Surrogacy in South Carolina
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on surrogacy laws in South Carolina. If you're considering surrogacy in the Palmetto State, it's crucial to understand the legal landscape surrounding this life-changing process. For a surrogacy journey, applicable law is typically based on where the surrogate lives and delivers the child.
This surrogacy guide navigates you through South Carolina’s legal framework for surrogacy agreements. Explore the rights and responsibilities of all involved parties, from intended parents to surrogates, and explore the detailed requirements for surrogacy contracts. Learn everything you need to know about gestational surrogacy in South Carolina.
Gestational Surrogacy in South Carolina
Surrogacy is legal in South Carolina. Although there is no statute or published case law specifically discussing gestational surrogacy, it is still permitted and practiced in South Carolina. There is one case (Mid-South Insurance Company v. Doe, 274 F. Supp. 2d 757 (D.S.C. 2003) that implicitly validates surrogacy agreements. In that case, the court addresses insurance coverage for medical expenses for the child pursuant to an underlying surrogacy agreement. The Judges consider the intent of the parties as outlined in their carrier agreement and establish parentage for the intended parents.
Understanding Surrogacy Laws in South Carolina
Legal Parentage
The parentage process in South Carolina is a two-step process. Courts will grant a pre-birth order establishing the joint parental rights and permitting their names to be listed on the child’s birth certificate. This is the practice for intended parents who are either heterosexual or married and have a genetic connection; this is also true for single IPs with a genetic connection. However, these pre-birth orders are considered interim so a final order needs to be signed post-birth. For unmarried, same sex couples, the first order establishes paternity for the genetic parent and then the non-genetic parent will obtain parental rights via a second parent adoption.
Backing up a step, the legal parentage process is the critical step where parentage is determined. Depending on where your child is born, the parentage orders will be completed either pre- or post-birth. Every state, whether pre-birth, post-birth, or some combination of the two, has its own unique process and requirements. Working with an experienced Assisted Reproductive Technology lawyer and reputable agency is critical to the success of a surrogacy journey. One of the many benefits of working with an established agency like ConceiveAbilities is the legal oversight, education, and support provided to both intended parents and gestational surrogates.
Pre-Birth Orders
The pre-birth process means that the relevant state law provides an avenue for the parties to present an order to a judge for entry prior to the child being born that establishes the intended parent(s) as the legal parents of the child. It will also likely direct the hospital to release the child to the intended parents after discharge and order the South Carolina Office of Vital Records to name the intended parents on the child’s birth certificate.
Post-Birth Processes
The post-birth process is overall procedurally the same as the pre-birth, but it occurs after the child is born. Often this is because the relevant state law contemplates the existence of a live child before anything can be filed or entered. But the ultimate result is the same – a birth certificate with the intended parents’ names and secure legal parentage of the child in favor of the intended parents. Post-birth court orders may be necessary if the pre-birth order process isn't followed, ensuring legal parentage.
Common Questions About South Carolina Surrogacy Law
Do You Need a Medical Need for Surrogacy in South Carolina?
Although there is no specific law on this, it is best practice to only pursue surrogacy in South Carolina if you have a medical need, which means surrogacy is only permitted if there is a medical reason a person cannot carry their own child. Some examples of medical needs include unexplained infertility, lack of a uterus or vagina, scarring on the uterus, and a history of complicated pregnancies or miscarriage(s). Existing medical conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and pregnancy conditions such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes that could impact a woman’s ability to carry a child to term or put her life at risk would also qualify as a medical need.
Are There Any Requirements or Specifications for Intended Parent(s) as It Relates to Marital Status?
South Carolina permits married couples, partners and single individuals to pursue surrogacy.
Do Intended Parent(s) need a genetic connection to the embryo?
In South Carolina, at least one parent needs a genetic connection to the embryo.
Can International Intended Parent(s) Pursue Surrogacy in South Carolina?
International parents can pursue surrogacy in South Carolina. Learn more about becoming a parent with international family building.
Can LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents safely pursue surrogacy in your state?
Yes, South Carolina allows surrogacy for all individuals including the gay and LGBTQ+ community, regardless of sexual orientation. Learn more about surrogacy and the LGBTQ+ Community.
Can I Use My Own Surrogate? Is Altruistic Surrogacy Permitted?
Yes, altruistic surrogacy is permitted in South Carolina. Even if you have a surrogate, you may still choose to partner with a surrogacy agency to navigate your journey.
Are there any residency requirements for either Intended Parent(s) or surrogates in South Carolina?
