Compensation for surrogacy varies based on factors such as location and experience:

First-time surrogates can typically earn starting from $55,000 +(with potential for higher compensation in California and the west coast ), while experienced surrogates may receive up to $120,000 or more.

In addition to base compensation, you will be reimbursed for lost wages and childcare expenses. If you do not have health insurance, the intended parents will provide it for you. All other costs including travel, attorney fees, and medical bills will also be covered by the intended parents.

You will start receiving various payments once you are matched with a family and go to the IVF clinic. Your compensation will be paid monthly after you confirm the pregnancy. All the other expenses will be paid through a trust account so that you don’t use your own money.

Preparation and Medications: Once legal contracts are finalized, you will likely begin taking fertility medications. These medications help prepare your uterus for embryo implantation and increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. Simultaneously, the intended mother or egg donor will undergo treatment to stimulate the production of healthy eggs.

Egg Retrieval and Fertilization: The eggs will be retrieved from the intended mother or donor and fertilized in a laboratory using sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor.

Embryo Transfer: After a few days of incubation, you will go to the clinic for the embryo transfer procedure. A predetermined number of embryos will be transferred into your uterus for implantation. This procedure is generally quick and minimally invasive, although you may be advised to rest for a few days afterward.

Pregnancy Confirmation: A few weeks after the embryo transfer, you will return to the clinic for a pregnancy test to confirm if the embryo has implanted successfully.

Ultrasound Confirmation: Around six weeks after conception, an ultrasound will be performed to confirm the presence of a fetal heartbeat.

Compensation and Prenatal Care: Once pregnancy is confirmed, you will begin receiving your base compensation. Throughout the pregnancy, you will continue to receive prenatal care and attend regular checkups to monitor both your health and the progress of the pregnancy.

Throughout this entire process, you will be supported by medical professionals and the surrogacy agency to ensure a smooth and healthy journey for both you and the intended parents.

In gestational surrogacy, no.

The genetic relationship of the baby is determined by whose egg and sperm are used to create the embryo, not by whose uterus carries the baby. If intended parents use their own egg and sperm, the baby will be genetically related to them. However, if they use egg and/or sperm donors, the baby will be genetically related to the donors.

In essence, the genetic makeup of the baby is solely determined by the egg and sperm used in the embryo creation process, independent of the surrogate's uterus.

While many women have the compassionate desire to serve as a surrogate, only a select few meet the rigorous criteria necessary to qualify. These screening processes are in place to safeguard the well-being of the surrogate, intended parents, and any children born through surrogacy.

Requirements encompass physical, social, legal, and emotional aspects. Specific criteria may vary by state and surrogacy agency, so it's advisable to consult with a professional for detailed information. Please check the Become a Surrogate page or Contact Us.

Though it may seem extensive, it is crucial that a woman is fully prepared and in optimal health before embarking on the surrogacy journey—for her own well-being and for the well-being of the intended parents' future child.

The number of embryos that will be transferred will be predetermined and outlined in your surrogacy agreement. Your contract will include information about the number of embryo transfer attempts you will complete and the number of embryos that will be transferred during each attempt. If you are comfortable carrying multiples, two or three embryos may be transferred at a time. This is one of those surrogacy questions that you’ll ultimately need to discuss with your intended parents.

Doxycycline

• Use: Doxycycline is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in the body. You and your partner may each be prescribed this pre-cycle antibiotic early in your surrogacy journey to treat any possible low-grade pelvic infection that may exist. Doxycycline is an added precaution that ensures you are healthy and ready for the surrogacy cycle. It may also act as an anti-rejection tactic to ensure your body accepts the embryo when it is implanted.

• Administration: Doxycycline is generally taken as an oral tablet. It may be administered for a brief period before the embryo transfer and again after the transfer.

• Possible Side Effects: Most women will not experience side effects with doxycycline, but this may vary by individual.

Lupron

• Use: Lupron prevents your natural cycle from interfering with the surrogacy process by inhibiting the secretion of hormones that control your cycle. Lupron temporarily “shuts down” the ovaries to prevent premature ovulation, giving your reproductive endocrinologist complete control over your cycle.

