What to look out for in a surrogate mother’s pregnancy (prenatal paternity test).

Summary of this article

Learn what to expect from a prenatal parentage test in a surrogate mother's pregnancy. Review important points to know in advance, such as the timing of the evaluation, legal issues, and the impact on the family.

Prenatal paternity testing is also possible in surrogate mother cases. However, special considerations must be taken into account that differ from a normal paternity test. The following section describes prenatal paternity testing in surrogate mother cases.

1. Clarification of the persons to be appraised

When using a surrogate mother, the fetus may involve three genetic relatives:

Genetic mother: the woman who donated the oocyte.
Genetic father: the man who donated the sperm.
Surrogate mother: the woman who gives birth to the fetus (usually not genetically related, but in rare cases the surrogate mother may use her own eggs).

In a prenatal paternity test, it is first necessary to clarify who is the genetic parent.

2. Methods of prenatal paternity testing

Samples from the mother: Fetal DNA is present in small amounts in the mother’s blood during pregnancy. A sample of the mother’s blood is usually taken to extract the fetal DNA.
Comparison with DNA of the potential father: a DNA sample of the potential father (usually an oral swab or blood) is used and compared with the fetus’ DNA.

3. The impact of surrogate mothers

If the surrogate mother is not the genetic mother: usually the surrogate mother’s DNA does not affect the fetus. Therefore, the surrogate mother’s DNA is not involved in the test. The test is carried out between the fetus’ DNA and the DNA of the genetic mother and potential father.
If the surrogate mother is the genetic mother: in this case, the surrogate mother is included in the test as the genetic mother. This means that the DNA of the fetus is compared with the DNA of the surrogate mother and the DNA of the potential father.

4. Technical and Ethical considerations

Sample handling: in surrogate mother cases, particular care must be taken in handling the sample to ensure that the surrogate mother’s DNA is not accidentally mixed with that of the genetic mother.
Legal and ethical considerations: legal advice and ethical guidance is important when using surrogate mothers, as the legal aspects can be complex.

Summary

Prenatal paternity testing is also possible in surrogate mother cases, but it is necessary to clarify who is the genetic parent and to use an appropriate sample for the test. If the surrogate mother is not the genetic mother, the procedure is almost identical to a normal prenatal paternity test. If the genetic mother is the surrogate mother, special considerations must be made accordingly. In addition, legal and ethical aspects must also be carefully addressed.