A Step-by-Step Guide to the Surrogacy Process

Surrogacy is a process that has helped many couples and individuals start and end successful journeys of parenthood. It is a complex process that can be emotionally and financially challenging, but ultimately it is a way for intended parents to welcome a newborn into their family. Surrogacy is an option for heterosexual couples with fertility issues, male couples, and single mothers and fathers. The surrogacy process has several stages, with the first being researching and preparing for the journey. This involves selecting a reputable surrogacy agency or clinic, completing the necessary paperwork, preparing legal documents, and starting the search for a surrogate mother. In this article, we will focus on all three stages of the surrogacy process and provide quick tips on navigating them successfully.

Step One: Researching and Preparation.

The first stage of the surrogacy process involves researching and selecting a surrogacy agency or clinic that meets your needs. This process begins with filling out a contact form and booking an initial call or in–person meeting with a surrogacy professional. During this initial interview, you will explore and compare different surrogacy programs, terms and conditions, add–ons, backups, incidentals, hidden fees, financial options, and more.

It is essential to note that having more than one agency or clinic in mind allows you to compare and evaluate their services, expertise, and success rates. Researching multiple options provides a broader perspective and enables you to make an informed decision based on your specific requirements and preferences. Take the time to read reviews, gather information about their track record, and speak with other couples who have gone through the surrogacy process. This diligent research will ensure that you choose a reputable agency or clinic that aligns with your goals and values. Remember, the surrogacy journey is a deeply personal and important one, so finding the right partner to guide you through the process is crucial.

Intended parents will also need to complete a registration form and create an intended parent profile. The surrogacy agency will then issue and send a blueprint of the surrogacy agency services contract. This stage also involves preparing the necessary documents, such as marriage certificates or de–facto papers, apostilling, and issuing medical certificates confirming the impossibility of conception.

Once your personal criteria and preferences are finalized, the search for your surrogate will begin. You will meet with a dedicated case manager, who will be your personal assistant through the whole surrogacy process: starting from the moment you are introduced to each other to managing and coordinating your inquiries and providing support in order to ensure your satisfaction. Your case manager will also respond to all initial questions in great detail, introduce available programs and handle negotiations for the final agreement for you and the other intended parents (as sometimes, the case manager may manage up to ten surrogacy cases on different stages). During the first meeting, your case manager will generate an invoice for the first payment. As soon as the first payment is received, the intended parents can take the first steps.

Following the initial meeting and payment, the agency or clinic will prepare and send a personalized plan to the intended parents. This personalized plan will outline the step–by–step process and timeline for your surrogacy journey. It will include important milestones such as the selection of a surrogate mother, legal procedures, medical screenings, and the eventual embryo transfer. Your case manager will guide you through each stage, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of what to expect and address any concerns or questions that may arise.

Quick tips for Step 1 in surrogacy process:

Research surrogacy agencies and clinics, both locally and internationally, considering their expertise, reputation, and success rates.
Complete the contact forms of selected agencies or clinics and schedule initial calls or meetings with their surrogacy professionals.
Attend virtual or in–person interviews with at least two agencies or clinics to compare their surrogacy programs, terms and conditions, guarantees, add–ons, backups, incidentals, hidden fees, financial options, and more.
Request brochures or informational materials about each surrogacy program to better understand what they offer.
Reschedule further calls or meetings with the chosen agency or clinic to delve into the details and nuances of each stage of the surrogacy arrangement and complete the registration form as intended parents.
After deciding on an agency or clinic, create an intended parent profile and review and sign the surrogacy agency/clinic services contract, either physically or using a digital signature.
Proceed with the invoice generated by the agency or clinic and complete the transaction according to their instructions.
Begin the process of preparing the necessary documents, such as the Marriage Certificate or De–Facto papers, apostilling, issuing a medical certificate confirming the impossibility of conception or carrying a healthy pregnancy to term, and other required papers, including translation if necessary and as per the relevant legislation.
Schedule another call or in–person meeting to discuss and ensure the completeness of the prepared and legalized documents, leaving no important details overlooked.

Stage one of the surrogacy process involves researching and selecting a reputable surrogacy agency or clinic, completing necessary paperwork, preparing legal documents, and starting the search for a surrogate mother.

Step Two: Logistics, Legalities, and Surrogate Mother Preparation.

