Author: John Holihan

Honoring Infertility Awareness Month

June is Infertility Awareness Month. The event was created to help people experiencing infertility discover they aren’t alone and to highlight how they can work through this common diagnosis.

If you’re considering using surrogacy to grow your family, you or your partner may be working through infertility. We want you to know that you’re not alone, and we’re here to support you through whatever stage you’re at in your family-building journey.

Contact us today to connect with a surrogacy specialist who can refer you to a counselor specializing in infertility. With Infertility Awareness Month on the horizon, now is the perfect time to find a professional to help you work through your feelings.

Keep reading to learn about Infertility Awareness Month, how to honor it, and more.

What is Infertility Awareness Month?

June is Infertility Awareness Month. The month-long event was created to bring awareness to how common infertility is and to spotlight the treatments that can help solve some infertility issues.

We’re choosing to honor Infertility Awareness Month by detailing who is affected by it and how people overcome the condition.

Who Experiences Infertility?

According to the National Library of Medicine, 10% to 15% of couples in the United States experience infertility.  Men and women experience infertility at the same rate (10%), and sometimes, a couple’s infertility challenges are because of a combination of several factors.

The following are a few other facts about infertility:

  • A doctor can diagnose infertility when a couple cannot conceive after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex.
  • A doctor can check men and women for infertility through a variety of tests.
  • There are several infertility treatments men, and women can pursue.

Common Infertility Treatments

One of the important aspects of Infertility Awareness Month is ensuring people affected by this common condition know their options. One way to handle infertility is through treatment.

The following are just some of the effective infertility treatments people try:

  • Infertility Medications: Certain medications can be prescribed to men and women to help resolve certain infertility issues.
  • Infertility Surgeries: Men and women may undergo certain surgeries that can help repair internal infertility causes.
  • Assisted Reproductive Technologies:  Recently, IUI and IVF have become more common. These procedures can help couples overcome many infertility challenges and help them conceive.

Embracing Surrogacy After Infertility

One of the final aspects of acknowledging Infertility Awareness Month is working through your feelings on infertility and deciding your next steps.

Working Through Infertility Grief

Choosing when you’re ready to move from infertility treatments to another family-building option like surrogacy isn’t a simple decision.

You and your partner will experience several intense emotions during this time. You may even decide to work with an infertility counselor to help process your feelings.

Even if you decide not to continue your family-building journey this year, you can use this time to work through your grief and allow yourself time to heal.

Choosing Surrogacy

If you and your partner determine that you’re ready to move on from infertility to another family-building option and choose to go forward with surrogacy, congratulations! Surrogacy is a wonderful choice, and it has helped many people become parents.

One of the benefits of working with American Surrogacy for your surrogacy journey is that our agency can provide the essential benefits needed to help you succeed.

The following are some of the most important benefits our agency can provide you:

  • Surrogacy Screening: We’re dedicated to ensuring that hopeful intended parents and prospective surrogates are ready to start the surrogacy process. We do this by coordinating your psychological, medical, and physical screenings.
  • Matchmaking: When you work with our agency, you can expect an average match time of 30 to 90 days. We maintain this by prescreening all hopeful intended parents and surrogates, providing in-house marketing, and keeping a 1:1 intended parent-to-surrogate ratio.
  • Case Management: We will organize and manage your case so you can spend your time focusing on yourself and your surrogacy partner during your surrogacy journey.
  • 24/7 Support: American Surrogacy will provide you with continuous support from licensed social workers from the beginning to the end of their journey.
  • Financial Certainty and Transparency: Our agency offers a transparent fixed cost of $149,900 that covers our services, gestational carrier fees, and medical and legal costs. We also provide a Parent Protection Fee and will organize your journey’s variable fees.

Reach Out to Us Today

This June, we hope you can honor Infertility Awareness Month by caring for yourself. If you need extra support during this time, you can contact us anytime, and we’ll refer you to an infertility counselor who can help you process your emotions.

How Much Money Do Surrogates Make?

Women considering surrogacy want to pursue the journey to earn fair compensation and to help a couple or single hopeful parent have a child. Keep reading to learn the answer to the question, “How much money do surrogates make,” and more.

If you’re wondering, “How much money do surrogates make,” you’ve come to the right place. This guide will explain how base compensation works, what type of reimbursement surrogates receive, and why surrogates choose to embark on this enriching journey.

Contact us today to learn more about surrogate compensation and to find out how you can start your surrogacy journey. We’re ready to connect you with one of our skilled surrogacy specialists who will help you find the right adoptive family and ensure you get the most competitive compensation package possible.

How Much Money Do Surrogates Make?

Women who serve as gestational carriers with American Surrogacy can earn anywhere from $45,000 to $75,000 for their time and services.

Our agency breaks down our base compensation payment structure in the following way:

  • How Much Money Do Surrogates Get for Their First Surrogacy?: First-time surrogates have never served as gestational carriers and can earn anywhere from $45,000 to $75,000.
  • How Much Money Do You Make Being a Surrogate for the Second or Third Time? Repeat surrogates have already served as surrogates and can earn up to $75,000 for their time.

