Considering becoming a surrogate usually starts with a lot of questions.
Am I qualified? How much will I be paid? Can I be a surrogate if my tubes are tied? Do I choose the intended parents? How many injections will I need? What happens if the embryo transfer doesn’t work? Can I keep working? Who pays my medical bills? And what is it really like to give birth to someone else’s baby?
At Simple Surrogacy, we have worked with gestational surrogates since 2002, and many members of our team have been surrogates themselves. That means we have heard just about every question—from the medical and financial questions to the ones women sometimes feel awkward asking.
We believe you should have honest answers before committing to a journey.
This guide answers some of the questions prospective surrogates ask us most frequently, with links to our more detailed resources when you want to go deeper.
A gestational surrogate carries a pregnancy for another person or family using an embryo created through IVF.
She does not provide the egg used to create the embryo and therefore is not genetically related to the baby.
The embryo may be created from the intended parents’ eggs and sperm, donor eggs or sperm, or a combination of both.
This is different from traditional surrogacy, where the woman carrying the pregnancy also provides the egg.
Read our complete guide to gestational versus traditional surrogacy if you want to understand the difference.
Simple Surrogacy’s current program generally requires applicants to be between 21 and 42, have a BMI under 33, have previously delivered a child after a full-term pregnancy, have an appropriate pregnancy and delivery history, live in a stable environment, have reliable transportation, pass screening, and meet our current medical, psychological and lifestyle requirements.
You also need an adequate support system.
Meeting these initial requirements does not automatically mean a fertility clinic will medically approve you. After matching, the intended parents’ IVF clinic conducts its own evaluation.
Because requirements can change, always check our current Surrogate Qualifications page rather than relying on an old blog or social-media post.
For explanations of why each requirement exists, read our complete Surrogate Requirements guide.
Yes.
Simple Surrogacy requires potential gestational surrogates to have previously carried and delivered a child.
Your pregnancy records give fertility specialists important information about how your body responded to pregnancy and delivery.
Just as importantly, you know what pregnancy actually feels like.
Surrogacy should not be someone’s first experience with pregnancy.
Professional guidance from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine similarly recommends that a gestational carrier have experienced at least one previous uncomplicated term pregnancy.
Yes, potentially.
Having your tubes tied does not prevent you from becoming pregnant through gestational surrogacy because the process does not rely on your fallopian tubes.
An embryo that has already been created through IVF is transferred directly into your uterus.
You still need to meet all of the other medical and program requirements, but tubal ligation itself does not normally prevent gestational surrogacy.
We also have a detailed article specifically answering whether you can become a surrogate after having your tubes tied.
Possibly.
A previous C-section does not automatically disqualify you.
The fertility clinic will look at how many C-sections you have had, why they occurred, how you recovered, whether there were complications, and your overall pregnancy history.
ASRM recommends that gestational carriers ideally have had no more than three previous C-section deliveries.
Your actual medical records determine much more than the simple fact that you once had a C-section.
Yes.
Simple Surrogacy does not require surrogates to be married.
What matters is that you have a stable living situation and a dependable support system.
A single surrogate’s support might come from parents, siblings, friends or other trusted people.
If you’re a single mother considering surrogacy, read our guide to becoming a surrogate while single.
Pregnancy always carries some medical risk, whether you are carrying your own child or serving as a surrogate.
Gestational surrogacy does not require you to use your own eggs, but pregnancy, fertility medications, embryo transfer, C-section and other medical procedures can still carry risks.
Serious loss of reproductive capability is uncommon, but it is one reason surrogate candidates need medical screening, informed consent and independent legal representation.
ASRM specifically recommends counseling gestational carriers about possible pregnancy complications and potential effects on their future fertility.
If you are certain you want additional children of your own, discuss that with your OB/GYN and the fertility clinic before proceeding.
Yes.
A gestational-surrogacy pregnancy usually begins with medications that prepare your uterus for embryo transfer.
The exact protocol varies by fertility clinic.
Depending on the clinic, medications may include estrogen, progesterone or other medications delivered through pills, patches, suppositories or injections.
You will also have monitoring appointments so the clinic can determine when your body is ready for transfer.
If injections make you nervous, that is completely reasonable. You will receive instructions from the clinic, and your coordinator can help you understand your calendar.
Our Surrogate Pregnancy Process explains the medical sequence in greater detail.
There are actually two levels of screening.
Simple Surrogacy performs significant pre-screening before matching, including reviewing medical and pregnancy history, obtaining records, psychological consultation, background screening and insurance review.
After you match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic performs its own medical screening and decides whether you are medically approved for embryo transfer. Your current pregnancy history, infectious-disease testing, physical health and uterine cavity may all be evaluated. ASRM recommends comprehensive medical, infectious-disease, psychosocial and preconception screening for gestational carriers.
