Hi! I’m Sarah Jefford, an IVF Mum, egg donor, surrogate and family and surrogacy lawyer.
Welcome to the Surrogacy and Donor Conception Blog, with posts about surrogacy, donor conception, laws, news items, and my personal experiences as a donor and surrogate. You can scroll through the posts, search by category or keyword below.
Sperm Donor Agreements
Sperm Donor Agreements Are you considering growing your family with the help of a sperm donor? There are a number of options, and it is important to obtain legal advice about the implications, your rights and responsibilities and [...]
Surrogacy, Medicare and Centrelink
Surrogacy, Medicare and Centrelink Big questions for birth parents and intended parents - who is eligible for Centrelink's Paid Parental Leave, and will the parents be able to access Medicare benefits for the baby? As with all things [...]
Can I Be a Surrogate?
Can I be a surrogate? Many women who consider becoming a surrogate assume they will be eligible, often because they consider themselves fertile and have had smooth pregnancies and births of their own babies. But it's worth considering [...]
Single Parent Surrogacy
Single Parent Surrogacy Are you a single intended parent considering surrogacy to grow your family? The good news is that mostly, there are no barriers to single intended parents entering into a surrogacy arrangement in Australia or overseas. [...]
South Australia Surrogacy Law Reform Update
Surrogacy South Australia - Law Reform Update, August 2019 South Australia has reviewed its surrogacy laws and now drafted a new Surrogacy Bill - you can read the full Bill here. This is the first time that South [...]
Will the Surrogate Ask For Money?
Will the surrogate ask for money? We know that surrogacy is altruistic in Australia. That means that payment of any type, or a reward or material benefit, is illegal. That includes cash payments as well as large gifts [...]
Egg Donor Agreements
Egg Donor Agreement Are you considering growing your family with the help of an egg donor and thinking of having an agreement between you? Many families grow with the help of an egg donor, whether it's a clinic-recruited [...]
International Surrogacy Arrangements
International Surrogacy Arrangements Are you considering surrogacy options overseas? You need to do your research and consider the laws, options and processes. Be prepared to take your time and research, research, research! What are the laws about surrogacy? [...]
Best Practice Surrogacy
Surrogacy has been a headline again this week, with Foreign Correspondent covering surrogacy in the Ukraine. Unfortunately, rarely when it is a headline is it a positive story, and my heart broke for the women, babies and intended [...]
Surrogacy Pregnancy and Birth Planning Package
Surrogacy Pregnancy and Birth Package If you and your team are planning a surrogacy birth, you will be keen to make sure your healthcare provider is sensitive and responsive to the dynamics and needs of your team. Whilst [...]
Surrogacy as Motherhood: The Inalienable Right to Choose
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 [...]
Co-Parenting Arrangements
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 [...]
DIY Parentage Order: You Can Do It!
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 [...]
Surrogacy as a Gay Dad
Pursuing surrogacy as a gay dad. Are you considering surrogacy as a single or partnered gay dad? Gay dads are growing in numbers around Australia as they pursue surrogacy to grow their families. The media is buzzing with [...]
Surrogacy in Australia
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 [...]
The Surrogacy Process in Australia
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 [...]
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Do I Qualify for Surrogacy in Australia? GalleryDo I Qualify for Surrogacy in Australia?
altruistic surrogacy, Australia, Australian Capital Territory, blog, infertility, Northern Territory, NSW, qualifying for surrogacy, Queensland, South Australia, surrogacy laws, surrogacy process, Tasmania, Victoria, WA
Do I Qualify for Surrogacy in Australia?
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 [...]
So You Want to Be a Surrogate?
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 [...]
How Do I Find a Surrogate in Australia?
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 [...]
Do Surrogates Get Paid in Australia?
Do Surrogates Get Paid in Australia? 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 [...]
When Surrogacy Isn’t Really Surrogacy
The surrogacy laws and other laws surrounding children, adoption and parentage 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 [...]