Becoming a Surrogate

Surrogates help create and grow families. Are you interested in becoming a surrogate? Here’s how to get started:

• Do your research. There is an abundance of information online. Read this site, information published by fertility clinics/fertility centers and agencies, and social media and blogs of women who have already served as surrogates. Spend at least a few weeks reading everything you can find to educate yourself about surrogacy. Knowledge is power!
• Find out if you have the support of your friends and family. If you are married or in a relationship, your partner will be a crucial participant in the surrogacy process and, like you, will have to undergo medical and psychological testing - make sure you have his or her full support. Talk to other family members and friends as well. The more people you have on your team, the better.
• Confirm you qualify. Surrogates need to be healthy, emotionally stable, and financially secure. They must have had at least one prior pregnancy and delivery, with no significant medical complications. Generally, doctors prefer that they be between the ages of 21 and 45. For more information about the qualifications for being a surrogate, check out the guidelines published by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
• Contact a lawyer. Whether you decide to work with a surrogacy program or surrogacy agency or work with a family independent of a matching/coordinating program, you will need a lawyer to represent you. Reach out to a lawyer at the beginning of the process for advice on how to find a reputable program or compatible family. Your lawyer is your advocate and guide through the surrogacy process. The family you work with will pay for your lawyer, but most lawyers will consult with you early in the process for no fee or for a deferred fee. Find an experienced surrogacy attorney in our Attorney Directory.