Steps to Surrogacy

If you meet our agency’s general pre-qualification, the next step in our application process is to fill out and submit our surrogate application. This initial step allows us to gather essential information about you, helping us determine your suitability for the journey ahead. We ask for details about your medical history, lifestyle and personal preferences to create a comprehensive profile that reflects your strengths and readiness for surrogacy. 

By completing this application, you set the foundation for a successful partnership in the surrogacy step-by-step process. Your commitment at this stage signals your dedication to this meaningful role, opening the door to the support and guidance we provide throughout the entire journey. 

Once we receive and have reviewed your complete application, International Surrogacy Center (ISC) schedules your interview with our agency. Meeting our surrogates before we present their profiles to the intended parents (IPs) is very important to us. At this interview, we go over the entire surrogate pregnancy process as well as the compensation package and answer any questions that you have.

During the application process, surrogates can express with whom they would like to work. Our matching process involves the mutual exchange of profiles and video calls so you can be sure you’re comfortable with the couple or individual you will be helping. Based on the circumstances, this interview will take place in person or through a video call. Your profile is all the intended parents will see. We will not share your personal information until you are confirmed a match with the intended parents. This confidentiality safeguards your privacy and empowers you to make an informed choice about your match. It also helps cultivate trust and connection among all parties involved in this significant journey. 

Once we have a potential match, we will share the intended parents’ profile with you. You will review the profile to see if you are interested in meeting (usually via video call). An agency representative attends this meeting with you, guiding you and the intended parent(s) in the discussion. This is a crucial step in the surrogacy process, as it helps establish trust and rapport. Both parties can ask questions to get an idea of how the other feels about the process and to get to know the parent(s) for whom you will be carrying the precious child. This meeting is intended to create a bond of trust between both parties, as having both parties comfortable with each other is very important. 

This is a very exciting point in the surrogacy process! By fostering open communication, this step lays the foundation for a supportive partnership. This connection is vital, as it helps both you and the intended parents feel more secure in the process ahead. Taking the time to connect on a personal level can also significantly enhance the overall experience for everyone involved. Ultimately, the goal is for everyone to feel aligned in their hopes and expectations for the surrogacy process, step-by-step.

The intended parents (IPs) choose the IVF clinic they want to use. This could be a clinic located anywhere in the United States, although most are in California. Once the doctor specializing in fertility (Reproductive Endocrinologist) has reviewed your medical records, the doctor contacts you to schedule an appointment based on where you are in your monthly cycle. The medical examination consists of collecting urine and blood samples and performing an ultrasound of the uterus.

Surrogates who are married or in a relationship are required to have their husband, boyfriend or partner undergo similar blood tests. These tests may be performed at the clinic or you may request that the clinic send you a lab slip for a local lab (e.g., Quest Diagnostics). You are tested for drug use, smoking, diseases, illnesses, overall health and vaccinations. The medical examination results are available within 7 – 15 days after completion. This timeframe is important for keeping the surrogacy process on track, as it helps everyone involved plan the next steps accordingly. These tests are done to be certain that the surrogate (and her husband, boyfriend or partner) is healthy and ready to begin the process of surrogacy. The IPs pay the clinic directly for your tests and IVF treatments.

You choose a lawyer from our list of approved surrogacy lawyers, and your lawyer is paid by the IPs. Once you (and your spouse/partner/boyfriend) have been medically cleared, both parties review the contract with their respective lawyers, make sure it is understood and determine if any non-monetary corrections or changes must be made. This is usually done via a draft copy before the final contract is ready to be signed and notarized. No changes to the contract regarding fees paid to the surrogate can be made later because you agreed on the compensation when you signed our agency’s Benefit Package before we shared your profile. This legal process of drafting and signing the contract usually takes 3 – 6 weeks and is a vital part in the surrogacy step-by-step process, as it outlines rights, responsibilities and compensation details. The surrogate must sign the contract and have it notarized in a county that the lawyer specifies. We will explain this further when you are in the contract phase.  

