Making the commitment to become a surrogate is a life-changing decision, and one that delivers boundless joy to intended parents and their families. It is also one of the most rewarding journeys that anyone can undertake. But how do you get started? Can anyone become a surrogate? And what are the steps if you decide to apply? These are all important questions to consider before starting the surrogate process, so read on in order to gain more insight about how to apply to be a surrogate, and become a part of a one-of-a-kind, miraculous journey.
Why become a surrogate?
Before getting started in the gestational surrogacy process, it’s imperative that you ask yourself – why do I want to become a surrogate mother? There are many reasons why individuals choose to follow this selfless, generous path, but the end result is always the same: hopeful parents will finally get the chance to hold their long-awaited miracle baby.
Some surrogate mothers enter the role because they feel compelled to serve a higher purpose, and want to share the gift of life with another family. Some have had wonderful and easy pregnancies while building their families, and once they are done having children, they miss the feeling of being pregnant and would love to experience that once again – all the while knowing that they’re carrying a blessing for someone else. Others enjoy the multitude of benefits that surrogacy offers – participating in bringing a family joy, forming lifelong bonds with the intended parents and the surrogacy community, enjoying a generous compensation, and being a part of a beautiful, rare journey that not many others get the chance to experience. In the end, the number one reason to become a surrogate is simple: because by choosing to help, you’re helping to complete one more loving family in the world.
Who do surrogates help?
There are families of all shapes and sizes that benefit from the gift of surrogacy, with many different reasons fueling the desire to choose a gestational carrier to help their wish for parenthood come true. Some families have struggled with infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, and surrogacy is their last hope. Some have underlying medical conditions such as Endometriosis, or excessive fibroids, or possess a uterus that no longer functions properly – all individuals who are at risk or no longer able to carry a pregnancy. Other people who choose surrogacy can be hopeful single parents and even women who are over the safe child-bearing age, who still want to become mothers. And some families have other personal reasons that contribute to their decision to have a surrogate carry for them.
For many intended parents, the decision to try surrogacy arrives after a long fertility process that didn’t prove to be successful. And although intended families are always grateful for the sacrifices of their gestational carrier, choosing surrogacy is still a highly emotional process that requires the utmost delicacy and care. Whatever the reason for someone’s surrogacy journey, the choice to become a surrogate is selfless, gracious, and full of love.
What is needed to become a surrogate?
In order to become a surrogate, one must meet a certain threshold of qualifications that ensure a safe and surrogate experience for everyone involved. Since so many intended parents decide on surrogacy as the best option to bring their wish of parenthood to life, it’s imperative that gestational carrier candidates offer the best chances for a complication-free delivery and a happy, healthy baby. Some of the qualifications needed to become a surrogate are being of an ideal childbearing age (usually 21-40), having a healthy BMI, having carried at least one pregnancy to term – this one is an absolute must – and having no previous complications both during the gestational period and during delivery. Other factors, such as having a healthy lifestyle devoid of smoking, drugs, or risky behavior, also plays a part.
Once a candidate has met all of the qualifications, they will undergo a series of screenings in order to ensure they are both physically and mentally prepared to participate in such an undertaking. Despite past occurrences pregnancy always has a risk factor involved, so eliminating any possible complications early on, is a priority for both the surrogacy agency and the intended parents – and is in the best interest of the surrogate candidate as well.
Frequently asked questions on becoming a surrogate
So you’ve decided to be a surrogate, but you still have questions. That’s great! It’s all part of the learning process before you’re ready to fully commit. Before agreeing to the full-time responsibility of becoming a surrogate, it’s important to understand the surrogacy process during your whole tenure. Many surrogate journeys can take a year or even a bit more, so you have to be aware of what you are agreeing to, and how it will influence your life – as well as the lives of those around you. Read on to find out the answers to the most frequently asked questions, for potential surrogates.
What’s the difference between a traditional surrogate and a gestational carrier?
When fertility medicine wasn’t as advanced as it was today, traditional surrogates not only carried a pregnancy and delivered a baby for another couple, but they also shared a genetic link with the child, as it was the surrogate’s egg that would be fertilized by the intended father’s (or a donor’s) sperm, via insemination. Since IVF wasn’t advanced back then, IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), was the choice de rigueur for a successful surrogacy.
Nowadays, with the vast technological advances in reproductive medicine that are available at most fertility clinics, a surrogate no longer has to provide the egg herself. Instead, the intended parents either use their own via the intended mother, or they choose an egg donor to fulfill the role of an egg provider. In this case, the surrogate now technically becomes a gestational carrier, the role being that of someone who is the vessel for the pregnancy, and doesn’t actually share any DNA with the baby developing inside.
Using a gestational carrier is now the default to modern surrogacy, as it helps the process be more streamlined and less complicated. By nature, surrogacy is already a very emotional and intense process, for all parties involved. Eliminating the complicated matter of shared DNA between the surrogate and the baby helps create a welcome separation, and eases some of the stress that comes with the overall surrogacy experience.
How much do surrogates get paid?
Although financial compensation should never be the sole reason for wanting to become a gestational carrier, it’s important for any surrogate candidate to rest assured that their dedication and commitment to carrying someone else’s baby will be accurately rewarded with the surrogacy pay.
