Surrogacy is a huge commitment for intended parents and surrogates. To better understand the process, it’s necessary to be aware of the surrogacy laws in Connecticut. Currently, surrogacy is legal and there are specific surrogacy laws in Connecticut that condone this family-building process. Compensated surrogacy is also legal in Connecticut, so gestational surrogates are legally able to be paid for their services.
Ready to move forward with your surrogacy journey? Reach out to our surrogacy specialists to get started.
Whether you are an intended parent or a prospective surrogate, we want to help you achieve your goals and have a positive experience.
Find a Surrogacy Attorney
When you get started with the surrogacy process, you will need to find a licensed Connecticut surrogacy attorney. Intended parents and surrogates will each have their own attorney to represent them through the surrogacy contracts and any other legal needs during the process. Our network at American Surrogacy includes reproductive attorneys in Connecticut. Your surrogacy specialist will help you find an attorney who meets our quality standards and will help you fulfill a safe and secure surrogacy experience.
Surrogacy Contracts
A surrogacy contract is required for the surrogacy process. The attorneys of the intended parents and surrogate will draw up a contract to establish the risks and responsibilities of both parties. A surrogacy contract will cover:
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Surrogate compensation
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Contact expectations before, during and after the surrogacy process
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Rights and responsibilities of each party
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Each party’s potential risks and liabilities
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Agreement on sensitive issues like selective reduction and termination
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And more
Even if a surrogate and intended parents have a great bond, it is still required to have a surrogacy contract between both parties. Having a licensed Connecticut legal counsel will only benefit you throughout the process should you ever have any questions.
Parentage Orders
Since Connecticut surrogacy laws are generally positive for intended parents, there’s a fairly surrogacy-friendly path for establishing parental rights. The Connecticut Supreme Court has even ruled that the State Office of Vital Statistics of the Connecticut Department of Health must comply with court parentage orders even when the intended parents have no biological relationship to the child. This means that even if intended parents use a donor egg, sperm or embryo, the identified or anonymous donor “shall not have any rights or interest in any child born as a result” according to Connecticut surrogacy laws.
This means its common practice to obtain a pre-birth order thanks to the Connecticut surrogacy laws. These laws mostly apply to gestational surrogacy. For intended parents choosing to go through the traditional surrogacy route, they will not be able to obtain a pre-birth order due to the surrogate’s genetic relationship to the baby she is carrying.
Adoption & Surrogacy
Since Connecticut surrogacy laws almost always allow for pre-birth orders, adoption usually isn’t needed for the surrogacy process. However, if the surrogate delivers in another state where the intended parents are not able to get a pre-birth order, they may need to complete an adoption in that state or when they arrive in Connecticut to protect their parental rights.
In case it is needed, second-parent adoptions are available in Connecticut. There are no marriage requirements, but parents must be in a committed relationship to share parental responsibility. Stepparent adoptions are also available in Connecticut after a child is born via surrogacy.
Get Started with American Surrogacy
Our team of surrogacy specialists is ready to help you begin your journey through surrogacy. Our agency program partners with the best surrogacy attorneys in Connecticut and our specialists are available to help you through each step of the process. To learn more about our services contact us at 1-800-875-2229 (BABY) or fill out our online form to get started today.
This article is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice. While American Surrogacy has made every effort to provide accurate information about surrogacy in Connecticut, surrogacy laws are always subject to change. For the most updated information about Connecticut surrogacy laws, please contact a local surrogacy attorney in this state.