Stage two of the surrogacy process involves several parallel processes, depending on whether the intended parents have cryopreserved gametes or embryos banked in a fertility clinic. These processes are essential for managing the logistics, legal aspects, and preparation of the embryos, oocytes, or sperm:

Process 1: Cryoshipping Preparation.

If the intended parents have their own cryopreserved embryos, the agency or surrogacy clinic communicates with the fertility clinic to handle the export and import legislation, documentation, and logistical details. The necessary documents are issued, and the embryos are prepared and placed into CryoShippers for transportation. For those using vitrified oocytes or cryopreserved sperm, they undergo preparation for transportation.

Process 2: Legal Consultation.

The intended parents consult with a lawyer in their country to understand the surrogacy legislation and the legal process of returning home with a surrogate newborn. Then, the necessary steps, including Apostille signing by a notary, are undertaken to ensure compliance with the legal requirements.

Process 3: Surrogacy Contract and Documentation.

The agency, surrogacy clinic, or the intended parents’ hired surrogacy attorney begins blueprinting the surrogacy contract and preparing the necessary documents for the surrogacy process. There is a call scheduled with the agency’s attorney to discuss the legal framework of the surrogacy process. Upon arriving in the surrogacy country, the intended parents have an in–person meeting with an attorney to further discuss the details and legal nuances.

Process 4: Surrogate Mother Matching and Screening.

The surrogacy professional starts the recruitment process for potential surrogate mothers and asks each candidate to complete a surrogate mother’s profile. The intended parents review these profiles to identify a potential match. If a perfect match is found and approved by the intended parents, an initial call or in–person meeting is set up between the potential surrogate mother and the intended parents. If the matching is successful and both sides want to proceed, an in–person/virtual meeting or call with a surrogacy attorney is scheduled for the intended parents and the surrogate mother.

In cases where a match hasn’t been found, the agency or surrogacy professional continues the search for potential surrogate mothers and intended parents until an ideal candidate is identified. Before signing the surrogacy contract, a comprehensive background check and medical screening are conducted on the surrogate mother. This screening process typically takes between three weeks and one month, but it can sometimes extend up to two months. The surrogate mother undergoes pregnancy tests to confirm she is not already pregnant, and the surrogacy contract is negotiated after the completion of medical testing and screening at the fertility clinic.

These processes in stage two ensure the necessary legal and logistical groundwork is in place and facilitate the matching and screening of potential surrogate mothers, bringing intended parents closer to the realization of their surrogacy journey.

Quick tips for Step 2 in the surrogacy process:

Research and understand the export and import legislation, documentation, and logistical requirements if you have cryopreserved embryos, eggs, or sperm.
Consult with a lawyer to navigate the surrogacy legislation and legal process in your country, including notarized Apostille signing.
Collaborate with the agency, surrogacy clinic, or hired surrogacy attorney to blueprint the surrogacy contract and prepare necessary documents.
Schedule calls and in–person meetings to discuss the legal framework and nuances of the surrogacy process with the agency’s attorney and your personal attorney.
Engage in the process of matching and screening potential surrogate mothers, reviewing their profiles, and arranging meetings or calls.
Allow time for comprehensive background checks, medical screenings, and pregnancy tests for the surrogate mother before finalizing the surrogacy contract.
Ensure the completion of all necessary legal and logistical groundwork to facilitate the progress of your surrogacy journey.

Stage 2 of the surrogacy process involves cryoshipping preparation, legal consultation, surrogacy contract and documentation, and surrogate mother matching and screening, all of which are essential for managing logistics, legalities, and preparing for the surrogacy journey.

Step Three: Surrogacy Contract, Embryo Transfer Preparation, and Pregnancy Confirmation.

Stage 3 of the surrogacy process involves preparing for the embryo transfer and fertilization process, as well as signing the surrogacy contract. The process begins with the surrogacy attorney drafting a surrogacy contract for the intended parents and the surrogate mother. Once both sides have reviewed and finalized the contract, it is printed and signed by all parties involved.

After the contract is signed, the surrogate mother starts working with a fertility consultant and nutritionist to prepare for the pregnancy. She will attend regular appointments at the fertility clinic for ultrasound scans, blood tests, and other medical procedures to track her health and endometrium preparation progress.

