Surrogate Services – What You Need to Know

Do you want to become a surrogate? Simple Surrogacy can help! We thank you for your interest in helping a deserving couple or individual fulfill their dreams of becoming parents. This blog will break down the different stages and steps that you will go through in order to become a surrogate.

Choosing a Surrogacy Agency

Selecting a surrogacy agency can be a difficult task. There are many agencies across the United States and you need to select one that makes the Surrogate’s preferences as important as the Intended Parents’. As previous Surrogates and Egg Donors ourselves, we know the surrogacy process inside and out. All of our staff are either Intended Parents, or Surrogates and donors, including our owners, Executive Program Director Stephanie Scott and Kristen Hanson. This level of connection to the process and the journey allows us to not only share industry tips and advice, but we can also share personal stories to assist and relate to our surrogates and clients.

Surrogate Qualifications

Since surrogacy involves carrying another individual’s child, there are a lot of requirements that an individual must meet in order to qualify. Here are the qualifications that Simple Surrogacy looks for when selecting potential surrogates:

• Be a citizen or legal resident or legal immigrant of the United States
• Be between the ages of 21-40 (Traditional Surrogates must be under 35)
• Have given birth to a child of your own
• Have had uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries
• Be height-weight proportionate (BMI must be under 33)
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Have experienced a full-term pregnancy and delivery
• Be in a stable living situation (7 year address verification is completed on all Surrogates) (you don’t have to live in the same place for 7 years)
• Have the support of your spouse or partner (when applicable)
• Be willing to review your Surrogacy Agreement with a licensed attorney (at IP’s expense)
• Be willing to adhere to all contractual obligations throughout the process
• Not be on public assistance
• Be able to pass a background check
• Have read and understand the Surrogacy process, by clicking on the link to the left
• Be willing to take medications via injection (when instructed by RE)
• Not smoke or take illegal drugs, or be exposed to secondhand smoke
• Be willing to refrain from alcohol throughout the medical process and pregnancy
• Not have any sexually transmitted diseases that would subject you or the child you are carrying to physical harm
• Not have any psychiatric illness or take medications for depression or anxiety
• Have reliable transportation to travel to doctor’s appointments and screening or matching appointments (at IP’s expense)
• Not have had any tattoos or piercings within the past 12 months
• Be able to provide contact information for past OBs or family doctors so we are able to obtain medical records
• Sign necessary forms to allow us access to medical records from previous pregnancies, and surrogacy journey
• Not have traveled to a Zika Infected country for the previous 6 months
• Enjoy pregnancy and be motivated by the wish to help others create or add to their family

Although this list may look long, most of the requirements are associated with any pregnancy. If you feel that you meet the above qualifications we encourage you to contact our team today!

Application

At Simple Surrogacy, we ask all our surrogates to fill out an online application. This application is very straight forward and will also ask you to attach at least five photos, and up to 10, including one of your face and one full length. These images will be used for your surrogate profile that intended parents will browse through. Once we receive this application along with your medical records, insurance summary, signed surrogacy agreement, as well as a copy of your driver’s license and social security card, we will have you interview with our Surrogate intake coordinator, Morgan. We are also available anytime should you have questions or need assistance with the profile, or requesting your previous medical records. After the interview, we will run a background check and check your insurance for exclusions. After you have passed, we will accept you in the program, and review your profile to determine a great match with one of our intended parents.

Matching

Once you have successfully completed the above steps, you can enter the matching phase. Our team will send you profiles of Intended Parents that meet the preferences you have selected. From here you can select a profile and the Intended Parents will then be sent your profile to review. If both parties agree, we will schedule a phone call and monitor it. If this goes well, we will schedule a medical screening where you will meet the Intended Parents in person! Surrogates always get to choose their preferred profiles first.

Medical Screening

The medical screening is where you will meet the Intended Parents, establish your escrow, and also have a standard evaluation by a doctor. All expenses, including travel, lost wages, and childcare will be compensated. In addition you are paid fees for any invasive procedures performed at screening.

Legal Contract

Once you have completed the medical screening, our team will recommend an experienced reproductive attorney to represent you throughout the surrogacy process. Your attorney will review the agreement with the Intended Parents and answer all of your questions. Both parties will then sign the agreement and have it notarized.

Medical Procedures

Medical procedures are a huge part of becoming a surrogate. The first step of the medical process when becoming a Gestational Surrogate receives a calendar from the clinic. This calendar times out when and how much medication to take, and will be explained in detail to you by your coordinator. After the process has begun and the egg donor has donated their eggs, you will transfer either 1 or 2 embryos, determined by your profile. At home testing will begin as soon as 5 days after the transfer, and you will have your blood taken to confirm pregnancy about a week later. After a confirmation of pregnancy, you will continue to be monitored until aff of all fertility medication is ended, and you are rela=sed to begin care at your midwife or OB/GYN.

Compensation

After the contracts are signed, you will first receive your monthly compensation allowance, paid on the first of each month. All medical expenses and other expenses will be covered, and your coordinator will remind you to submit when you start medication, have your transfer, and are confirmed pregnant.  If you’d like to learn more about compensation, you can see a detailed breakdown on our website.

If you want to become a surrogate and help a family in need, contact Simple Surrogacy today! We take a complicated process and make it as smooth and simple as possible for you. Visit our website or call us toll-free today at 1-866-41-SURRO to speak to one of our experts. We can’t wait to take this journey with you!