Read our full Gestational Surrogate Medical Screening guide for a detailed explanation.
Yes.
Psychological screening is a normal part of responsible surrogacy.
It does not mean someone is trying to decide whether you are a “good person.”
Surrogacy creates situations that are different from your own pregnancies. You may discuss your motivation, family support, communication style, intended-parent relationships, pregnancy decisions, failed transfers, pregnancy loss, termination or reduction, delivery, postpartum expectations and your relationship with the baby after birth.
ASRM recommends psychological evaluation and implication counseling for gestational carriers and their partner or primary support person.
Think of it as part screening and part preparation.
Yes.
At Simple Surrogacy, the surrogate chooses first.
We identify intended-parent profiles that align with your preferences and give you the opportunity to review them.
You decide who interests you.
Only after you express interest do we present your profile to those intended parents.
If both sides want to proceed, we arrange a conversation so everyone can get to know one another.
There is no forced matching.
You can learn much more about how this works in our Surrogate Matching guide.
There is no honest universal answer.
Our older FAQ said, essentially, “As soon as your profile is complete, we can match you.” We would not make that promise today.
Matching depends on compatibility between your preferences and the intended parents currently available.
Medical views, communication expectations, location, embryo-transfer preferences, relationship expectations and other criteria may all affect how quickly an appropriate match is available.
A fast match is nice.
The right match matters more.
Absolutely.
You should never feel pressured to accept intended parents because they are available.
Sometimes two perfectly good people simply are not compatible for this particular journey.
You can decline a profile.
And even after an initial match conversation, either side can decide not to proceed.
Discovering incompatibility during matching is far better than discovering it after pregnancy has begun.
Simple Surrogacy strongly values a surrogate’s comfort with her medical provider.
Our program generally allows surrogates to express their preferences regarding their OB/GYN or midwife and planned delivery hospital.
However, there are practical considerations.
Your provider needs to be medically appropriate for the pregnancy and compatible with applicable insurance requirements. A pregnancy complication may require care from a maternal-fetal medicine specialist or another provider, and hospital or medical circumstances can sometimes require changes.
We therefore prefer to say:
Your preferences matter and are discussed before matching, while medical and insurance requirements still apply.
That is more accurate than promising that nothing could ever require a change.
Your wishes matter because you are the patient.
But hospital policies and medical circumstances ultimately affect who can be present.
A vaginal delivery may allow several support people.
A C-section operating room may permit only one.
An emergency may change the plan entirely.
Your delivery preferences should be discussed during matching and documented later in a birth plan, but you retain medical autonomy throughout labor and delivery.
Read our complete guide to Surrogate Labor and Delivery.
Compensation depends on factors such as your location, previous surrogate experience, insurance coverage, embryo-transfer choices and the terms of your individual agreement.
Compensation is also more than base pay.
A package can include base compensation plus separate benefits for medications, embryo transfer, monthly expenses, maternity clothing, travel, lost wages, childcare, C-section, medical procedures, pumping, postpartum recovery and other circumstances.
Because our compensation program changes over time, we maintain the current numbers separately rather than hard-coding them into every evergreen article.
See the current Simple Surrogacy Compensation and Benefits package.
Our current postpartum package, for example, includes a $500 body-recovery allowance plus a separate $300 push gift after delivery.
Not every payment begins at the same time.
Some benefits occur before pregnancy, while base compensation begins according to the schedule established in your legal agreement.
Simple Surrogacy’s current program includes certain pre-pregnancy benefits and fees, including benefits associated with legal clearance, medications and embryo transfer. Base compensation is then paid according to the payment schedule defined for the journey.
You should receive a complete compensation schedule before signing your legal agreement.
Never enter a journey based solely on a headline compensation number.
Understand when every payment occurs and what conditions apply.
Simple Surrogacy believes surrogate compensation and expense funds should be maintained through independent escrow, rather than being held as agency operating funds.
Escrow helps separate the agency coordinating the journey from the money that belongs to the surrogate under her agreement.
You should understand:
who the escrow provider is, when the account must be funded, how payments are requested, how reimbursements work and what happens if there is a problem.
Financial transparency matters.
Surrogacy-related medical expenses are handled through the insurance and financial arrangements established for the journey.
The intended parents are responsible for the approved costs associated with their surrogacy journey according to the agreements in place.
You should not be expected to personally fund the intended parents’ fertility treatment or approved pregnancy-related expenses.
However, saying “all medical bills are guaranteed to be paid” without qualification is too broad for evergreen content.
Insurance claims, deductibles, provider billing and reimbursement can occasionally become complicated.
That is why insurance is reviewed in advance and why financial coordination and escrow matter.
