7.12 Why Surrogates Must Disclose Relationship Changes During the Surrogacy Journey

At GSHC Surrogacy & Egg Donation, we are committed to maintaining the highest ethical and medical standards to ensure a safe, successful surrogacy journey. If a surrogate develops a new romantic or sexual relationship during the surrogacy process, it is essential to disclose this information to the agency. Transparency is key to ensuring compliance with medical, legal, and ethical requirements, protecting the surrogate, the intended parents, and the baby.

1. Medical Reasons to Disclose a New Partner

Adding a new sexual partner during pregnancy may increase the risk of exposure to infections like STDs, hepatitis, or HIV. These can seriously impact the pregnancy and the baby’s health, even if the surrogate herself has no symptoms. That’s why fertility clinics—and our agency—often require additional testing when relationship changes happen. It’s all about keeping things safe and medically sound for everyone involved.

2. Legal & Contractual Compliance in Surrogacy

Surrogacy involves not only thoughtful care for the baby, but also important legal responsibilities designed to protect everyone involved.

• Surrogacy Agreement Compliance: Most gestational surrogacy contracts mandate full disclosure of relationship changes to prevent legal and medical risks.
• Parental Rights Considerations: If a surrogate is married but enters a new relationship, this could create legal complications regarding presumed parental rights, which must be proactively addressed.
• State-Specific Surrogacy Laws: Surrogacy laws vary by state, and GSHC ensures that all cases comply with California, Nevada, Illinois, and other states where surrogacy is clearly regulated.

3. Honesty Builds Trust

Intended parents are trusting someone else to carry their baby. They deserve to know that everything is being done to ensure safety and follow the plan they agreed to. At GSHC, we’re here to guide surrogates through these types of situations—honestly, calmly, and with full support. But we can’t help unless we know what’s going on.

4. Emotional Support & Relationship Changes

Pregnancy is a major life event. If a surrogate is going through a breakup, starting a new relationship, or dealing with stress at home, it’s completely valid to have mixed emotions. But those changes can affect the journey—especially if the new partner isn’t supportive or causes tension. That’s why it’s important to talk to your case manager if anything changes in your personal life. We’re here to support your emotional health too, not just your appointments.

5. What to Do If You’re Starting a New Relationship

If your relationship status changes at any point in the surrogacy process—whether it’s a new partner, a breakup, or a change in your household—please let your GSHC case manager know. Here’s what we’ll do:

• Help you figure out if any medical screenings are needed for your new partner
• Make sure your OB and clinic are aware, if necessary
• Handle communication with the intended parents when appropriate

This is never about getting anyone in trouble—it’s about protecting everyone involved and making sure the pregnancy stays on track.