Surrogates have a unique path. They not only get to make someone’s dreams come true by helping to grow their family, but they also have the unique experience of selecting which family to work with. At SPS, we help take the guesswork out of the equation by matching surrogates up with intended parents we feel strongly will make a good pairing, based on important things like values and personalities. Of course, this only sets the groundwork for the surrogacy process, and you may find yourself wondering exactly what happens after you meet your ideal match. To be blunt, it’s nothing like the movies, but it is a magical process.

You’ll Have a Medical Evaluation with the Intended Parents’ Physician

Before any procedures are carried out, you’ll meet with the intended parent’s physician. This is usually a doctor who specializes in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy pregnancies. During the exam, the doctor will make sure you’re healthy enough to be a gestational carrier and will map out a treatment plan.

You’ll Meet with an Attorney

Surrogacy contracts are an essential part of protecting both you and the intended parent(s). They ensure that you’ll be paid what you expect and when you expect it, plus they also make it possible for the intended parents to go forward and make the arrangements for custody of the baby before he or she is even born. California has some amazing laws on the books, and taking advantage of them is as easy as a session or two with an experienced surrogacy attorney. We can help make sure you get matched with a lawyer who will draw up the contract with you in mind or who will independently review one to make sure you are looked after properly.

You’ll Undergo IVF

Sometimes, the intended mother will be able to use her own eggs for the surrogacy process. If this is the case, you’ll both undergo treatment to sync your cycles. Other times, a frozen embryo or donor egg may be used.  A typical IVF cycle will take 4-6 weeks. If all goes well, you’ll be pregnant at the end of the cycle. If not, you and the intended parents can decide how many cycles you’re willing to try.

You’ll (Hopefully) Be Pregnant

When a frozen embryo is used, the odds of success is generally just below 50%. However, this skyrockets to 65% when the embryo is new. If you’re in one of these categories, there’s about a 95% chance you’ll have a successful delivery. A congratulations is certainly in order, but you’re not done yet. You’ll have 7-8 months of regular checkups. These will be more frequent than the ones you had with your own prior (non-IVF) pregnancies. These visits are a great opportunity to invite the intended parents in to share the joy.

You’ll Welcome a Baby or Babies

Although recent studies suggest that transferring more embryos won’t necessarily increase your odds of success, it does increase the odds of multiples when there is a success. Somewhere between 15-18 months after you first started your journey, you’ll welcome a baby or babies into the world, and you’ll forever be part of the miracle that helped complete a family.

Get More Info on the Guidelines for Gestational Surrogates

The surrogacy journey is amazing, and you’ll be surrounded by people who care about you and want to support you throughout. However, not everyone is able to become a surrogate, simply because a life or lives hang in the balance. If you’ve been considering becoming a surrogate, please review our surrogacy guidelines and reach out to us if you think you’re a good fit.