Simple Surrogacy provides billing and financial coordination support as part of the program.
Approved IVF-related travel required for the journey is funded by the intended parents according to the program and legal agreement.
That can include items such as airfare or mileage, lodging, transportation, meals, qualifying childcare and lost wages.
The details depend on why you are traveling and what your agreement provides.
You should understand the travel policy before matching.
Many surrogates do.
But pregnancy can affect work.
You may need time for medical screening, embryo transfer, monitoring, prenatal appointments and delivery.
A doctor could also restrict your work later in pregnancy or after a complication.
Your legal agreement can contain provisions for qualifying lost wages, and Simple Surrogacy’s current compensation program includes lost-wage benefits associated with certain delivery and medical circumstances.
Before beginning, think realistically about whether your employer and job responsibilities can accommodate another pregnancy.
Childcare related to qualifying surrogacy obligations can be reimbursed or paid according to your agreement.
But financial reimbursement and practical planning are two different things.
You still need trusted people who can care for your children if you need to travel, undergo a procedure, deliver earlier than expected or recover after a C-section.
This is one reason every surrogate needs a dependable support system.
This should be discussed before matching.
Single embryo transfer is commonly recommended because multiple pregnancy increases risk for both the pregnant patient and babies.
ASRM’s gestational-carrier counseling guidance specifically says the number of embryos transferred and the risks of multiple pregnancy should be discussed before treatment.
Simple Surrogacy works with journeys involving both single and, in some cases, double embryo transfer, but you should never assume that transferring two embryos is simply “twice the chance” with no additional consequences.
You should understand the medical risks and your intended parents’ preferences before accepting a match.
Unfortunately, not every embryo transfer results in pregnancy.
A failed transfer can be disappointing for both the surrogate and intended parents even though no one did anything wrong.
Depending on the circumstances and medical advice, another embryo-transfer cycle may be planned.
Your agreement and compensation package should explain what happens financially if a transfer fails or a cycle is cancelled.
Emotionally, it helps to understand before starting that IVF is not guaranteed.
A twin pregnancy involves greater medical risk than a singleton pregnancy and usually requires additional monitoring.
Your contract should also clearly address compensation and benefits associated with multiples.
Simple Surrogacy’s current program contains separate multiples compensation and additional pregnancy benefits. Because these figures can change, check the current compensation page rather than relying on an older article.
Most importantly, think about your comfort with multiple pregnancy before embryo transfer, not after.
This is one reason matching and legal counseling are so important.
Before anyone becomes pregnant, the surrogate and intended parents should discuss difficult issues including prenatal testing, fetal abnormalities, termination, selective reduction and serious maternal complications.
ASRM specifically recommends discussing these issues during psychological counseling before treatment.
At the same time, an essential ethical principle remains:
The surrogate is the patient and retains authority over her own medical care.
You should match with intended parents whose values and expectations are compatible with yours rather than assuming difficult disagreements can be solved after pregnancy begins.
Yes.
The intended parents have legal counsel representing them.
You have your own independent attorney representing you.
The intended parents generally fund the cost of your required legal representation, but your attorney’s professional obligation is to you.
Your lawyer reviews the gestational-carrier agreement and can explain compensation, expenses, medical expectations, insurance, travel, delivery, parentage and other legal terms.
Read our Surrogacy Legal Process guide for more detail.
A qualified surrogate should not be paying an agency fee in order to carry a pregnancy for intended parents.
Approved screening, legal, medical, travel and journey-related costs are handled according to the surrogacy program and agreement.
You should also be cautious of anyone asking you to personally front substantial surrogacy expenses without clearly explaining reimbursement.
Ask financial questions before signing anything.
This is probably one of the most common questions surrogates hear from other people.
Gestational surrogates generally enter pregnancy with a very different mindset than they did when carrying their own children.
You meet the intended parents.
You choose them.
You understand from the beginning that you are helping them have their child.
That does not mean you feel nothing.
You may care deeply about the baby.
You may feel emotional at delivery.
You may miss the pregnancy or the daily communication surrounding the journey afterward.
None of those feelings means you want to parent the child.
Psychological counseling before the journey helps you explore these expectations and prepare for the emotional transition after birth.
Yes, if you want to and medical circumstances permit.
Some surrogates want to hold the baby they carried.
Some prefer the intended parents to be the first to hold their child.
Some enjoy spending time together in the hospital.
Others prefer more space for recovery.
There is no correct emotional script for surrogacy.
Discuss these preferences before delivery rather than assuming everyone wants the same thing.
No.
Pumping is optional.
Some surrogates choose to pump for the intended parents after birth, while others do not.
If you decide to pump, the arrangement should address supplies, shipping or transportation, duration and compensation.
