9 Tips on How to Become a Surrogate Mother: Requirements and Process of Surrogacy Journey

1. Becoming a Surrogate Mother

As you may already know, roughly 12% of the reproductive age population is suffering from infertility in the US. For many of these people, the only option is healthy pregnancy surrogacy process.

Fortunately, thanks to the gestational surrogacy process and the kind Surrogate Mothers, this is now easier than ever to accomplish.

The following are the requirement criteria a woman needs to meet to become a Surrogate.

• Women who pass the initial surrogate screening advance to the testing step.
• Testing involves complete medical and fertility exams.
• Drug testing and social history validation are undoubtedly necessary.
• Lastly, The best qualified are women who have had uncomplicated, healthy pregnancies.

Generally, most women feel more comfortable with a larger medical center where everything, including doctors, labs & legal advisors, is under one roof.

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2. The Gift of LIFE

Surrogates have a superpower, that is, they can give the gift of life.

These women love children and feel incredible compassion for people who can’t carry their own children, including:

• Women infertile due to medical issues.
• Women with viable eggs who can’t carry a healthy pregnancy because of some reason.
• Menopausal women.
• Women born with abnormal reproductive organs.
• Single men and women wishing to become parents.
• Same-sex couples.

3. Take Good Care of Yourself

• A healthy mommy equals a healthy baby, it makes sense to take care of yourself while pregnant.
• The monthly surrogacy stipend should more than cover hiring help when you need it so you don’t overwork.
• Professional surrogacy agencies hold monthly get-togethers for Surrogates where they, and their families, can socialize with other Surrogate families.

4. Seek Out Surrogacy Professionals

• The term professional refers to individuals with more than 20 years’ experience, don’t be fooled by less experienced physicians.
• Make sure that the surrogacy agency and the fertility clinic both comply with the guidelines by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
• Visit the surrogacy agency to make sure you feel comfortable with the staff and doctors.
• A professional surrogacy agency is well-versed with the surrogacy laws and keeps the legal contracts fool-proof in order to avoid all future legal issues.
• Professional surrogacy agencies and fertility clinics can make sure you get every benefit you’re entitled to because they have numerous resources.
• A professional surrogacy agency will have counselors, including former Surrogate mothers, available to discuss the surrogacy process.

5. Document Your Journey

• The Surrogate is a big part of the child’s story, you should take pictures at different milestones during your pregnancy for the baby book.
• Don’t forget to include a picture of your whole family.
• Finally, make sure the Intended Parents have copies of all ultrasounds and other test results.

6. Screening Process

Surrogate mothers go through a strict screening process. These include overall psychological health and medical screening. Some conditions that disqualify candidates are:

• Mental health issues, especially severe postpartum depression.
• Pregnancy-related problems like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
• Conditions like HIV disease can transmit itself to the child.

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7. Basic Surrogacy Requirements

• Age 21-37.
• Have at least 1 child you are parenting.
• A non-smoker, non–drug–user with a healthy lifestyle.
• No major pregnancy complications.
• BMI under 32.
• US citizen or legal resident.
• No felony convictions.
• If you have a spouse or partner, they are supportive of you becoming a Surrogate.

8. Become a Gestational Surrogate Mother

In traditional surrogacy, the Surrogate was inseminated either through natural or artificial insemination. Whereas, gestational surrogacy process is when the Surrogate only carries the baby and the process does not use her own egg. The embryo creation takes place using the egg of the Intended Mother (who would be the biological mother) or a donor egg and the Intended Father’s sperm. Fertility specialists perform the embryo transfer once the Gestational Carrier is ready.

The Process:

• You are assigned a case manager who will be with you from start to finish altogether .
• After matching with an IP family, your cycle will be synced with the intended mother or egg donor.
• You will undergo an embryo implantation into your uterus.
• Additionally, you will continue progesterone support for the first several weeks of the healthy pregnancy.
• The intended parents are often involved throughout the process, from the first meeting where you get a match until the birth at the hospital.

9. Compensation Packages

A Surrogate pregnancy takes a lot out of a healthy woman and she should receive compensation appropriately. After all, growing a new person and keeping it healthy and safe for its parents is a noble calling. If you are wondering how much Surrogates are paid, this gives you an idea about the compensation packages:

• All Surrogates get paid roughly a year’s salary per surrogacy.
• Experienced Surrogates and Surrogates carrying pregnancies with multiples are paid more in either case.
• The chart below is from a leading California fertility center:

When you’re searching for surrogacy agencies it’s important to find one that values your time and genuinely cares about you. Large, established, fertility medical centers:

• Have everything under one roof.
• Have the process streamlined so you know what to expect and when.

A clinic with an extensive amount of experience that truly values your time, ideally with all facilities in one location.

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