a surrogate because [...]
Surrogacy in the Australian Capital Territory is regulated by the Parentage Act 2004. If you are an intended parent living in the ACT, then the surrogacy laws that apply to you are those of the Australian Capital Territory. This is [...]
Surrogacy in New South Wales is regulated by the Surrogacy Act 2010. If you are an intended parent living in NSW, then the surrogacy laws that apply to you are those of New South Wales. This is the case, even [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer assisting people in Canberra and across Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy or donor arrangement in the ACT, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and their partner [...]
Surrogacy in the Northern Territory is neither legal or illegal. This is because there are no surrogacy laws in the Northern Territory at all. All the States and the ACT have their own surrogacy laws, but the NT has none. [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer assisting people in Sydney and across Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy or donor arrangement in New South Wales, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and their [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer, assisting people in Alice, Darwin and across the Northern Territory and Australia. If you are interested in surrogacy in the Northern Territory, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and [...]
If you are an intended parent living in Queensland or a surrogate carrying for Queensland intended parents, the Surrogacy Act 2010 applies to you. The criteria for surrogacy in QLD includes: That the intended parents have a social or medical [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer, assisting people in Brisbane and across Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy or donor arrangement in Queensland, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and their partner including [...]
Surrogacy in South Australia. If you are an intended parent living in South Australia or a surrogate carrying for South Australian intended parents, the Family Relationships Act 1975 applies to you. The criteria for surrogacy in SA includes: That the [...]
If you are an intended parent living in Tasmania or a surrogate carrying for Tasmanian intended parents, the Surrogacy Act 2012 applies to you. The criteria for surrogacy in Tasmania includes: That the intended parents have a social or medical [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer, assisting people in Hobart, Launceston and across Tasmania and Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy or donor arrangement in Tasmania, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and [...]
Surrogacy is legal in Victoria, and every State in Australia. Victorian surrogacy arrangements are regulated by the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008. The law is currently being reviewed, and expected to be reformed in the coming year. Read more about [...]
Sarah Jefford is a family and surrogacy lawyer in Melbourne, practising across Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy or donor arrangement in Victoria, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and their partner including [...]
There is a thriving surrogacy community of intended parents and surrogates in Melbourne and surrounds, and regular catch ups and support available for people who have been through the process before. Surrogacy is legal in Victoria, and every State in [...]
I'm a law nerd really, so the idea of law reform and particularly those laws that affect me, is pretty exciting. The Victorian Review of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act, has finally concluded, and the Report released this week. Recommendations [...]
Surrogacy in Western Australia If you are an intended parent living in Western Australia or a surrogate carrying for Western Australia intended parents, the Surrogacy Act 2008 applies to you. The criteria for surrogacy in WA includes: That the intended [...]
Sarah Jefford is a surrogacy lawyer assisting people in Perth and practising across Australia. If you are entering into a surrogacy or donor arrangement in Western Australia, Sarah can provide assistance to the intended parents or the surrogate and their [...]
Altruistic surrogacy is one of the most complex and amazing journeys you'll ever take, regardless of whether you're the surrogate team or the intended parent team. Even when things go right, they can still be difficult, and every team faces [...]
When travelling down the surrogacy path, the most important part is the relationship between the surrogate (and her partner, if she has one) and the intended parents. And rather than just hoping, or 'feeling' that everyone is on the same [...]
One of the first questions asked by surrogates and intended parents, is whether the intended parents can give gifts to their surrogate, or her family members, without compromising the surrogacy agreement or the Parentage Order application. And what sort of [...]
Surrogates are like sisters. Surrogacy is a unique and special journey, not just for the intended parents, but for the women privileged enough to carry a baby for someone else. It's an unusual thing to do, and most people don't [...]
It is a fact universally known, that altruistic surrogates don't like to talk about money. We don't like asking for money, and we'd rather spend our own money than burden our intended parents. We feel that any talk about money [...]