Please do not discuss money with your intended parents (IPs) — that is our job as your agency. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know so that we can help you. Once legal contracts have been signed and notarized, you may start submitting reimbursement forms for payment contingent upon your contract. It’s essential to keep organized records of all expenses related to the surrogacy process, as this will simplify the reimbursement process.

Reimbursement forms are to be turned into our accounting department by the 15th of each month. Our accounting department meets with you to help you fill out your first form and a staff member is always available to answer your questions. You will receive a check or direct deposit from your IP’s attorney or escrow account between the first and fifth days of the following month. We send monthly email reminders with a reimbursement form attached for your convenience. 

Navigating the steps of the surrogacy process can feel overwhelming but knowing what to expect can help ease any concerns. That includes the medical aspects, which can be more complex than a previous pregnancy experience. You start the fertility treatment after contracts have been signed. The medications are usually mailed to your home address. Keeping track of the medications is very important so you can reorder promptly when running low. Missing a dose is critical, as it can cause the whole cycle to be canceled, or it can cause a pregnant surrogate to miscarry. Medications are taken daily for 2 – 6 weeks before the embryo transfer. If you are confirmed pregnant after the transfer, you stay on medications until you are 10 – 12 weeks pregnant. These medications typically include injections that are self-administered at home. 

The surrogate undergoes an embryo transfer after she has started the medications. This step is usually quick and painless (like a pap smear). The IVF doctor transfers the embryo(s) into your uterus via a catheter-like tube. On average, one or two embryos are transferred. You then lie flat with your pelvis elevated for 20 – 45 minutes. After that, you can go home if you live near the clinic. Some clinics require you to be on bed rest for 1 – 3 days after the transfer, meaning that you are only allowed to get up to use the restroom. If your clinic requires bed rest, you must ask someone to accompany you to the clinic so he or she can drive you home and help you once there.

Within approximately the next 2 weeks after the embryo transfer, you will be scheduled for a pregnancy blood test at the fertility clinic. If the blood test result is positive, you will undergo another blood test within a week to make sure that the hormone levels are increasing. If the levels are increasing appropriately. This follow-up is key, as it helps verify that the pregnancy is progressing as expected. If the levels are rising as they should, the IVF clinic schedules your first ultrasound appointment to confirm that the baby has a heartbeat and to determine how many embryos were successfully transferred. Continuing to take your medication once confirmed pregnant is very important. After the heartbeat ultrasound is confirmed, you will receive the first base compensation on the first day of the following month.  

Within 10 – 12 weeks following the embryo transfer, the IVF doctor releases you to your personal OB/GYN for prenatal care. This transition marks a significant milestone, as you will begin receiving specialized care tailored to your pregnancy. The International Surrogacy Center is very involved during the entire journey and the surrogate keeps her case manager as well as the intended parent(s) (IPs) updated throughout the pregnancy by providing appointment dates and anything else that is considered important information. Maintaining open lines of communication helps foster a supportive environment for everyone involved, making sure that all parties feel informed and connected throughout this meaningful experience. 

The IPs may wish to be present during childbirth. If the surrogate requires a Cesarean section, the doctor usually allows only one support person to be present during the surgery. If a Cesarean is required, the surrogate tells us whom she prefers to be in the room with her. Normally having the intended mother or father in the room is not a problem, but in case of complications, the surrogate may want her own support person in the room with her. Most surrogates say the best parts of the surrogate pregnancy process are the delivery and being able to see the ecstatic parents hold their precious baby for the first time. 

Surrogacy is a beautiful process, and being able to give someone such a wonderful gift is life-changing. Surrogacy creates an intimate link that bonds the lives of the intended parents, the surrogate and the child. The relationships created through the surrogacy process are ones that we at ISC care deeply about. Some intended parents and their surrogates build a lifelong relationship, sharing the joy of bringing a new life into the world together. This journey not only fulfills dreams of parenthood but also cultivates a community of support and love that lasts well beyond the birth.