Generally no. Intended parents do not need to be South Carolina residents to carry out a surrogacy journey in South Carolina. Similarly, gestational carriers are not required to reside in South Carolina. Surrogates are required to be a citizen or legal resident of the United States.
Are there any written laws (statute or case law) relating to the rights of gestational carriers?
No, there are no written laws relating to the rights of gestational carriers. Learn more about surrogate rights.
Legal Surrogacy Terms You Should Know
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is a modern and growing means of bringing new life into the world, where a woman carries a baby for another person or a couple. The intended parents typically undergo IVF meaning fertilization outside of the body, to transfer their embryo into the surrogate's uterus. Learn more about American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) surrogacy recommendations.
Gestational Surrogacy
Gestational surrogacy is the most common surrogacy practiced today. The surrogate is not genetically or legally related to the baby and is usually compensated for her time and service by the intended parents. Most surrogacy agencies exclusively practice gestational surrogacy. Learn more about What Is A Surrogate?.
Traditional Surrogacy
A traditional surrogate uses her own egg meaning she is biologically related to the child, while a gestational carrier is not genetically related. This typically means the embryo is created through IVF with the surrogate's eggs and Intended Father’s or donor’s sperm. In lieu of IVF, parties could also perform Intrauterine Insemination ("IUI") with the Intended Father’s or donor’s sperm. This is not common in modern family building and rarely practiced today. Learn more about the differences between gestational surrogacy and traditional surrogacy.
Altruistic Surrogacy
Altruistic surrogacy, sometimes referred to as compassionate surrogacy, is when the surrogate is not financially compensated beyond reimbursement of medical and other pregnancy-related expenses for carrying a child. Many times this is when a friend or relative is the surrogate.
Intended Parent(s)
The intended parent or parents is the individual or a couple who partner with a surrogate to carry and give birth to a child on the intended parent’s behalf. There are many reasons people choose surrogacy to make their dream of a family come true including infertility, medical reasons, and non-medical reasons.
Gestational Surrogate
A gestational surrogate is a woman who carries a child for someone who cannot. The surrogate mother undergoes IVF to have an embryo that has no genetic relation to her transferred and she carries the baby to term for the Intended Parent(s). The embryo can be created by both the parents’ egg and sperm or with an egg donor and/or a sperm donor. In modern surrogacy with a gestational surrogate, her egg is not used. South Carolina is a surrogacy friendly state. Learn more about becoming a surrogate in South Carolina.
Compensation
Gestational carrier compensation can include medical, legal, and living expenses. Learn more about surrogate pay.
Gestational Carrier Agreement or Surrogacy Agreement
A Gestational Carrier Agreement (GCA) or Surrogacy Agreement is a comprehensive, written contract between Intended Parents, the surrogate, and the surrogate’s partner/spouse, if any.
The GCA outlines legal rights, expectations, responsibilities, compensation, and other potential contingencies. This agreement happens before the embryo transfer and details the parties' rights, obligations, intentions, and expectations to each other in connection with the surrogacy process. It also addresses many other aspects of the relationship and journey including medical considerations, location of delivery, future contact between the parties, insurance (both health and life), payment of medical bills, liability for medical complications, and Intended Parents' presence during doctor's visits and at delivery.
Financial considerations such as the surrogate’s compensation and expenses, including everything from lost wages, legal fees, invasive procedure fees, and medical fees to childcare costs and maternity clothes are also addressed. Legal counsel will ensure you have a properly executed surrogacy agreement, customized to your unique circumstances and the legal requirements of the state where your surrogate resides.
Clinic Consent Form
Many fertility centers have standardized forms for patients to complete as part of the informed consent process. However, these forms are consents between the Intended Parents and fertility center and between the donors and the fertility center; a legal contract between the Intended Parents and donors is still needed, and both Intended Parents and donors should have separate independent legal representation. Fertility center consent forms do not take into account the nuances of parentage and donor laws in each state. The forms often go beyond the concepts of procedures, benefits, and risks and reach into issues of establishment and relinquishment of parental rights. Such boilerplate provisions in consent often cannot resolve legal parentage, especially when neither party has separate independent legal representation.
Navigating South Carolina surrogacy laws requires careful consideration and legal expertise. By staying informed and working with experienced professionals, you can embark on a surrogacy journey with confidence and legal security.
For personalized legal advice and assistance, consult with a reputable reproductive law attorney in South Carolina.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this blog does not constitute legal advice and should not be construed as such. The information contained is strictly for informational purposes only. ConceiveAbilities does not represent or warrant the content to be error-free.