Kids and surrogacy - complex problem or privileged experience? I'm often asked about my children's responses to me being a surrogate, and for advice about preparing children for surrogacy. My kids were taught fairly early that sperm+egg+uterus=baby. They're still learning [...]
There's a few heroes in the story of surrogacy - but none more unassuming than the surrogate's partner. Our partners don't ask to go down this path, and the rewards for them are few and far between. But their support [...]
When planning a surrogacy, the team should think of the birth and how they will navigate the hospital system to support their surrogacy birth. Surrogates will have their own experiences of birth and have ideas of how they envision the [...]
There are such a low number of surrogacy births in Australia each year (somewhere between 50 and 70 in total), that it is no surprise that many hospitals will rarely come across a surrogacy birth. As a result, hospital surrogacy [...]
Birth photography is an art form. You only need to search #birthphoto on Instagram and find out how popular, and amazing it can be. I would have liked to have a birth photographer for my first two births, but we [...]
Milk and Feeding of Surrogacy Baby Most new parents have to grapple with learning how to feed their newborn and making the right decisions for the family. When you add in surrogacy, it can take on a whole other level [...]
The Fourth Trimester Many people haven’t heard of the ‘fourth trimester,’ let alone when it applies in a surrogacy arrangement. The fourth trimester refers to the first three months after a baby is born when baby is going through a [...]
When most people have a child, they celebrate milestones like a Baby Shower, and later the birth, and then Birthdays, and Mother's and Father's Days, without having to consult or think about anyone outside their own household or immediate family. [...]
Surro-baby, Darcey, turned one last weekend. Her dads threw her a party, of course, and like all first birthdays, it was more of an anniversary for the parents than it was a party for the baby. An anniversary of survival, [...]
Surrogacy can be all-consuming - for the intended parents, and the surrogate family. Relationship-building takes time (particularly if we want to get it right) and so does the process. Medical appointments, counselling, legal advice, blood tests, police checks, psychological assessments, [...]
Egg donation is one of those topics that garners interest on social media occasionally, and warrants a warm fuzzy headline now and again, but good quality information and resources are lacking. There are restrictions on advertising for an egg donor, [...]
Sperm Donor or Dad? If you are a single woman or in a same sex couple considering growing your family through sperm donation, you may have followed the case of Masson & Parsons and Anors with interest. The family law [...]
Sperm donation options in Australia vary from friends and family, to online connections or clinic-recruited donors. If you watched 60 Minutes recently you'd know all about Joe Donor - the American man who claims to have donated sperm to over 800 [...]
Donor Agreements involve an agreement between a donor and recipient parent/s that clarifies the relationships and expectations between the parties. They are often used between sperm donors and their donor recipients, and not so often with egg donors. The reasons [...]
My partner and I are parents-through-IVF; survivors of infertility who inevitably became overbearing parents to our precious offspring. Archie was born after 7 embryo transfers, and he was our lucky last. Shortly after Archie’s second birthday, we conceived his brother, [...]
I recently attended the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA)’s twilight seminar The Genie is out of the bottle: DNA testing and the end of donor anonymity to hear about the experiences of donor-conceived people, and donors, from times gone [...]
A core belief of any feminist, is that a woman has the right to full bodily autonomy. That includes reproductive autonomy; the right to determine if and when she has children, how many, and the right to make decisions about [...]
In this first episode of The Australian Surrogacy Podcast, you'll hear from me, Sarah Jefford, and about why I decided to make a surrogacy podcast. I am a surrogate and a surrogacy lawyer living in Melbourne with my family. In [...]
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing my intended parents, Mike and Nate, about their surrogacy journey and becoming gay dads to baby Darcey. Mike and Nate started talking about having children on their second date, and they [...]
In this episode of The Australian Surrogacy Podcast, I interviewed my husband, Troy, about his experience as a surrogate's partner. I was often asked what Troy thought of me being a surrogate, so this week I thought it would be [...]
