Gestational surrogacy is when a woman carries a baby or babies (in the case of a twin surrogate pregnancy) that she is not biologically related to. As a gestational surrogate, you supply the “host uterus” or “oven,” as we like to say, for a couple or individual who could otherwise not become parents to their biological child! We work with intended parents and surrogates of all different backgrounds and help them on their surrogacy journey.
Becoming a surrogate for someone in need is a beautiful experience. When you become a surrogate with Creative Family Connections, you are helping a couple or single intended parent bring their baby or babies into the world through a surrogate pregnancy.
Our intended parents create their own embryos in a medical laboratory via in vitro fertilization, or IVF, with their IVF clinic. A gestational surrogate is never biologically related to the baby or babies. The intended parent embryos are created with the eggs of another woman – either the intended mother, or an egg donor. Intended parents or an intended parent may also work with a sperm donor to help them on their journey.
As a gestational surrogate, your role is to carry your intended parents’ baby or babies safely to delivery. We’re here to fulfill someone’s dream to be a parent after all. But your decision to help someone is truly so much more. As a surrogate, you enable intended parents to experience the miracle of a pregnancy with you and your family, including sharing the incredible joy that comes when you see the baby with its biological parents upon birth.
It is only through the generosity and compassion of someone like you that our intended parents remain hopeful in their ability to have a biological child. Our intended parents are extremely grateful for women like you who are willing to help them become parents!
Our gestational surrogates tell us that a surrogacy journey (or a few!) changes their lives too. They feel fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to change someone’s life in such a huge way. Many surrogates also tell us that they are able to lead by example in showing their children what giving back can look like in helping others build their family.
So you’re now beyond just considering being a surrogate — You’ve met the basic qualifications and are ready to commit! Now what? The following steps will carry you through your surrogacy journey:
Consider whether you’re more comfortable choosing a surrogacy agency, a surrogacy attorney, or going independently. Some surrogacy agencies like Creative Family Connections are an agency that also offers legal support services.
Once you’ve completed the screening process and chosen your surrogacy agency, your surrogacy consultant will work with you to figure out your goals for a journey. Becoming a surrogate is a beautiful, selfless act, and you deserve to work with an agency that puts your needs first!
An experienced agency will listen to your preferences and find an incredible intended parent match for you and your family! You will then be ready to be matched with your intended parents and begin the medical and legal next steps.
To make the surrogacy journey official, you and the intended parent or parents will agree to terms in a surrogacy contract. You will have your own surrogacy attorney who is licensed in your state of residence to represent you and your family in the contract details. After the contract has been signed, you’re ready to prepare for the IVF cycling medications and first (and sometimes last!) embryo transfer. Alternatively, sometimes the medical screening will take place after contracts are completed, on a case-by-case basis.
There are few things more special than helping an individual or couple create a family. Gestational surrogacy is a wonderfully rewarding experience and one that will change your life forever. Seeing your intended parents with their baby for the first time is one of the most magical parts of a surrogacy journey. They can finally experience the joy you feel every day with your own family!
To become a surrogate, the first step is to understand the initial requirements outlined by the surrogacy agency or law team you choose to work with. At Creative Family Connections, here are the requirements for women interested in gestational surrogacy:
Your health as a surrogate is very important and will be monitored throughout the entire gestational surrogacy process. The medical requirements for surrogates include four stages:
Before starting the cycling process and the first embryo transfer, you and your intended parents will sign a legal contract. Once all parties sign the paperwork, you can begin the cycle medications and prepare for the embryo transfer. We have a few payments you will receive before you are even pregnant as well! Surrogacy laws vary from state to state so it’s crucial to find a surrogacy law team that is an expert about current surrogacy laws.
Your contract will outline all of the legal aspects of the surrogacy pregnancy, including:
If you meet the qualifications for becoming a surrogate, you’re ready for the screening process, which includes:
When you’re interested in giving the gift of surrogacy, you’re bound to have many questions about the gestational surrogacy process.
The surrogacy process can vary greatly depending on your gestational surrogacy agency, your individual life circumstances, like marital status, and even your state of residence. Because surrogacy law, whether by statute or case law, differs from state to state, it is important to enlist the help of an assisted reproductive technology (ART) reproductive lawyer to guide you through the legal process.
If you are considering being a surrogate — whether you carry a baby for a single parent, a heterosexual couple, a gay couple, or anyone else with a desire to grow their family — this guide will walk you through the screening, medical, and legal requirements to help you prepare for the wonderful journey ahead!
Creative Family Connections helps intended parents of all backgrounds, from all over the world, realize their dream of creating families by matching them with you – the gestational surrogate. But our role in the journey doesn’t end there. We provide you and your intended parents full support throughout the entire process – from matching through post-delivery. In fact, you will also be matched with your own dedicated journey coordinator, who will be there to support you from beginning to end.
Our Creative Family Connections team works together and is always rooting for everybody in their surrogacy journeys. It really takes an extraordinary superhero to be a surrogate. We hope to be able to show you how incredible gestational surrogacy can be in changing someone’s life forever, including yours. Become a part of our CFC family and take the first step!
To become a gestational surrogate with Creative Family Connections, start your journey by filling out our Surrogate Application.
To become a gestational surrogate with Creative Family Connections, start your journey by filling out our Surrogate Application.