All surrogates can use their base compensation however they please. A few common things women choose to spend their money on include:

  • A down payment on a home
  • Paying off student loans
  • Anything else the surrogate wants to

The Importance of Earning Base Compensation

While surrogates can always choose to waive their right to payment and pursue altruistic surrogacy, our agency encourages every surrogate to take some compensation for their time and energy.

Codi, a surrogate through our agency, explains how she realized that compensation for serving as a gestational carrier was essential.

“When I started the process, I always thought, ‘I could probably do it without compensation like I just really want to do this,’” Codi said. “However, I think it’s important now that I’ve gone through it, to say it was very valuable. The compensation made it feel like I was valued in that sense.”

Do Surrogates Make Money That Helps Them Pay for Surrogacy?

While all surrogates who work with our agency always have the opportunity to earn base compensation, surrogates also will get reimbursed for their surrogacy expenses.

When you work with our agency, the following expenses are covered:

  • Pregnancy costs
  • Medical expenses
  • Surrogacy and attorney fees
  • Travel costs
  • And more

You will never have to pay to become a surrogate when working with our agency.

Breaking Down How Much You Can Make as a Surrogate for a Family

Once you have decided to become a surrogate, you can reach out to our agency to start your exciting journey! The following is a brief rundown of how base compensation works:

  • Once you match with a hopeful adoptive family, each surrogate party will sign the surrogacy contract, and you’ll start the surrogacy medical process. After a successful pregnancy is detected (around six weeks of pregnancy), you’ll begin receiving base compensation for your time.
  • Our agency will help create an escrow account to ensure your base compensation payments are managed correctly and that the payment plan matches the terms agreed to in your surrogacy contract.
  • All your payments are placed into the account in 10 equal amounts. You will receive your last payment after delivering the intended parents’ child.

The Other Life-Changing Benefits of Becoming a Surrogate

Of course, in addition to earning fair and competitive base compensation, surrogates also choose to help hopeful intended parents out of the goodness of their hearts.

The Selfless Act of Serving as a Surrogate

Becoming a surrogate is an incredibly kind act.

When you choose to take this journey, you’re changing countless lives for the better. And although surrogacy is filled with ups and downs, your surrogacy specialist and the surrogate party you work with will have your back.

Everyone wants to see you succeed and will ensure you remain happy, healthy, and supported on this empathetic path.

Learn More About Surrogacy Today

Now that you know the answer to the common question, “How much money do surrogates make,” you can reach out to a specialist at our agency today. We’re here to help you start this incredible journey and will ensure you’re taken care of every step of the way.

What to Know About Egg Donor Surrogacy

If you’re interested in growing your family, working with an agency that has an egg donor and surrogacy program can help prepare you for a successful surrogacy journey.

As surrogacy gains popularity as a family-planning option, many egg donor and surrogacy programs are starting to move to the forefront of the conversation. If you’re intended parents struggling with female infertility, a same-sex couple or a hopeful single parent, utilizing an egg donor and surrogacy can help you achieve your dreams of parenthood.

If you’re trying to grow your family and have questions about egg donor surrogacy, you can get connected with our surrogacy specialists today.

Finding the right egg donor and surrogacy program is a big component of the surrogacy journey, so it’s important that everyone involved feels confident and informed. This article will break down the key points of using an egg donor and surrogacy to grow your family.

Egg Donor Surrogacy [What to Know]

Many intended parents utilize an egg donor and surrogacy to start their families. There are typically three parties involved in egg donor surrogacy:

  • The intended parents
  • The gestational carrier
  • An egg donor

To get started, intended parents will need to identify an egg donor for surrogacy. This can be done through a separate fertility clinic or an agency that has an egg donor and surrogacy program. Intended parents want to be as involved as they can in bringing their baby into the world, which is why they’ll be able to choose a donor who has qualities that align with their surrogacy goals.

Viable eggs are taken from the donor through the egg retrieval process and then fertilized through the IVF process with the sperm of the intended father or a donor. The embryo will then be transferred to the gestational carrier for her to carry to term.

Benefits of Using an Egg Donor and Surrogacy

Using an egg donor and surrogacy to grow your family is a great option if you:

  • A couple experiencing female infertility
  • A same-sex couple
  • A single hopeful father

When you work with an agency that has an egg donor and surrogacy program, you’ll have both the comfort and convenience of having almost all the necessary services and resources for your surrogacy journey in one place. Your surrogacy specialist will be able to help you find an egg donor that matches your preferences so that you can feel in control of your surrogacy journey.

Choosing Your Egg Donor and Surrogacy Program [Questions to Ask]

When it comes to finding the right egg donor and surrogacy program, you’ll want to make sure you’re adequately prepared for the egg donor and surrogacy process. Below are a few of the questions you should be asking yourself about any egg donor and surrogacy program you’re considering.