At the same time, the intended mother or an egg donor undergoes ovarian stimulation for IVF. The eggs are collected during egg retrieval and fertilized using the intended father’s or donor’s sperm. The fertilized eggs are left for further development in the Time Lapse incubator for five days. If no genetic testing is performed on the preimplantation embryo, the blastocyst (day five embryo) is transferred to the surrogate mother’s uterus.

If the intended parents have vitrified embryos, the surrogacy clinic will thaw and use them during the embryo transfer. If the intended parents have vitrified oocytes and sperm, the fertility clinic will devitrify and fertilize the oocytes with sperm to create the embryos. If the intended parents don’t have vitrified gametes or an embryo, the fertility experts will make IVF embryos in the laboratory.

Some surrogacy clinics perform the ERA test to ensure that the surrogate mother’s endometrium lining is ready for embryo transfer, followed by implantation. Most fertility consultants offer a mock embryo transfer procedure before scheduling an actual one.

Once the embryo is thawed or cultured to the Blastocyst stage in the case of fresh transfer, it is transferred to the surrogate mother’s uterus for further gestation. Fertility and surrogacy clinics may offer an elective single embryo transfer (eSET) or multiple transfers using two or three embryos at once.

Ten days after the embryo transfer, the surrogate mother will come to the clinic to have her urine and blood tests done to confirm her pregnancy status. If the pregnancy tests are positive, the first pregnancy ultrasound scan will be scheduled between weeks 6 and 8 of gestation. This ultrasound can confirm if the pregnancy is viable, estimate the baby’s due date, and check that the baby is growing in the uterus and not ectopic (growing outside the uterus).

The surrogate mother may need to return for a 12–week ultrasound with the fertility/surrogacy clinic but will then be transferred to her OB/GYN for regular care.

Quick tips for Step 3 of the surrogacy process:

Work closely with your surrogacy attorney to review and finalize the surrogacy contract, ensuring all terms and conditions are agreed upon by both you and the surrogate mother.
Ask your dedicated case manager to update you on the surrogate mother’s preparation and, if you are undergoing an IVF cycle, to update you on everything related to your cycle.
Consider optional procedures like the ERA test to assess the surrogate mother’s endometrium lining readiness and mock embryo transfer to prepare for the actual transfer procedure.
Discuss with the fertility and surrogacy clinic the preferred number of embryos to be transferred, whether opting for a single embryo transfer or multiple transfers.
Maintain open communication with your case manager, the surrogate mother, the fertility clinic, the surrogacy agency, and legal professionals to ensure a smooth and successful surrogacy journey.

Conclusion:

Embarking on the surrogacy journey involves navigating through various stages, each with its own set of tasks and considerations. In Stage One, diligent research is crucial to select a reputable surrogacy agency or clinic that aligns with your goals and values. By comparing different options, reading reviews, and speaking with other couples who have undergone the process, you can make an informed decision and find the right partner to guide you.

Stage Two focuses on logistics, legalities, and surrogate mother preparation. This includes handling the transportation of cryopreserved embryos, consulting with a lawyer to understand surrogacy legislation, drafting and finalizing the surrogacy contract, and matching and screening potential surrogate mothers. These processes lay the necessary groundwork for a successful surrogacy journey.

In Stage Three, the surrogacy contract is signed, and preparations for embryo transfer and pregnancy confirmation begin. The surrogate mother receives support from fertility consultants and nutritionists while attending regular medical appointments to monitor her health and endometrium preparation. Meanwhile, the intended mother or an egg donor undergoes ovarian stimulation and fertilization, leading to the creation of embryos for transfer. Optional procedures like the ERA test and mock embryo transfer may be considered to ensure optimal conditions for successful implantation.

Maintaining open communication with your surrogacy team, including the case manager, surrogate mother, fertility clinic, surrogacy agency, and legal professionals, is crucial throughout the journey. Regular updates, discussions about the preferred number of embryos to transfer, and ongoing support contribute to a smooth and successful surrogacy experience.

By following these quick tips and working closely with the relevant professionals, intended parents can navigate the stages of the surrogacy process, addressing legal, logistical, and medical aspects along the way. The surrogacy journey is a significant and personal endeavor, and with the right preparation and support, it can lead to the fulfillment of dreams and the creation of a loving family.