Carrying a pregnancy takes time, work, and effort, and as a surrogate you will be expected to attend regular medical appointments, sometimes more often than usual if that is the request of the parents. Depending on your surrogate contract, you might also have to dedicate extra time to additional stipulations that the intended parents might request, such as acupuncture sessions, prenatal massage, and additional screenings such as amniocentesis and genetic testing. Because of the substantial responsibilities that the gestational carrier commits to before, during, and even after the pregnancy, their base pay can range from $30,000 to $60,000 plus extra expenses and bonuses, although in some states such as California – which is a surrogacy-friendly state and where the cost of living is higher – gestational carriers can expect to be paid significantly more.
Are there requirements to be a surrogate?
In order to become a surrogate, you must meet a certain set of requirements that will determine whether you are a fit candidate, and whether you can move forward. In fact, there are many factors that can disqualify you from becoming a surrogate, so knowing what to look out for is key. Having had a successful pregnancy and delivery once before, making sure you’re of the optimal child-bearing age, having a proportionate BMI, and leading a healthy lifestyle are some of the basic requirements needed to proceed to the next steps of becoming a surrogate.
Having various underlying medical conditions – such as diabetes, PCOS, or Sickle Cell Disease can also rule you out as a surrogate, simply because this would make the pregnancy extra complicated, and could endanger both you and the baby. It’s important to do your thorough research and be transparent in your medical history before pursuing the goal of becoming a surrogate. Medical screenings will still be a requirement to make sure you can continue on the surrogacy journey, but knowing the requirements early on can help prevent any future disappointment, especially if you have your heart set on becoming a gestational carrier.
Do I have to take medications?
Since the embryo transfer is an essential component of how the surrogate gets pregnant – and since medications play a vital part in the procedure – the answer is yes, as a gestational carrier you will be expected to take a few different medications. The goal of a surrogate pregnancy is to replicate the state that the body is in while in a natural pregnancy, so the endocrinologists that will be in charge of both the IVF cycle (for the intended parent or egg donor) and the embryo transfer cycle (for the surrogate), will be able to duplicate the process through a variety of medications such as hormones, antibiotics, and vitamins.
Some of the medications suppress your ovulation in order to give the doctors complete control over your cycle, and some prep the uterus so that it’s primed and ready for transfer. The medications prescribed may cause side effects, such as bloating, fatigue, headaches, upset stomach, and dizziness, but most of these are temporary since the medications are meant for short-term use only. At the end of the day, these medications are essential to the surrogacy process, and help maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy.
How long does the process take?
Choosing to be a gestational carrier is a commitment that can last anywhere from 15-18 months, from the time of application to after the baby has been safely delivered and is now part of their new family. Even though the pregnancy itself is only 9 months, there has to be extra time given for screening, matching, pre-testing, the embryo transfer cycle, the gestation period, the delivery, postpartum care, as well as sometimes breastfeeding or pumping duties – if the intended parents and the surrogate make such arrangements beforehand. Plus, even though the surrogacy journey technically has a finite time period, the experience in and of itself will leave a positive mark on you for years to come, and many former gestational carriers become part of the surrogate community forever, either by working in the field, or being advocates for safe and healthy surrogacy access.
Surrogacy Timeline
What are some of the most important aspects of surrogacy? And what’s the breakdown of the surrogacy process, chronologically? Read on to find out the steps in a surrogacy timeline:
- Applying to become a surrogate via online application or phone call + initial interview: 1 week
- Pre-screening: 1-3 weeks
- Review of medical records + background check: 3-6 weeks
- Evaluation (including psychological testing, drug screening and financial review): 1-2 weeks
- Matching with the intended parents: 2-4 weeks
- Medical and legal clearance (reviewing records, medical screening, and legal contract): 6-8 weeks
- Cycle scheduling + start of medications (possible Mock Cycle): 4-8 weeks
- Embryo transfer and early pregnancy: 4-6 weeks
- Pregnancy and delivery: 9 months
- Postpartum care: 4-8 weeks
- Breastfeeding/pumping (optional): time determined by agreement between surrogate and intended parents
How do I start the surrogacy process?
If you’ve read this far and you’re ready to commit to being a gestational carrier, the first step is applying! While the information provided here is a great start to getting familiar with how to apply to become a surrogate, it’s always a good idea to connect with a professional to go over any additional questions you might have. You can either fill out our Surrogate Initial Inquiry Form, or call us at (310) 908-3323. Our staff will be happy to personally walk you through the process, and even give their own testimonials – as they’ve all been surrogates themselves! We pride ourselves on being transparent and supportive towards all of our applicants, and would love to educate you more about the beautiful and fulfilling path that awaits you by becoming a surrogate.
Why apply with Surrogacy by Faith to be a gestational carrier?
Surrogacy by Faith is not only a surrogate agency, but a provider of miracles through the guidance of God. Our purpose is to bring human beings together with a single goal: to bring a blessed child into the arms of hopeful parents. We believe that every child is a gift, and we cherish those gifts by creating an environment that is stable, nurturing, and positive – from start to finish, and for everyone involved.
If you have any questions regarding surrogacy, make sure to read through the knowledgeable articles on our surrogacy blog, or visit our information page for surrogates. And if you’re ready to embark on an experience that is filled with kindness, selflessness, sacrifice, and the greatest gift of all – life – contact us today. We’re ready to guide you in making dreams come true!