What are you Looking for in an Egg Surrogacy Donor?

You’ll want to make sure you have a clear vision of what you’re looking for in an egg donor. Think about medical history, genetics, blood type, background, etc. You’ll also need to think about whether you want an anonymous or identified egg donor.

Are You Prepared for Egg Donor Surrogacy and Cost?

You can’t put a price on family, but because egg donation is such an intricate process, egg donor surrogacy can be an expensive process. In addition to surrogacy costs, you’ll want to have enough money set aside for all necessary costs. When you work with an agency that has an egg donor and surrogacy program, you may pay a lower cost than if you went through a separate agency.

Are you Prepared to Raise a Child Conceived from an Egg Donor and Surrogacy?

We know that you’ll love your child, regardless of their genetic makeup. But it’s important that you’re prepared for the unique challenges that come with raising a donor-conceived child. At some point, your child may ask about their surrogacy story and how they came to be. They may even have questions about who their donor was. You’ll want to be prepared to have these conversations.

Next Steps

If you have questions about the intricacies of egg donor and surrogacy programs, our specialists would be happy to answer them. Get connected with our surrogacy specialist today.

Surrogacy is On the Rise, But Don’t Call it Commercial

Surrogacy is on the rise, and is often referred to as commercial surrogacy. However, it’s important to understand what surrogacy really means and how it’s far more than a transaction.

With gestational surrogacy on the rise as a family-building option, many people have taken note of the compensation that surrogates receive for the selfless service they provide. Because of the financial aspect of surrogacy, many have come to refer to this form of surrogacy as compensated surrogacy or commercial surrogacy.

While commercial surrogacy is not an inaccurate term, it can paint a blurry picture of what it truly means to be a surrogate. To get more information about what commercial surrogacy really means, get connected with a surrogacy specialist today.

Below we’ll break down why you should be wary of using terms like “commercial” surrogacy.

What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is an amazing family-building method where a surrogate, also known as a gestational carrier, carries a baby for intended parents who may not be able to conceive or carry a pregnancy on their own. There are many reasons why intended parents might choose surrogacy as a way to build their family:

  • Couples struggling with infertility
  • LGBT+ couples
  • Hopeful single parents
  • Couples who don’t want to pass on health conditions

No matter what the reason is, gestational surrogacy allows hopeful couples and individuals to become the parents they’ve always dreamed of being.

How Does Surrogacy Work?

The majority of commercial surrogacies today are gestational surrogacies. Gestational surrogacy is a type of surrogacy where the baby being carried by the surrogate is biologically related to one or both of the intended parents and/or a gamete donor.

The main three stages of the gestational surrogacy process include:

  • Finding a surrogacy match
  • Completing a legal contract
  • Transferring an embryo to the surrogate

In most cases of commercial surrogacy, intended parents will work with a full-service surrogacy agency to find a surrogacy match. Once they’ve found their perfect match, both parties complete a surrogacy contract that will outline responsibilities, risks and surrogate compensation. Once everyone is on the same page, a fertility clinic will facilitate the IVF and embryo transfer process. The IVF process usually involves:

  • The eggs and sperm of both intended parents
  • A donor egg fertilized with sperm from the intended father
  • The intended mother’s egg fertilized with the donor sperm
  • An embryo created from both donor egg and sperm

Once a pregnancy has been confirmed, the surrogate will begin receiving surrogate compensation in monthly installments. This is where commercial surrogacy gets its name. The surrogate will carry the baby to term, and the intended parents will assume full custody of their child when they are born.

What is Commercial Surrogacy?

Commercial surrogacy, more accurately known as compensated surrogacy, is when a surrogate is paid for her service as a surrogate. The alternative to this is altruistic surrogacy, where a surrogate carries a baby for intended parents without compensation. This type of gestational surrogacy is typically done between close friends and family members.

Some critics feel that commercial surrogacy is unethical because it appears exploitative in nature and commodifies pregnancy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Every surrogate who enters into a commercial surrogacy contract does so willingly and enthusiastically.

Going through the surrogacy process and carrying a baby for someone else often means surrogates are dedicating one to two years of their time and physical and emotional energy. Proponents of commercial surrogacy argue that it’s only fair that surrogates are compensated for the incredible service they’re providing in addition to caring for themselves and their own families.

What Commercial Surrogacy Really Means [More than a Transaction]

While surrogates do get paid through commercial surrogacy, money is rarely the factor that inspires them to become gestational carriers. For many surrogates, surrogacy is an opportunity to change the lives of hopeful intended parents by helping them grow their family.

Many hopeful intended parents are not able to have a child on their own but still want to be involved in bringing their baby into the world. Surrogacy gives them that gift, which is why intended parents are not only prepared to compensate their surrogate but often happy to do so.

Creating a family is priceless, but commercial surrogacy allows intended parents to express their gratitude for all their surrogate has given them.