Simple Surrogacy’s current compensation package includes separate pumping compensation and covered pumping-related expenses.
You should never feel that pumping is required to prove you were committed to the journey.
Your journey should not end the moment the baby is born.
You still need postpartum medical care and recovery.
Simple Surrogacy’s current program includes postpartum-related support and benefits, including the $500 body-recovery allowance and separate $300 cash push gift, along with qualifying recovery-related benefits under the applicable agreement.
We also believe emotional support matters.
After months of appointments, pregnancy and frequent communication with intended parents, the transition after delivery can feel surprisingly abrupt.
Read our full guide to Postpartum Recovery After Surrogacy for more information.
That depends on the relationship you build.
Some intended parents and surrogates become lifelong friends.
Some text periodically and exchange photographs.
Others naturally communicate less as time passes.
There is no single correct relationship.
The important thing is discussing expectations during matching rather than discovering after birth that one person expected regular contact while another expected the relationship to end.
There is no simple answer that applies to every surrogate.
Surrogacy compensation can raise federal and state tax questions depending on the circumstances and how payments are characterized.
Texas, for example, has no individual state income tax, but that does not automatically answer the federal tax question.
A surrogacy agency should not give you individualized tax advice.
Talk with a qualified tax professional about your own compensation and circumstances.
There is no single reason.
Many surrogates genuinely enjoy pregnancy and are drawn to helping another family experience parenthood.
Compensation can also make a meaningful difference for a surrogate’s own family.
It may help someone build savings, reduce debt, travel, pay for education, improve a home or accomplish another important financial goal.
It is entirely reasonable for both things to matter.
We do not believe surrogates should have to pretend compensation is irrelevant in order for their desire to help someone to be sincere.
A strong surrogate understands the physical commitment, values what she is doing for another family and believes the compensation is appropriate for what the journey asks of her.
Choosing an agency should involve more than comparing compensation numbers.
Ask who will actually support you.
Ask when screening occurs.
Ask whether you choose the intended parents.
Ask who controls your escrow funds.
Ask whether you receive independent legal counsel.
Ask what happens if something goes wrong.
And ask whether the people guiding you understand the surrogate experience firsthand.
Simple Surrogacy has worked in third-party reproduction since 2002. Our all-women team includes former surrogates and egg donors, and surrogates choose their intended parents rather than being assigned to a match.
We use independent escrow, coordinate screening and legal services, and provide ongoing coordinator support throughout the journey.
But you should not take our word for it.
Ask questions.
Talk with previous surrogates.
Compare agencies.
A good agency should be comfortable being evaluated.
Being qualified and being ready are different things.
Before applying, ask yourself whether you genuinely want another pregnancy.
Think about your family, work, childcare, support system, medical history, comfort with IVF medications, relationship expectations and postpartum recovery.
Our guide Are You Ready to Be a Surrogate? is designed specifically to help you think through that decision.
Start by reviewing the current Simple Surrogacy qualifications.
If you appear to meet the requirements, complete the surrogate application.
Applying does not mean you have committed to becoming pregnant.
It starts the screening and conversation process so you can ask more questions, understand the program and determine whether surrogacy is right for you.
Good.
You should.
Surrogacy involves your health, your family, your time, another family’s hopes for a child, a significant financial arrangement and nearly a year of medical and emotional commitment.
We would rather you ask twenty questions before matching than realize six months later that you were afraid to ask one.
At Simple Surrogacy, many of the women answering those questions have been surrogates themselves.
So ask about the injections.
Ask about money.
Ask about intended parents.
Ask about twins.
Ask about C-sections.
Ask about giving birth.
Ask about your kids.
Ask about what happens if something goes wrong.
And ask what happens after the baby goes home.
You deserve to understand the journey before deciding whether you want it.
If you think surrogacy might be right for you, review our How to Become a Surrogate guide, see the current compensation and benefits, or apply to become a surrogate.
There is no such thing as asking too many questions before becoming a surrogate.
Go backSurrogacy 101: Becoming an Intended Parent Through Surrogacy Becoming an intended parent through surrogacy can feel exciting, hopeful—and, at first, a little overwhelming. Most people begin the process with far more questions than answers. Do you need embryos before contacting…
Lern more →Why Surrogates Should Think Twice Before Choosing an Agency That Also Represents the Intended Parents Choosing a surrogacy agency is one of the most important decisions a gestational carrier will make during her journey. Your agency is often the central…
Lern more →Surrogacy Pregnancy and Delivery: What Intended Parents and Surrogates Should Expect Quick Summary Once an embryo transfer results in an established pregnancy, a surrogacy journey enters a very different stage. The fertility clinic eventually releases the gestational surrogate to her…
Lern more →
