If you’re exploring surrogacy, you’re likely considering how it can help you grow your family, or maybe you’re just curious about how everything all comes together. In the following short guide, we’ll break down the essentials of surrogacy so you can feel informed as you begin this journey.
What Is Surrogacy?
At its heart, surrogacy is a team effort where a generous woman (the surrogate) carries and delivers a baby for another individual or couple (the intended parents, that’s you!) who need assistance in order to start or grow their family. It’s a path to parenthood for those who may face challenges conceiving or carrying a pregnancy themselves, whether due to medical reasons, personal circumstances, or family-building goals.
There are two main types of surrogacy:
Gestational Surrogacy: This is the process in which the Surrogate (Gestational Carrier) carries an embryo created from the intended parents’ egg and sperm (or donor gametes), meaning that the surrogate will have no genetic link to the baby. This is the most widely practiced form of surrogacy and likely what we’ll focus on for your journey.
Traditional Surrogacy: In this process, the surrogate is genetically related to the baby, as her egg is used (typically fertilized via artificial insemination). This is much less common today.
Step 1: Finding the Right Match
Your surrogacy story begins with finding the perfect surrogate. At the Center for Surrogacy & Egg Donation, we carefully match you with a surrogate based on shared values, expectations, and preferences for the journey ahead. Our surrogates are amazing women who undergo thorough medical and psychological screenings to ensure they’re ready, both physically and emotionally, for this life-changing role.
Many intended parents and surrogates form close bonds: talking daily and meeting up for dinners etc, while others prefer a more professional relationship—whatever feels right for you, we’ll support it. We work hard to ensure that every match is the right match for both the Intended Parents and the Surrogate.
Step 2: The Legal Process
Surrogacy requires a surrogacy contract, called a “Gestational Carrier Agreement” which outlines everyone’s rights, responsibilities, and expectations—think of it as a roadmap to keep things smooth and clear-cut. We’ve partnered with Nichols, DeLisle & Lightholder P.C. (NDL Law), a leader in assisted third-party reproductive law, to make the legal part of your journey as straight-forward and stress-free as possible.
NDL Law will expertly
- Represent you in drafting and negotiating the Gestational Carrier Agreement with your surrogate.
- Provide legal clearance to your IVF clinic to ensure a smooth process.
- Review your surrogate’s health insurance policy and deliver a detailed written opinion on coverage.
- Manage the trust account for your surrogate’s fees and expenses, offering you a clear and comprehensive accounting.
- Prepare and file the necessary legal documents to secure a pre-birth order—establishing you as the legal parent(s) of your child—or coordinate with local counsel in the state where the birth will take place.
Step 3: Creating the Embryo
For gestational surrogacy, the next step is the medical magic: creating an embryo. If you’re using your own eggs and sperm, you’ll go through in vitro fertilization (IVF). This involves retrieving eggs, fertilizing them with sperm in a lab, and growing a healthy embryo. If donor eggs, sperm, or embryos are part of your plan, we’ll help you navigate those options with care and transparency and provide any expertise necessary.
Step 4: The Embryo Transfer
Once the embryo is ready, it’s transferred to your surrogate’s uterus in a simple, outpatient procedure. Your surrogate will have been medically prepared to create the best possible environment for the embryo to implant and grow. About 10-14 days later, a pregnancy test confirms the exciting news—fingers crossed!
Step 5: Pregnancy and Support
During the pregnancy, your surrogate receives top-notch prenatal care, and we’re with you both every step of the way. You might choose to attend appointments, ultrasounds, or simply get regular updates—however you want to stay involved, we’ll make it happen. Our goal is to keep communication open and the experience joyful for everyone.
Step 6: Welcoming Your Baby
The big day arrives when your surrogate delivers your baby! Depending on your agreement and local laws, you’ll be there to meet your little one—often right in the delivery room. Legal steps, like establishing parentage, are finalized (don’t worry, we’ve got this covered!), and you’ll head home as a family.
Why Choose The Center for Surrogacy & Egg Donation?
Surrogacy is a deeply personal journey, and we’re honored to be part of it. At CSED, we bring expertise, compassion, and a commitment to making your dreams of parenthood come true. From matching to medical & insurance coordination, to emotional support, we’re your partners through it all.
Ready to learn more?
