Definition of Gestational carrier

Gestational carrier: Also known as gestational surrogate. A woman who carries a pregnancy and gives birth to a child for another woman or couple. For a woman to serve as a gestational carrier, an embryo (created by the process of in vitro fertilization) is implanted in her uterus. The gestational carrier has no biological relationship to the embryo she is carrying. The IVF process used to create the embryo can use egg and sperm from the intended parents, or donor egg/sperm may be used in either case.

A gestational carrier is different from a surrogate mother, because a surrogate mother's own biological egg is used to produce a pregnancy for another couple.

A gestational carrier is sometimes referred to as a gestational surrogate, and the process may be referred to as gestational surrogacy.