In this episode, I speak with Bec, a gestational surrogate who gave birth to Holly in 2016, for an interstate couple. Bec speaks with candour and humour about her journey and has lots of insights for intended parents and surrogates [...]
The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Epsiode 5: Rhiannon In this episode you'll hear from the sensational Rhiannon, who was a gestational surrogate for her brother and his partner not once, but twice - and is planning on doing it again! Listen [...]
This is Part 1 of my interview with Felicity, a parent through surrogacy in America. Felicity and her partner suffered with infertility, miscarriage and the loss of her baby daughter Lily, before eventually having a child through surrogacy in the [...]
The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 6 (Part2): Felicity. This is Part 2 of my interview with Felicity. Felicity is an intended parent and pursued surrogacy in the US after suffering infertility and loss. Make sure to listen to Part 1 [...]
This is a 2-part episode with Carla, an egg donor and a traditional surrogate. Carla has donated her eggs to 8 couples! In this episode we explore her egg donations and her reasons for donating, and hear all about her [...]
Traditional surrogacy is not as common as gestational surrogacy. This is Part 2 of my interview with Carla. Carla talked about her journey as an egg donor in Part 1; in Part 2 she tells us how she leaped from [...]
The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 8: Hayley. Hayley is a gestational surrogate, and she and her intended parents all live in WA. Not everything went smoothly in Hayley's surrogacy journey, and particularly during the last trimester. Hayley has some great [...]
Phillipa survived cervical cancer, and managed to create eggs from grafted ovarian tissue, and embryos with donated sperm. She's now eagerly awaiting the birth of her baby with the help of a surrogate living on the other side of Australia. [...]
Mike and Glenn are gay dads that pursued surrogacy overseas, but after hitting roadblocks and ultimately not having any success, they turned to Australian surrogacy - and are now eagerly awaiting the birth of their daughter, with the help of [...]
Hillary is a cancer survivor, having suffered with cancer as a single mother, and when she met her prince charming years later, they decided to grow their family through surrogacy. I am always inspired and humbled when I hear stories [...]
Kate is a gestational surrogate for a gay couple, Mike & Glenn (listen to their story at Episode 10). Kate is due to give birth any day now, and in this episode you'll hear all about her plans for a [...]
Marnie is a cancer survivor and is now considering surrogacy as an option to grow her family. Marnie has some great insights for people considering surrogacy and leaning on the friendships you can build in the community. [...]
Henry and Lisa suffered with infertility and turned to surrogacy to grow their family. Henry & Lisa are well-known in the surrogacy community, both for their support of other intended parents and surrogates, but also for their senses of humour. [...]
Sarah Jefford sat down and chatted with Sheridon Byrne, a Melbourne-based Doula, to talk about Sarah's surrogacy journey. Sheridon provides Doula services to the queer community, and we talked about how surrogacy can be an option to grow a family. [...]
Brett and Stuart conceived baby Findlay with the help of a surrogacy in Canada. But things did not go to plan, and Findlay had to arrive at 25 weeks, due to his surrogate suffering with pre-eclampsia. As a result, Brett [...]
Sara is a Canadian gestational surrogate for Australian intended parents. She gave birth to baby Logan in January, and recently traveled to Australia and spent time with Logan and his parents. She also attend the Australian Surrogacy Conference and supported [...]
Amanda was a traditional surrogate for her friends Dhusk and Tim, and gave birth to Sailor earlier this year. Traditional surrogacy, where a surrogate uses her own egg, is less common than gestational surrogacy, and can be a different dynamic [...]
The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Epsiode 19: Charmaine. Charmaine was a gestational surrogate and birthed James for his parents in 2017. Not everything was sunshine and rainbows, and Charmaine has a lot of wisdom for other intended parents and surrogates. If [...]
The Australian Surrogacy Podcast Episode 20: Sarah and Anna present at the Surrogacy Australia conference. Sarah and Anna presented this session to the Conference in June 2018. You'll hear from Sarah with a broad overview of the process, and then [...]