Get Help Now

If you have questions about commercial surrogacy, we’d be more than happy to have a conversation with you. Get connected with a surrogacy specialist or call 1-800-875-2229 today to learn more.

What if Embryo Transfer Doesn’t Work?

Becoming a parent through surrogacy can be a beautiful journey, but the journey can be long. At American Surrogacy, we can help you even if your embryo transfer doesn’t take.

You can fulfill your dreams of becoming a parent through surrogacy, but an unsuccessful embryo transfer can be difficult news when you’ve already been on a long journey to parenthood.

At American Surrogacy, we protect you if an embryo transfer doesn’t work, so you can rest easy and focus on preparing for your new family member. You can get more information by calling 1-800-875-2229 or connecting with one of our surrogacy specialists.

Here is how we handle embryo transfers that don’t work out:

First Embryo Transfer

The first embryo transfer with your surrogate can be exciting—you will likely have spent months or more preparing for this moment. You will have spent time getting information, finding a great surrogate, working out the details of your surrogate agreement, and preparing medically for the transfer procedure.

You will likely have spent a significant amount of time, energy, and money preparing, and there is no guarantee that your first transfer will be successful.

When your anticipation and excitement end in disappointment at an unsuccessful transfer, you can be left with many questions. With some surrogacy agencies, you may be required to pay again to find another surrogate. You may find yourself with another long wait time or may have to stop your surrogacy journey, but not with American Surrogacy.

At American Surrogacy, we will match you with another surrogate, and you can repeat the embryo transfer process without paying again for matching with a surrogate.

Second Embryo Transfer and Beyond

Even if your first and second embryo transfers don’t take, American Surrogacy will help you find another surrogate, and you can continue the process of surrogacy with no extra charges, which means you can have peace of mind for the surrogacy process.

American Surrogacy will continue to help you until you run out of embryos or you decide to end the process, and even then, you have options for your family.

Gamete or Embryo Donation

When you run out of embryos, you can always seek out gamete or embryo donation to continue your surrogacy journey, although this may take extra steps.

If you have sperm or eggs, you can seek out a donor for one or the other.  Sperm donation can be relatively quick, while egg donation can take longer due to the egg retrieval process. Both sperm and egg donations may also require health screenings, which could add time to your surrogacy journey.

But ultimately, gamete and embryo donation means that you can continue your surrogacy journey even if you run out of your initial embryos.

Ending Your Surrogacy Journey

Pregnancy always has some unpredictability. Some intended parents end their journey sooner than they expect, and some intended parents can make multiple attempts at a surrogate pregnancy without success. In these unfortunate situations, many intended parents spend many thousands of dollars and come away disappointed.

The money and time you spend on surrogacy may mean that other options for growing your family may be more difficult when you decide to change course.

When this happens at many surrogacy agencies, there isn’t a lot you can do. You may be at square one for financial planning, or you may just have to accept that your money is gone.

But at American Surrogacy, we know how important your plans are and how much you have anticipated this journey. We make sure you are protected from financial loss— we make some of your fees refundable so that if you choose to end your surrogacy journey, other options for growing your family can still be within reach.

Get Help Now

No matter where you are in your surrogacy journey, American Surrogacy can help you through the whole journey, even if you have had unsuccessful surrogacy attempts. Connect with our surrogacy specialists here or call 1-800-875-2229.

How Do Surrogacy Agencies Find Surrogates?

You can become the parent you’ve been dreaming of being through surrogacy. Find out how a surrogacy agency connects you with a great surrogate.

Becoming a parent through surrogacy can be a beautiful shared journey with a great surrogate, but the process of finding a surrogate can be difficult. That’s why American Surrogacy has a system in place to find great surrogates and connect you with the best surrogate for your family.

You can get help finding a surrogate here or call 1-800-875-2229. Read on to learn more about how we find our surrogates.

Surrogate Advertising

The first step in finding surrogates is to find women who may want to become surrogates.  Our advertising team works hard to connect with these women. Women may see an advertisement for our surrogacy agency, hear about us from a friend or family member, or find us through web search results.

Often, women find us through searches because they have been considering surrogacy and are excited about helping out a family who is dreaming of having a child.

These women may send us a message, connect with us through our online contact form, or call our surrogacy specialists directly at 1-800-875-2229.

Surrogate Intake

Once a woman connects with us as a potential surrogate, our surrogacy specialists begin sharing information with her and gathering information about her.

Our surrogacy specialists know the importance of having surrogates who are well-informed and committed to the process, so our surrogacy specialists share all the information a surrogate might need to begin the process of surrogacy, and each woman has the opportunity to ask any questions she might have about the process.

When she feels ready, a potential surrogate will also answer basic questions about herself that help our surrogate specialists determine if she might be a good candidate to be a surrogate.

These initial questions can include:

  • Age
  • General health information
  • Previous pregnancy information
  • Whether or not she is currently raising a child
  • Social history
  • Reasons for  wanting to become a surrogate

Surrogate Screening

Once a potential surrogate is well-informed of the surrogacy process, and the surrogate specialist has determined she meets the basic qualifications to become a surrogate, she will begin the screening process.

