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Did you know that by considering surrogacy and clicking this article, you’ve already begun the surrogacy process?
That’s because the initial step in the surrogacy process is deciding whether surrogacy is truly right for you and your family. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to this decision, so it’s important that you do as much research as possible and have the best understanding of what surrogacy means for you and your family before moving forward. If you’re wondering, “How does surrogacy work?” our website is a great place to start.
In addition, our surrogacy specialists are always available to provide education and guidance as you consider beginning a surrogacy journey. To begin this discussion with no obligation, click the following to request free surrogacy information and speak with a surrogacy specialist.
To help you better understand what to expect from this parenthood journey and how our surrogacy services are tailored, we’ve explained the surrogacy process step by step below:
1. GETTING STARTED WITH AMERICAN SURROGACY
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. Your specialist will be available to answer any questions you have along the way, offer support and advice and make sure that your surrogacy journey is proceeding as smoothly as possible.
Your surrogacy specialist will set up a phone call with you to verify that you have hired a fertility clinic and are ready to move forward with embryo creation. Your specialist will then set you up with your online account where you will be able to complete our Surrogacy Planning Questionaire (SPQ), which will allow us to get to know you and your goals for surrogacy better.
The SPQ will ask you a variety of questions that are important for how we will tailor the process of surrogacy to your situation, including:
Do you have any past experiences with surrogacy or adoption? Do you require an egg or a sperm donor? What is your budget for surrogacy? What type of contact arrangement with the surrogate do you want during the surrogacy journey? What type of contact arrangement with the surrogate do you want after the surrogacy journey? And many moreSurrogacy Planning Questionnaire
Your answers will help us find the right surrogate for your family and prepare for the upcoming steps of your surrogacy journey.
2. COMPLETING THE SCREENING PROCESS
Screening is an essential step to our surrogacy method, promising both our intended parents and surrogates that we have taken every measure possible to ensure the other party is physically, psychologically and legally ready to begin their surrogacy journey.
Background Clearances—For you, your significant other, and people over 12 years old living in your home.
While you will have to complete screening as part of our surrogacy process, so do our surrogates. This way, we can make sure both parties are ready to pursue the gestational surrogacy process and all of the commitments required — to prevent any delays in your surrogacy journey once you begin.
3. FINDING A SURROGATE
Your surrogacy specialist will work with you to create an Intended Parent Profile to help you find the right surrogate for your family. Your profile will include pictures and information about your family and your home, as well as a letter to any prospective surrogate reading your profile. Then, based on your preferences and goals, your surrogacy specialist will help identify possible surrogate candidates and show them your profile.
Once you have a potential match, your surrogacy specialist will set up a conference call or meeting for you to get to know one another and discuss each of your surrogacy goals in more detail. Your specialist will help you prepare for this, as well.
After this conversation, if everyone wants to proceed, an official match will be made, paperwork will be signed, and we will move toward the drafting of legal contracts.
4. BEGINNING THE LEGAL PROCESS
Both you and your surrogate will have your own attorney who specializes in assisted reproductive technology and each state’s laws. Your attorney will meet with you individually to review the language and compensation you’ve each agreed upon and to ensure you understand your rights and any possible risks. The legal process is a crucial part of how surrogacy works; without a solid legal contract outlining responsibilities and expectations, the process of surrogacy can be very complicated and even dangerous for intended parents.
Once the contracts are signed, things start getting really exciting, as we will begin preparing your embryo transfer!
5. COMPLETE EMBRYO TRANSFER
American Surrogacy works with fertility clinics across the country. We can always help you find a fertility clinic that’s current with the best services to make the IVF process go as smoothly as possible.
But exactly how does gestational surrogacy work with American Surrogacy?
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 assist in the creation of embryos. If the intended mother’s eggs will be used to produce an embryo, she will be administered a course of drugs to stimulate the production of multiple eggs. On the other hand, many of our intended parents have remaining embryos from previous IVF cycles. Usually, these can also be used for the embryo transfer process.
Once all conditions have been satisfied, the embryo will be transferred to your surrogate. 4-6 weeks later, once a healthy pregnancy is confirmed, base compensation of monthly payments will begin.
Supporting the surrogate is a very important 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.
6. FINALIZING THE LEGAL PROCESS
After the first trimester, your attorney will begin working on parentage orders, 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.
Clearly, securing a parentage order will give you peace of mind that the child is absolutely, and most importantly, legally yours. Whether you can complete a pre-birth order or post-birth parentage order will depend on your state surrogacy laws, but your surrogacy specialist and lawyer will have discussed this with you during the contract stage of the surrogacy process.
7. BRINGING HOME YOUR BABY
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!
Your specialist will assist in creating a hospital plan to ensure everyone’s needs are met during this amazing time. We will coordinate with the hospital for your delivery, whether you will witness the birth in the delivery room, how much the surrogate wants to be involved in the post-birth celebration, and much more.
Finally, as we said at the beginning, our staff isn’t finished yet. Any help you need over the next few days, weeks or years, we will be there for you in any way we can. If you’re wondering how to have a baby through surrogacy, please contact us today to learn more about how surrogacy works.