If you are interested in becoming a surrogate, there are many questions that you might have about the surrogacy process, how it works, and how you can have a good experience. While the surrogacy process does vary depending on state laws, surrogacy professionals that handle your case, and on your circumstances, there are some easy steps that you can take to prepare yourself for the journey you are about to embark on – and maybe prepare the other people in your life as well.

Step 1: Decide If Surrogacy Is The Best Step For You To Take

The first step in any surrogacy process is to consider whether or not surrogacy is for you, your family, and your lifestyle. Becoming a surrogate is a long, emotional, and personal journey – and it is a huge commitment. While you will have the best medical care and protection, things can sometimes go wrong.

Just like with any other major decision that you make, you need to carefully research surrogacy, make a pros and cons list, speak with surrogacy professionals, and do the legwork to see if surrogacy is for you.

If you are a prospective surrogate, you need to know that this is a life-changing decision that can be fulfilling, but it comes with challenges. With surrogacy, you are committing about a year of your life (or more) to another family. You will be subject to medical and psychological evaluations and procedures – and that is all before you get pregnant.

Still, we think that the positives of surrogacy far outweigh the negatives.

Step 2: Decide On The Type of Surrogate You Want To Be

Once you have committed to being a surrogate, then you need to determine your goals, needs, and wants ahead of actually becoming one. There are two types of surrogacy to consider:

Traditional Surrogacy is when the surrogate is the biological mother of the child that she is carrying. Her egg is fertilized using either a donor’s sperm or the intended father’s sperm. Many fertility doctors no longer perform traditional surrogacies since gestational surrogacy is the preferred option for most people.

Gestational Surrogacy is when the child is not biologically related to the surrogate mother in any way. The egg comes from either the intended mother or a donor. The egg is fertilized in a laboratory, and the embryo is transferred in to the surrogate’s uterus.

Step 3: Decide On The Surrogacy Professional To Use

Next, you want to decide on what type of surrogacy professional to use to help you get through the process. The first is a surrogacy agency, like SPS, that can provide all of the surrogacy services to you, including matching, screening, case management, support, counseling, legal and more.

Another professional you might want to consider is a surrogacy attorney. These professionals can help with any legal work that you might encounter. It can also just be helpful to know of an attorney should anything go wrong. While this is uncommon, you do need to be prepared.

Step 4: Consider What You Want In A Match

As the surrogate, you have quite a bit of power. One of the most exciting steps is finding the right intended parents, as you are giving people the gift of life. If you already have an agency that you want to work with, you might what to think intensely about what type of family you want to help build. There are many different options out there: you can help single women or men become parents, LGBTQIA couples, traditional families, those who already have children, or any other formation. Families come in all shapes and sizes, so you need to think about what will make you the most comfortable.

Remember that you will be spending quite a bit of time with these people, so you want to find a personality that meshes with yours. Of course, a surrogacy specialist can help you there, but you want to be able to make some decisions for yourself.

Step 5: Satisfy Legal Requirements

Once you have decided on the family that you want to help build and the intended parents agree to move forward, there are some legal requirements that you need to fulfill. Each party will have their legal requirements that need to be represented and safeguarded. Once everyone agrees on the terms of the contract and your lawyer approves of it, then the process can officially begin.

If you are interested in becoming a surrogate and you want more information or are looking for a California agency to help you, contact SPS today.