The screening process goes more in-depth to determine whether a potential surrogate is qualified and ready to become a surrogate.

The screening process involves help from professionals and can include:

  • A psychological screening
  • An in-home visit
  • Medical records review
  • Background check
  • And more

Surrogate Matching

Once a surrogate has been fully screened and is ready to get matched with a family, your surrogacy specialist will prepare her for the matching process by helping her create a surrogate profile. The surrogate profile will include important information about the surrogate as well as personal information that can help you find the perfect match for your family.

When you are ready to be matched with a surrogate, you can view profiles of surrogates who are fully screened and ready to help you on your surrogacy journey. At American Surrogacy, you can get matched with a surrogate in as little as 30-90 days, the shortest wait time in the industry.

Identified Surrogacy

Sometimes, we don’t need to do the work of finding a surrogate because some intended parents come to surrogacy with a surrogate already in mind. There have been friends, siblings, in-laws, aunts, cousins, daughters, and even mothers who were surrogates for someone in their life.

When intended parents come to us with a woman in mind who is ready to become a surrogate, we screen the potential surrogate, and if the woman meets the requirements to become a surrogate, we can help them along the rest of the journey.

If you have a friend, family member, or another person in your life who is interested in becoming a surrogate for you, we can help you complete your surrogacy journey through our identified surrogacy program.

Get Help Now

Whether you need help finding a surrogate or have a surrogate in mind, you can call 1-800-875-2229 or get help here from one of our surrogacy specialists.

How to Talk About Your Surrogacy Decision

Surrogacy can be a beautiful journey, and it is becoming more common, but not everyone is familiar with the process. Sharing the news with friends and family can be an exciting step, but it can also bring up questions and conversations.

This guide can help you talk about your surrogacy decision with friends and family. You can also call 1-800-875-BABY or click here to talk to a surrogacy professional and get guidance on sharing the news with friends and family.

How to Share Your Good News

How you share your news of surrogacy is totally up to you, and you have some options:

Sharing One-on-One

Sitting down with each person individually in a comfortable space can give you time to talk through any details. This can be a great way to share news with people close to you so that you can give them space to feel included in your journey and give them an opportunity to show their support for you.

This can also be a great strategy if you think someone may have questions or concerns so that you can address them fully and allow them space to share their thoughts and feelings with you. You can also choose who exactly you want to tell and keep the process as private as you would like.

Sharing Through a Social Media Post or Pregnancy Announcement

When it comes to sharing with a lot of friends and family, social media posts or pregnancy announcements can be a great way to get the word out to everyone.

If you choose to share through a social media post or pregnancy announcement, it means that all of your family and friends can feel included in your journey, and it can also help you out later on when the new baby comes—since you won’t be showing a baby bump, it can keep people from being surprised by the new addition to your family.

This choice can allow you to get creative in announcing the pregnancy, and you may even choose to include your surrogate so that people are aware of your journey. It also gives people an opportunity to come to you if they want to talk to you more about surrogacy.

Those who have any questions or negative thoughts may have the space to do research or collect themselves before they talk to you, so you may have more productive conversations, and if they have negative things to say, they may not go out of their way to talk to you.

Sharing at a Dinner or Gathering

Another great strategy for sharing your announcement is to share the news while your friends and family are gathered. Sharing in person can make the news feel more personal and special rather than sharing it over social media or in mailed announcements.

Sharing in a group can be even easier if you tell a friend or two ahead of time because you will know that you have supportive people by your side. When you are surrounded by supportive people, anyone who might have something negative to say may keep their thoughts to themselves.

Answering Some Common Questions

Coming prepared with answers to common questions may help you prepare for announcing your surrogacy. We have included some below.

Why?

Asking why you chose surrogacy may be a sensitive subject, especially if you have personal or medical reasons for choosing surrogacy that you don’t want to share with friends or family.

Remember that you are empowered to share your journey in the way that is most comfortable for you, and no one is entitled to know your personal or medical history. Something as simple as “We are excited to grow our family, and this is a great way to do it.” can be just as effective as a more in-depth answer.

If you are comfortable, sharing more information with friends or family may be a great way to include them in your journey. Having a one or two-sentence explanation for why you chose surrogacy can help you if you are nervous about getting the “why” questions.

Some examples:

“We had embryos left from IVF and were excited to have a child.”

“We wanted to have a child, and after reflection, we decided surrogacy was our best option.”

“It’s been a long journey to have a child, and it led us to surrogacy.”

“We learned more about surrogacy and found that it was a great option for us.”

Will Your Surrogate Share DNA with Your Baby?

In modern surrogacy, your baby will not share DNA with your surrogate. You can simply say “no.”

How Does it Work?

This kind of question can come in many forms. Some may ask you about generalities or specifics. In some cases, people may even wonder aloud about whether there was intimacy involved with your surrogate.

These questions can sometimes be said without thought, but the questions almost always come out of genuine curiosity. You can read articles on how the process works and explain as much as you want, or you can share articles and resources that they can read themselves. With the wide variety of information available online, you only need to share what you feel comfortable sharing.

How to Deal with Potentially Unsupportive Friends and Family

If you are expecting a friend or family member may not be supportive, talking one-on-one with a supportive partner or friend by your side may help you feel comfortable.

It may also be helpful to remind yourself that this may be a new process for friends and family, and they may be learning, so try not to take questions or their emotions personally. Their first reactions are not necessarily a reflection of their long-term support or feelings on the subject.

Get Help from a Surrogacy Professional

Surrogacy professionals can help you during every step of your surrogacy journey, including announcing the decision to family and friends. You can call 1-800-875-BABY or click here to get help from a surrogacy professional now.

Why 2023 is a Great Year to Pursue Surrogacy

The 2023 year is a great opportunity for you to pursue the surrogacy process and become a loving parent for your future child. Find out how you can begin today.

Many people look to the new year as a refreshing start with the “new year, new me” mentality. In addition to setting achievable goals, we also welcome change in our lives.

The 2023 year is a great opportunity for you, as intended parents, to pursue the surrogacy process and become a loving mom or dad for your future child. Your dream of parenthood can become a reality. And, you don’t need to wait any longer to see that come true.

American Surrogacy provides expert care from the best professionals and has many helpful services waiting for you, like:

  • Unlimited re-matching until a successful pregnancy
  • The shortest wait times in the industry
  • Extensive surrogate screening
  • Your own surrogacy specialist for every step of the process
  • And more

You can reach out to a surrogacy specialist at any time for free advice and guidance on how to navigate your 2023 year of family-building through surrogacy. Continue reading for our helpful tips below.

5 Steps to Welcome a New Family Member in the New Year

There is inspiration and hope that come with a new year. So, whether previous family-building methods have not gone in your favor or surrogacy was your first choice, you deserve to be parents. Our team is prepared to make that happen.

Every intended parent’s journey to surrogacy will be different, but there are a few general steps that our surrogacy specialists recommend every hopeful parent take before making life-changing decisions.

In our experience, those who are best prepared for the surrogacy process have usually completed these steps:

Step 1: Decide American Surrogacy is Right for You

Surrogacy is a complicated process and is not one that an intended parent jumps to right away. Those struggling with infertility have many other assisted reproduction methods before gestational surrogacy, such as an IUI or IVF.

Additionally, the adoption process is another method intended parents choose. Very different processes are taken for surrogacy vs. adoption, but they are viable options for those looking to add to their family.

In order to know what is best for your family, you must fully understand all of the options available to you. Fortunately, the specialists at American Surrogacy are well-experienced in both the gestational surrogacy and adoption processes.

Your surrogacy specialist will be your point of contact and will oversee the entire gestational surrogacy process from your initial phone call to well after the surrogacy process is completed. They will be available to:

  • Answer any questions you have along the way
  • Offer support and advice
  • Make sure that your surrogacy journey is proceeding as smoothly as possible

Step 2. Complete the Screening Process with American Surrogacy

To get to know you and your goals for surrogacy better, your specialist will first send you our Surrogacy Planning Questionnaire.

The SPQ will have a variety of questions designed to tailor the surrogacy process to your preferences, including:

  • Do you have any past experiences with surrogacy or adoption?
  • What is your budget for surrogacy?
  • Do you require an egg or a sperm donor?
  • What type of contact do you want with the surrogate during and after the surrogacy?
  • And many more

The screening process is an essential step in our surrogacy method. Your answers will help us find the right surrogate for your family and prepare for the upcoming steps of your surrogacy process.

For intended parents, our screening process includes two steps: the home assessment and background clearances.

The home assessment consists of an in-home inspection and interviews. Your social worker will conduct these steps. Additionally, screening both intended parents and surrogates ensures that the other party is physically, psychologically and legally ready for the surrogacy process before matching. This prevents any delays in your surrogacy process once you begin.

Step 3. Match with a Surrogate

Based on your preferences and goals, your surrogacy specialist will help identify possible surrogate candidates and show them your Intended Parent Profile.

Your profile will include:

  • Information about your family and your home
  • Pictures of your family
  • A letter to any prospective surrogate reading your profile

Your surrogacy specialist and our media team will work with you to create your profile to help you find the right surrogate for your family.

Once you and a surrogate reciprocate interest in one another, your surrogacy specialist will set up a meeting for you to get to know each other and discuss your surrogacy goals.

From there, if both parties are ready to move forward with our surrogacy procedure, you are officially matched, and the legal process will begin.

Step 4. Understand the Legal Process

Both you and your surrogate will have your own attorney who will meet with you individually to review the agreements and ensure you understand your rights and any possible risks.

The legal process is a crucial part of how surrogacy works. Once the contracts are signed, your attorney will begin working on the pre-birth order after the first trimester, which will:

  • Establish you as the legal parents of your child
  • Allow you to make medical decisions for your child
  • Resolve any insurance conflicts
  • Direct the hospital and the state’s vital records department to include your names on the birth certificate

Step 5. Complete the Embryo Transfer

American Surrogacy partners with fertility clinics across the country. We’ll help you find a fertility clinic that’s current with the best surrogacy technology to make this medical process of surrogacy go as smoothly as possible.

In gestational surrogacy, a surrogate is not related to the child that she carries. Instead, a previously created embryo will be transferred into her uterus.

If an egg or sperm donor is required, the fertility clinic will handle much of this surrogacy process while we oversee it.

Once all conditions have been satisfied, the embryo will be transferred to your surrogate. A few months later, once a healthy pregnancy is confirmed, base compensation of monthly payments will begin.

Supporting the surrogate is a vital part of the overall surrogacy process, especially at this stage. Her surrogacy specialist will be available for her during every step of the pregnancy, and we educate and encourage intended parents to be there for her as well in any way they can.

Bringing Your Baby Home This New Year

The hospital stay is obviously a very exciting time for everyone, as everyone’s hard work and dedication will soon result in a beautiful newborn.

You and the surrogate, along with your surrogacy specialist, will determine the events of the hospital stay and the surrogacy birth, such as:

  • The hospital choice for the surrogacy
  • Whether you will be involved with the birth in the delivery room
  • How much the surrogate wants to be a part of post-birth

Once the surrogate can be dismissed from the hospital, you will all leave together, forever connected in this new year.

Our staffs’ help isn’t finished yet. As we said at the beginning, any support and guidance you need over the next few days, weeks or years, we will be there for you.

If you’re ready to have a baby through surrogacy, please contact us today at 1-800-875-BABY.

What to Know about Pregnancy, Infants and RSV

RSV is a virus that can be serious in newborns and young children. It affects the lungs, respiratory system and breathing. Read more on how to prevent spread.

The holiday season is about spending time with family and spreading cheer, but it’s also the time to be cautious about what else we are spreading. The colder months also mean flu season, typically involving a rise in common cold cases such as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

RSV is a virus that can be particularly serious in newborns and children under 5 years old because it affects the lungs, respiratory system and breathing. This guide will help families protect their little ones during and after the gestational pregnancy. Let’s understand:

  • What the symptoms are of RSV
  • The precautions to take during pregnancy
  • How milder cases of RSV can be treated at home
  • When to seek treatment
  • And more

What are the Symptoms of RSV?

The symptoms of RSV can look very similar to those of COVID-19 and the flu. People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days. Symptoms of the infection can include:

  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Coughing then wheezing
  • Fever
  • Decrease in appetite

These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and difficulty breathing.

How to Prevent and Care for RSV

Each year in the United States, an estimated 58,000-80,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized because of RSV infection. Infections in healthy children and adults are generally less severe than among infants and older adults with certain medical conditions.

Those at greatest risk for severe illness from RSV include:

  • Premature infants
  • Infants 6 months and younger
  • Older adults and children younger than 2 years old with chronic lung disease
  • Children and adults with weakened immune systems
  • Children who have neuromuscular disorders, causing difficulty in swallowing or clearing mucus

But this virus is common and typically not severe. People will most likely get infected with RSV for the first time as an infant or toddler. In addition, nearly all children are infected before their second birthday.

There is no specific treatment for RSV infection, but researchers work tirelessly to develop helpful vaccines.  

Help Prevent the Spread of RSV

Whether you made the selfless decision of being a surrogate or you are the intended parent, a child’s safety is always critical.

There are steps you can take to help prevent the spread of RSV. If you have cold-like symptoms, you should:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs and phones or tablets
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands
  • Avoid close contact, such as kissing, shaking hands and sharing cups with others

RSV can spread in many different ways, like when:

  • An infected person coughs or sneezes
  • You get virus droplets from a cough or sneeze in your eyes, nose or mouth
  • You have direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV

Most RSV infections go away on their own in a week or two. But, repeat infections may occur throughout life, and people of any age can become infected.

Steps to Relieve Symptoms at Home

In the U.S., RSV circulation generally starts during fall and peaks in the winter. The timing and severity of RSV circulation can vary from year to year.

  • Manage fever and pain with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Never give aspirin to children).
  • Keep your child hydrated with water and electrolyte drinks to prevent dehydration (loss of body fluids).
  • Talk to your healthcare provider before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines. Some medicines contain ingredients that are not good for children.

When to See the Pediatrician or Visit an Emergency Center for RSV

Some cases of RSV can be serious and cause severe illnesses such as:

  • Bronchiolitis
  • Pneumonia
  • And more

If your child has any of the following symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician immediately:

  • Fast, labored breathing
  • Discolored skin, lips or nails
  • Dehydration
  • Symptoms worsen or do not improve after 10 days

In the most severe cases, hospitalized patients may require oxygen, IV fluids and/or mechanical ventilation. Most improve with this type of supportive care and are discharged in a few days.

For pregnant women, RSV infection may pose a substantial risk for hospitalization and further complications, and the infection is likely worsened in the setting of baseline pulmonary diseases, such as asthma and tobacco use.

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Talk to your healthcare provider today If your child is at high risk for severe RSV disease. For more information regarding the late stages of the surrogacy process, you can contact an American Surrogacy specialist now. Get started today and grow your family through surrogacy.

3 Inspiring Celebrity Surrogacy Stories

If you’re wondering if surrogacy is the right choice for you, we get it. That’s why we’ve compiled three different but equally beautiful celebrity surrogacy stories to help inspire you to start the process.

If you’re considering growing your family via surrogacy, reading about others’ experiences can help you determine if it’s the right family-building option. And some of the most inspiring surrogacy experiences that are easily accessible come from Hollywood.

Contact one of our surrogacy professionals today if you’re ready to start your surrogacy journey.

But, continue reading to discover three motivational celebrity surrogacy stories.

1. Elton John

After initially trying to adopt, husbands Elton John and David Furnish worked with the same gestational surrogate for the birth of their two children, Elijah and Zachery.

John noted that the surrogate they worked with “is a wonderful, kind and loving woman” and allowed him and his husband to witness both of their sons’ births in the delivery room.

“We tried to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere,” John said to People. “We were as excited at the prospect of Elijah’s birth as we were at the prospect of Zachary’s—but much less nervous.”

“The birth of our second son completes our family in a most precious and perfect way,” John said while reflecting on his second child’s birth. “It is difficult to fully express how we are feeling at this time; we are just overwhelmed with happiness and excitement.”

2. Nicole Kidman

Before Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban worked with a gestational carrier to have Faith, their second child, in 2010, the couple had Sunday, their first daughter, in 2008.

Kidman is one of the many women who have struggled to conceive after a successful pregnancy.

“Anyone that’s been in the place of wanting another child or wanting a child knows the disappointment, the pain, and the loss that you go through trying and struggling with fertility,” Kidman said on 60 Minutes Australia in 2011, according to BuzzFeed. “Fertility is such a big thing, and it’s not something I’ve ever run away from talking about.”

The couple kept their surrogacy private and released a statement after Faith’s birth, singing the praises of their gestational carrier:

“No words can adequately convey the incredible gratitude that we feel for everyone who was so supportive throughout this process, in particular our gestational carrier.”

Kidman also has two children via adoption with her ex-husband Tom Cruise. 

3. Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett and her spouse Courtney B. Vance struggled with infertility for years.

People reports that the couple tried fertility treatments and in vitro fertilization (IVF) before pursuing surrogacy.

“I was devastated when it didn’t happen [again and again],” Bassett told Oprah in 2007. “The more we learned about surrogacy, the more we began to think that perhaps this was an answer for us.”

In 2006, Bassett and Vance welcomed twins Slater and Bronwyn via surrogate.

Upon meeting their children, the couple felt immense joy. “Just standing there together, holding each other, with the realization that this is the moment that we’ve been working toward, praying for … [it’s a dream come true].”

Why You Should Work With American Surrogacy

If these successful surrogacy stories have inspired you to start your surrogacy journey, we want to tell you that your family is in good hands if you choose to work with American Surrogacy.

The Benefits of American Surrogacy

American Surrogacy is one of the most established full-service national surrogacy agencies that help families grow in the United States.

American Surrogacy will provide you (the intended parents) with the following essential surrogacy services during your journey:

Fast Surrogate Match-Making

American Surrogacy only works with pre-screened women ready to start the surrogacy journey with your family. This means you have the opportunity to match with a surrogate quickly.

For example, while market research shows that the average wait time at most surrogacy agencies is 12 to 18 months, our average wait time for intended parents is only 30 to 90 days.

Financial Protection and Fixed Fees

Surrogacy costs can vary significantly, and market research shows that the average cost of surrogacy is $100,000 to $250,000.

Here at American Surrogacy, we follow a fixed-free structure to ensure you’re aware of all surrogacy costs we can predict upfront so you can confidently move forward.

If you choose to work with our agency for your surrogacy, you’ll pay $129,900 for the surrogacy process. The following services are included in this cost:

  • Agency and case management fees
  • Gestational carrier fees
  • Medical fees
  • Legal fees

A Dedicated Surrogacy Specialist

American Surrogacy’s surrogacy specialists are licensed social workers, so you can be sure they are dedicated to making your surrogacy journey go smoothly.

Your surrogacy specialist will:

  • Help you through every step of your surrogacy journey
  • Ensure you receive all the practical and emotional support your family needs, like infertility counseling
  • Help you craft the right surrogacy plan for your family
  • Coordinate legal and medical services
  • Contact mediation

Start Your Journey With American Surrogacy Today

Successful surrogacies aren’t just for celebrities. With the help of an American Surrogacy specialist, you can also grow your family through surrogacy.