Parental rights aren’t guaranteed after a surrogate pregnancy. The law continues to change as reproductive technology and the very definition of a “parent” changes. There isn’t a federal law on surrogacy and state laws vary. After a surrogate pregnancy in some states, you may still have to pass adoption proceedings to gain legal custody of the child. In other states, a “declaration of parentage” before birth lets you avoid having to “adopt” the baby. To protect your rights as parents-to-be — and the rights of the child you’re hoping to have — hire an attorney who specializes in reproductive law in your state. He can write a surrogacy contract that clearly spells out what everyone needs to do. A contract like that may help if legal issues come up after birth. It can also outline agreements about a variety of possible scenarios with the pregnancy, such as what happens if there are twins or triplets.