Providing advice, help and support to surrogates and intended parents.

COTS was founded in 1988 and now has over 750 members and we celebrated our 500 surrogate birth in August 2004. Photos of the 500th party click here. It is run without financial gain by people dedicated in helping others through surrogacy.

Traditional (Straight) surrogacy: The surrogate uses her own egg fertilised with the intended father's sperm. This is done by artificial insemination using a syringe or there are an increasing number of infertility clinics willing to help with traditional surrogacy. Please contact our secretary if you need advice. COTS can supply a list of hospitals and clinics willing to help in traditional surrogacy, this can also be accessed from our web pages.

Gestational (Host IVF) surrogacy: The surrogate carries the intended parent's genetic child conceived through IVF, for which specialist doctors are needed. For this treatment the infertile woman must still have working ovaries. COTS have a list of IVF hospitals and clinics in the UK willing to help in gestational surrogacy. Our Information booklet informs you what to expect when embarking upon gestational surrogacy - contact our secretary for information.

Overview Of Services

• Support throughout the adminstrative arrangement
• All active surrogates and intended parents receive monthly phone calls from a COTS Chatliner. The Chatliner's can give both practical advice and moral support.
• We also have helpliners and supporters that members and surrogates can call upon.
• Advice on medical issues:- For example:- HIV, Hepatitis B & C, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea testing and screening are essential for all concerned. The surrogate should make sure she is immunised against Rubella. Only the intended father need to have a Cystic Fibrosis test, he also needs to be tested for Tay Sachs if he is of Jewish descent, these tests will determine if he is a carrier. If of African descendants they need to be tested for Sickle Cell Anaemia. The intended father will also need a Semen test,for pdf file click here. Also ensure that a MAR test is also carried out on the semen to check for antibodies, for pdf file click here. COTS will not accept any person who is HIV or Hepatitis B & C positive. If doing Gestational Surrogacy most clinics are testing for the CM Virus, this test is carried out on all parties. For more information regarding the CM Virus please click the link above, for pdf file click here. Surrogates also need to be made aware of the risks involved during inseminations/ transfers, pregnancy and childbirth, our Support Worker will inform them of these risks.
• Contraception is very important for surrogates whilst trying to get pregnant for an intended couple.
• Legal issues:- Registering a surrogate child. How surrogacy is treated under present UK law, help when applying for Parental Responsibility Agreements , Parental Order, Adoption & Residence Orders, names of solicitors who are specialists in this field.
• Expenses:- The level and range of expenses that a surrogate may require, advice on medical expenses, making wills and taking out appropriate insurance.
• Other Issues:-For example:- Informing the surrogate child about their origins, explaining surrogacy to surrogate's own children, how to cope with publicity.