Surrogacy is an incredible way to give the gift of family, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. At Chesapeake Surrogacy Center, our team of experienced professionals and former surrogates will be by your side, offering guidance and encouragement throughout the process. We’re committed to making your journey as smooth, supportive, and rewarding as possible, while respecting your dedication and bravery.
A surrogate, or more specifically a gestational carrier, is a woman who generously agrees to carry a pregnancy for another individual or couple—the intended parents—with the intention of giving them the precious gift of a child. The surrogate has no genetic link to the baby she carries; the child is conceived through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using the eggs and sperm of the intended parents or donors. Before the surrogacy journey begins, both the Intended Parents and the Surrogate sign a contract and the Gestational Carrier is compensated for her services.
When you make the choice to take part in surrogacy and carry a baby for someone else, you’ll have the chance to help all kinds of people create families of their own. The people helped by surrogacy are from all walks of life, of all sexual orientations, and of varying ethnic backgrounds. Some people who may turn to surrogacy are:
Why become a surrogate? The most common reason is to help others. While not a requirement, many surrogates have also finished growing their own families, but really enjoyed being pregnant. Surrogates in our program are compensated $60,000+. The compensation one receives from surrogacy helps your own family achieve their financial goals.
If you wish to become a surrogate, you must meet the following requirements:
The surrogacy process can be divided into ten steps. On average, the process takes fifteen to eighteen months.
After you complete an online application to become a surrogate, one of our case managers will have an interview with you and answer all your questions about the surrogacy process. After that, we’ll perform the required state and federal background checks, do a review of your medical information and records, clear you with an OBGYN, and perform a psychological evaluation. The entire screening usually takes about 6-8 weeks.
You will create a private profile that intended parents can review. Your profile will have your pregnancy history, as well as your expectations for the surrogacy journey, and any other matching preferences. You will get to upload pictures, a video (if you wish) and letter to potential parents.
You get to see parents first! We will share profiles of intended parents that we think would be a good fit based on your personality and journey preferences. Once you pick a family that you’d like to work with, we’ll share your profile with them. If they express mutual interest, we will arrange a meeting that will be facilitated by your case manager. This is a way for you to get acquainted with the intended parents in an open, non-judgmental, no-pressure way. Often, the result of this meeting is a verbal agreement to move forward with the process.
You will work on a “gestational carrier agreement” along with the other party, the intended parents. The contract lists all the details of each party’s expectations, as well as all compensation that you will receive as a surrogate. Our agency will provide you with an independent, qualified attorney to help you review the contract and make changes as necessary.
We will help you set up an escrow account that contains your surrogacy payments. The account is with an independent escrow company, keeping it totally secure and transparent. You can login online anytime to view your escrow account, and see past and future payments. All compensation is paid to you promptly by direct deposit.
Now that contracts are complete, you will go to the fertility clinic for additional evaluation. You’ll undergo ultrasounds, as well as blood work to check your hormone levels and for infectious diseases (as mandated by the FDA). The clinic staff will also explain the upcoming medical protocol that will prepare your body for the embryo transfer.
If the first transfer is a success, you’ll be confirmed pregnant! You will visit the clinic at least two times to measure HCG levels in your blood. About four-to-six weeks into the pregnancy, the medical team will perform an ultrasound and verify that there’s a fetal heartbeat. Upon confirmation of heartbeat, you will receive the rest of your care from your regular obstetrician.
We’ll refer you to an attorney during the fifth month of the pregnancy to finish the paperwork required for your intended parents to obtain full legal rights of their child by surrogacy. You don’t have to appear in court. It is an administrative process so that the names of the intended parents are correctly placed on the birth certificate after their baby is born.
We’ll help you create a detailed birth plan so that there’s no ambiguity on delivery day. Additionally, we work closely with the hospital, coordinating with social work, labor & delivery staff, and the registration office to provide them with the documentation they need. Your agency case manager will be by your side during and subsequent to the birth of the baby to make sure everything goes well. We will also be following up to make sure that you are doing well physically and emotionally after birth.
The entire process of surrogacy usually takes about 18 months, but there are many factors that can modify the timeline.
When you fill out the initial application, our team will get back to you within 48 hours. Your initial screening will take about 6-8 weeks, as we work to gather records from your providers, have you meet with the OBGYN and psychologist, and conduct background checks. Upon completion of screening, you will be able to choose potential Intended Parents. Contracts typically take a month to complete and then the medical cycling protocol takes another 2-3 months. Hopefully, you are pregnant within one transfer attempt! If not, we will repeat cycle coordination.
Hawaii Surrogacy Center
Serving Hawaii & the Pacific Northwest
Surrogacy Center of Philadelphia
Serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware
