Are you considering becoming a surrogate in Riverside? If so, you’ll have access to great fertility clinics, maternity hospitals, and surrogacy agencies—which makes the Riverside area a fantastic home base for surrogates! 

Read on to learn why Riverside is an excellent city to become a surrogate mother … and how to start your surrogacy journey here. 

Decide if surrogacy is right for you

While surrogacy can be a beautiful, life-changing journey, it’s not a perfect fit for everyone. Surrogacy requires at least a year-long commitment and will have an impact on your body, emotions, time, family, and career. Make sure you understand the physical, emotional, and legal processes of surrogacy before you become a surrogate. 

Learn more about surrogacy requirements  

Surrogacy requirements vary between agencies. At Surrogate Parenting Services (SPS), surrogates must:

  • Have had one or more easy pregnancies and deliveries.
  • Be between the ages of 21 and 40.
  • Be at a healthy weight.
  • Have at least one child of your own living with you.
  • Be a non-smoker.
  • Have reliable transportation.
  • Be financially stable.
  • Have a desire to help another person in a special way.
  • … And love being pregnant! 

Find partners you can trust in Riverside

Once you’ve decided to move forward, it’s time to choose a reputable surrogacy agency to guide you through your journey. But what kinds of things should you look for in a surrogacy agency? 

It’s important to consider the agency’s history and level of experience, the type of support they offer surrogates, whether they require (or provide) legal representation for surrogates, and how upfront they are about compensation.

One of the best surrogacy agencies in the Riverside area is Surrogate Parenting Services (SPS). Founded in 1990, SPS is considered one of the oldest and most established full-service surrogacy agencies in California. At SPS, we pride ourselves on our personal matching process and our exceptionally supportive environment. To date, we’ve helped bring over 800 healthy, happy babies into the world! 

You can also rest assured that you’ll get top-quality medical care in Riverside. We work with trusted clinics and hospitals in the Riverside area, including Loma Linda University Medical Center, San Antonio Regional Hospital, and Desert Regional Medical Center.

Go through the application and interview process

After contacting a surrogacy agency, you’ll apply and have several different types of screenings.  

At SPS, you’ll fill out several forms, and then have a phone interview with our Surrogate Intake Manager. We’ll request your medical records and do a background check. 

Then we’ll have a more in depth interview, which is conducted via video call with you and your partner (if applicable). This interview is used to learn more about you and your home life and make sure surrogacy is a good fit for your family. 

Next, under normal circumstances, we would come visit you and your family at your home for a final home check and review any other questions you may have. Given the current situation with COVID-19, this is now a part of the video interview. 

Finally, our surrogates receive a psychological screening by a licensed psychologist to ensure that she’s prepared for the surrogacy journey ahead of her. (This also is currently being conducted via video conference.)

Match with intended parents 

Next, it’s time to get matched with the intended parent(s)! Our goal at SPS is to create a bond and trust between surrogates and IPs to make the experience of both parties as rewarding as possible. 

We have over 30 years of experience building our trusted reputation, and our success is directly tied to our commitment to high-quality matches

Finalize the surrogacy agreement 

At SPS, we believe it’s essential that surrogates and intended parents have expert legal guidance before moving forward. We’ll arrange for you to meet with an attorney, at no cost to you, who will explain to you what the surrogacy contract means and how the contract affects and protects you.  

Get pregnant and navigate your pregnancy journey

While each surrogacy journey is unique, typically surrogates and intended parents undergo a series of fertility treatments leading up to an embryo transfer. At SPS, your case manager will be at all milestone appointments leading up to and during your pregnancy. (Note that while we’re social distancing during COVID-19, your case manager may be supporting you via video or phone call.) 

… And finally, the happiest step of all: you get to welcome a tiny new life into the world! 

We hope this article shed some light on how to become a surrogate in Riverside. If you do decide to pursue surrogacy, have a wonderful journey!  

Learn More About Becoming a Surrogate with Surrogate Parenting Services 

Surrogate Parenting Services is proud to celebrate 30 Years of helping to bring dreams to life! Founded in 1990, Surrogate Parenting Services (SPS) is a full-service surrogacy program that offers both parties an exceptionally supportive environment throughout the surrogacy relationship. We’re passionate about creating ideal matches between surrogates and intended parents, so the journey is fulfilling for both sides and the future child is brought into this world in the best possible circumstances.   

Learn more about our Surrogacy Program online or by calling (949) 363-9525.