• Lupron is usually used in conjunction with birth control pills to synchronize your cycle with the intended mother’s or egg donor’s cycle prior to the embryo transfer. You will usually begin taking Lupron about 14 days after starting birth control, and your dosage will likely decrease when your menstrual cycle starts. You will discontinue Lupron completely in the days before the egg retrieval is performed for the intended mother or egg donor.

• Administration: Lupron is usually self-administered by injection using a ½ inch needle.

• Possible Side Effects: Lupron is generally well-tolerated, but some side effects of Lupron may include headache, fatigue and hot flashes.

Estrogen

• Use: Estrogen is a hormone naturally produced by the ovaries to thicken the uterine lining and help maintain an early pregnancy. You will take estrogen early in your cycle in the form of birth control pills to help coordinate with the intended mother’s or egg donor’s cycle.

• You will also begin taking estrogen replacements about halfway through your use of Lupron and will continue through the 12th week of pregnancy, when the placenta takes over hormone production. These hormone supplements help replace the natural hormones that were suppressed while on Lupron so that you can maintain any pregnancy that occurs.

• Administration: Estrogen may be administered by oral tablet, suppository, injection or a patch applied to the skin on the abdomen.

• Possible Side Effects: Side effects may vary depending on the form of the estrogen supplements. Women who use the patch may experience skin redness, irritation, nausea or fluid retention. Estrogen administered by oral tablet or suppository may cause bloating, nausea or breast tenderness. Weight changes, headache, stomach upset and cramping are other possible side effects.

Progesterone

• Use: Progesterone is the hormone produced by the ovaries after ovulation. Once the uterine lining reaches the ideal thickness, you will begin taking progesterone replacements to further prepare the uterus for embryo implantation. This hormone signals the uterus to begin producing the proper nutrients to support the embryo.

• You will start taking progesterone in the days prior to the embryo transfer and continue until the 12th week of pregnancy to help maintain a stable pregnancy.

• Administration: Progesterone may be administered through suppositories, gels or pills, but it is usually administered by intramuscular injections. These injections use a larger needle than is used for the Lupron injections and generally need to be administered by a nurse or at home by a spouse or partner.

• Possible Side Effects: Side effects of progesterone may include bloating, irritability and tenderness of the injection site, breast tenderness, vaginal discharge and dizziness.

Aspirin

• Use: You may need to take a daily low-dose aspirin to assist with cycle stimulation. Aspirin has been suggested to improve implantation rates and pregnancy in women undergoing in vitro fertilization, and is generally used during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

• Administration: Aspirin is taken as an oral tablet.

• Possible Side Effects: Aspirin’s side effects are usually minor but may include upset stomach, heartburn or easy bruising.

Tetracycline

• Use: Tetracycline is an antibiotic taken a few days prior to the embryo transfer to prevent infection and subsequent rejection of the embryo.

• Administration: Tetracycline is taken as an oral tablet.

• Possible Side Effects: Tetracycline side effects may include minor stomach upset and sensitivity to the sun.

Medrol

• Use: Medrol is a low-dose steroid that is used to suppress the autoimmune system and increase the chance of successful embryo implantation.

• Administration: Medrol is taken as an oral tablet.

• Possible Side Effects: Most women will not experience side effects from taking Medrol.

Prenatal Vitamins

• Use: Finally, your doctor will likely have you take prenatal vitamins before the transfer and throughout your pregnancy. These vitamins ensure that you and the baby are getting the proper nutrients and encourage healthy growth and development for the baby.

• Administration: Prenatal vitamins can be taken orally.

• Possible Side Effects: While taking prenatal vitamins, you may experience mild constipation, diarrhea, nausea or upset stomach.

Final Thoughts

Remember that every woman is different. Not every surrogate will take the same dose of the same medication at the same time during the surrogacy process. Your exact course of treatment will vary depending on your individual needs. Always listen to your body and follow your medical professional’s instructions to keep yourself and the baby healthy and to ensure a successful surrogate pregnancy. We will guide you the entire process if you choose to work with us.