If you’ve been searching for information about what surrogacy is in Virginia — maybe out of curiosity, maybe because someone you love is going through infertility, maybe because the idea has been sitting with you for a while — you’re in the right place.
Surrogacy is one of those topics most people have heard of but few actually understand. This guide clears the picture — plainly, without jargon, and without pressure. It’s written for Virginia families on both sides of the journey: women considering becoming a surrogate, and intended parents exploring the path to parenthood.
Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a baby for another person or couple. The baby goes home with those intended parents — not with the surrogate.
People turn to surrogacy because pregnancy isn’t possible or safe for them. A medical condition. No uterus. Repeated pregnancy loss. A family structure where carrying isn’t possible — same-sex male couples, for example, or single men who want to become fathers.
For families who need it, surrogacy is often the only path to a child who is genetically related to at least one parent.
There are two types of surrogacy. The difference matters.
Traditional surrogacy uses the surrogate’s own egg. That makes her the genetic mother of the child she carries. This creates real legal and emotional complexity — including questions about her parental rights. Today, reputable agencies rarely practice traditional surrogacy. Chesapeake Surrogacy Center does not.
Gestational surrogacy is the modern standard and the only type we offer. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate has no genetic connection to the baby. An embryo is created through IVF using the intended parents’ eggs and sperm — or donor material. That embryo is then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. She carries the pregnancy, but the child is not biologically hers.
This distinction is the foundation of how modern surrogacy works. It matters legally, emotionally, and practically.
Gestational surrogates are women who have had at least one successful pregnancy of their own. Before joining a program, they go through thorough medical, psychological, and background screening.
Women become surrogates for many reasons. Most describe a genuine desire to help someone who cannot have a child on their own. Some have watched someone they love struggle with infertility. Some were inspired by another woman’s experience. Compensation matters too — surrogates receive meaningful financial recognition — but it is rarely the main driver for the strongest candidates.
In Virginia, our surrogates come from communities across the state. Hampton Roads. Richmond. Roanoke. The Shenandoah Valley. They are mothers, military spouses, teachers, nurses, and small business owners. What they share is harder to describe than demographics: genuine generosity and a clear understanding of what they’re agreeing to.
Most families arrive at surrogacy after a long road. Common situations include:
For many of these families, surrogacy is not plan B. It’s the only plan that leads where they need to go.
Here is the broad shape of a gestational surrogacy journey:
The full process typically takes 18 months to two years. For a detailed look at each phase, see our step-by-step surrogacy process guide.
A complete surrogacy journey typically costs between $90,000 and $150,000. That covers surrogate compensation, agency fees, medical costs, legal fees, and related expenses. It’s a significant investment — and one reason surrogacy usually comes after other options have been tried.
At Chesapeake Surrogacy Center, we keep our fees transparent and our compensation structure fair. Surrogate base compensation starts at $50,000. Total packages typically reach $60,000 or more. We keep agency fees as inclusive as possible — because surrogacy should be within reach for Virginia families, not just wealthy ones.
For a full breakdown, visit our surrogate compensation page.
Yes. Gestational surrogacy is practiced in Virginia. Virginia courts have established legal parentage for intended parents in surrogacy arrangements.
Virginia’s legal framework is more complex than in states with modern surrogacy statutes. The existing law dates to 1993 and hasn’t kept pace with how medicine and reproductive law have evolved. Even so, Virginia courts handle these cases. Experienced Virginia reproductive law attorneys know how to structure arrangements that protect both surrogates and intended parents.
The legal landscape is also changing. Virginia has been moving toward a clearer framework for gestational surrogacy. We follow these developments closely and share updates as they happen.
Working with an agency that has specific Virginia legal experience matters here. We have established relationships with reproductive law attorneys who know this state’s courts well.
This question comes up in Virginia more than in some other states. It deserves a real answer.
Ethical concerns usually center on exploitation — financial pressure influencing a woman’s decision, or power imbalances between intended parents and surrogates. These concerns are legitimate. Ethical surrogacy programs address them directly: financial stability requirements protect surrogates from desperation-based decisions. Psychological screening ensures the choice is informed and free. Independent legal counsel means surrogates understand what they’re signing. Compensation structures recognize service without being coercive.
When these safeguards are in place, surrogacy allows women to make a fully informed, autonomous choice to help someone else build a family. Most surrogates call it one of the most meaningful experiences of their lives. Most intended parents describe their surrogate as someone they’ll be grateful to forever.
That’s not exploitation. That’s generosity with proper support around it.
The most useful next step is a real conversation. Not a sales pitch. Just an honest discussion about your situation, your questions, and whether surrogacy is right for you.
Every member of our team has been through surrogacy personally — as a surrogate or as an intended parent. When you reach out, you’re talking to people who understand this from the inside.
Surrogates: reach out to Kaci Moore, our Recruitment and Intake Manager, or start your application when you’re ready.
Intended Parents: complete our inquiry form to get started, or schedule a comprehensive consultation with Director Andrea McAfee when you’re ready to talk through your specific situation.
