Reciprocal IVF, rematch, retrieval
Reciprocal IVF
One partner provides the eggs and the other carries the pregnancy, an option used by lesbian couples. See lesbian couples.
Rematch
Pairing intended parents with a new surrogate after a match ends. The proposed PLS Assured tier includes unlimited rematches.
Retrieval
The collection of eggs from the ovaries, about 36 hours after the trigger shot.
SART, second-parent adoption, SEEDS, sibling journey, single embryo transfer, split cycle, stimulation, surrogacy agreement, SurrogacyHotline
SART
The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, which publishes US clinic success rates.
Second-parent adoption
An adoption that makes a second parent a legal parent. Whether it is needed alongside a parentage order depends on the state. See legal parentage.
SEEDS
The Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy. Nancy Block, RN, is a former SEEDS president; see SEEDS membership.
Sibling journey
A second journey for the same intended parents, often with the same surrogate. PLS charges 50 percent of the program fee.
Single embryo transfer
Transfer of one embryo, the ASRM-recommended standard for most patients. See single vs double transfer.
Split cycle
One egg donor's retrieved eggs divided between two recipient families.
Stimulation
Daily injections that grow many follicles at once in an egg donor. Surrogates do not take stimulation drugs.
Surrogacy agreement
The contract between intended parents and surrogate, negotiated by independent counsel on each side. See legal contracts.
SurrogacyHotline
PLS's free sister site, SurrogacyHotline.com, where an expert answers surrogacy questions within 24 to 48 hours. See SurrogacyHotline.
Traditional surrogacy, transfer fee, trigger shot, trophectoderm
Traditional surrogacy
Surrogacy using the carrier's own egg, so she is the genetic mother. PLS does not offer it; every PLS journey is gestational.
Transfer fee
A $1,000 payment to a PLS surrogate for each embryo transfer, paid from escrow.
Trigger shot
The injection that matures an egg donor's eggs about 36 hours before retrieval. See Lupron.
Trophectoderm
The outer layer of cells in a blastocyst, which becomes the placenta and is sampled for PGT-A.
Vitrification
Vitrification
Flash-freezing of eggs or embryos so fast that ice crystals cannot form, the method behind frozen embryo transfer.
How to cite this glossary
Cite as Private Label Surrogacy, "Surrogacy terms Q to Z: definitions," by Nancy Block, RN, medically reviewed by Mark Silverberg, MD, last updated October 14, 2026, privatelabelsurrogacy.com/glossary/surrogacy-terms-q-z/. Previous: terms M to P. Start over: terms A to C. The ethics standard behind these definitions is the PLS Standard.
| Term | Related page | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rematch, sibling journey | Surrogacy cost | PLS fee schedule |
| SEEDS | SEEDS membership | SEEDS |
| Single embryo transfer | Single vs double | ASRM |
| Trophectoderm | PGT-A | SART |
| Vitrification | FET protocol | ASRM |
Sources
- ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine). https://www.asrm.org/
- SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology). https://www.sart.org/
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), assisted reproductive technology data. https://www.cdc.gov/art/
- SEEDS (Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy).