STEPS TO FINDING A SURROGATE
1. Preparation
Getting started on the surrogacy journey requires some groundwork to be covered first. It begins with filling out an application and submitting it to the agency of your choice. Then, there will be a thorough interview process to gauge emotional and financial readiness. Some agencies also ask intended parents to schedule a physical exam. Once everything is approved, it will be time to find a gestational surrogate.
2. Find a Surrogate
The agency then helps intended parents find a surrogate mom to carry their baby. This process typically involves looking through a list of profiles and meeting with potential matches. During these meetings, both parties will go over expectations, such as level of contact, preferences during the experience and views on sensitive topics. Matching through this program often takes some time to ensure the best fit.
After being matched, the surrogate undergoes additional evaluations to determine health and mental preparedness. If you are using a relative or surrogate outside of the agency, she is also expected to undergo medical screening, background checks and other evaluations prior to matching. Most parents find the matching program to be the quickest and easiest path to finding a surrogate mother.
3. Legal Processes
After a match is made, both parties are represented by an attorney to guide them through the legal aspects of the process. This legal representation may be retained privately or through the agency. Legal rights, compensation, possible risks and so on will all be discussed and agreed upon. When all is settled and the legal contract is drafted and signed by both sides, the fertilization process can begin.
4. Embryo Transfer
In gestational surrogacy, an egg is sourced from either the intended mother or a donor, and the sperm is from either the intended father or a donor. These are used to create multiple embryos which are implanted via in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the chosen surrogate. Before this can happen, the surrogate must prepare for cycling to make her body ready for the transfer. This step could potentially take months.
Once her body is ready, one or two embryos will be selected for implantation by the IVF laboratory staff. A pregnancy test will be performed approximately two weeks later to determine success, followed by an ultrasound after another two weeks. If there is a heartbeat during this exam, compensation begins and the intended parents may involve themselves in the pregnancy as discussed previously.
5. Birth
Following the predetermined delivery plan, the surrogate gives birth with the parents present at the hospital. Depending on the state and hospital policy, there may be stipulations on some matters that should be discussed ahead of time. Choosing the right agency to work with helps to simplify these matters and make the process less stressful. Once discharged, the baby goes home with the intended parents.
