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.
Uniform Surrogacy Laws? Yes please!
Uniform Surrogacy Laws? Yes please! The Council of Attorneys General met today in Adelaide for their regular bi-annual meeting. The Council is made up of the State Attorneys General and the Federal Attorney General, and they talk about [...]
Victorian Surrogacy Regulations Update
Victorian Surrogacy Regulations Update If you know me at all, you know how much I enjoy a bit of surrogacy law reform. And this one is particularly satisfying, because the previous provisions were so ridiculously unfair that it [...]
Surrogacy and Social Media
Surrogacy and Social Media You might be surprised to discover that something as simple as social media can cause a rift in surrogacy teams, particularly if the expectations and rules are not established early on. Many intended parents [...]
Surrogate Bodily Autonomy
Surrogate Bodily Autonomy. What exactly do we mean when we talk about the surrogate having bodily autonomy? A surrogate is just like any other person, and can make decisions about her body just as any other person can. [...]
We Need A Surrogate: What’s Next?
We Need a Surrogate: What's Next? Now that you've decided to pursue surrogacy, you're probably wondering what to do next. Whether it's in Australia or overseas, with a donor or your own gametes, this interactive chart shows you [...]
International Surrogacy Options
International Surrogacy Options for Australians When you're considering surrogacy in Australia or overseas, you're likely to become overwhelmed with the options and processes and getting to grips with the laws surrounding international surrogacy. I cannot recommend a particular [...]
Surrogacy Information for Healthcare Providers
Surrogacy Information for Healthcare Providers If you are an intended parent or future surrogate and need to visit your healthcare provider to talk about surrogacy, you may find that you are educating them more than the other way [...]
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 [...]
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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 [...]
Supporting Your Surrogate and Family
Supporting Your Surrogate and Family Intended parents carry the pressure of wanting to be appreciative, supportive and caring for their surrogate and her family, and not wanting to be intrusive or overbearing. With that in mind, there are [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Lawyer’s Weekly Women in Law Awards 2019
I am beyond proud and excited to be named as a finalist in the Lawyer's Weekly Women in Law Awards, for both Thought Leader of the Year and Sole Practitioner of the Year for 2019. I am humbled [...]
DIY Parentage Order: You Can Do It!
DIY Parentage Order - You Can Do It! Do you want to do your surrogacy Parentage Order yourself? By the time you have your baby in your arms, you’ve spent considerable money on IVF, legal expenses, counselling and [...]
Care Package Ideas for Surrogates and Egg Donors
Care Package Ideas for Surrogates and Egg Donors During a recent egg donation cycle, my lovely friend and recipient gave me an enormous box labelled 'Sarah's Donor Cycle Care Package.' Thinking it was probably a box of chocolates [...]
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 [...]
Birth Certificates and Surrogacy: Recognition or Erasure?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about birth certificates, and donor conception and surrogacy, after attending the AFCC Conference in Sydney and listening to many donor-conceived people speak about their experiences and identity. What is a birth certificate? [...]
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. [...]
Will the Surrogate Keep the Baby?
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 [...]