How to start your surrogacy process

1. What are the steps in the surrogacy process?
2. Researching surrogacy
3. Planning the surrogacy process
4. Selecting a surrogate mother
5. Commencement of the surrogate pregnancy
6. Preparing for the birth of the baby
7. Completing the reproductive journey

Every year many families as well as single people with the same problem consider this process as a way to become parents. In one way or another, they all face the same questions: where do I start? What are the first steps in choosing a surrogacy agency? Where to look for a surrogate? 

Often intended parents look at ready-made reproductive programs in their own or neighbouring countries to make the task easier. For example, surrogacy in Argentina has attracted a lot of interest in recent years. This is a very promising area in terms of financial, medical and legal aspects. However, the needs and possibilities of each intended parent are different, so it makes sense to have a detailed understanding of the planning process in order to choose what is right for you. 

What are the steps in the surrogacy process?

In general, there are 6 steps in the planning process for entering into a reproductive program that includes surrogacy:

1. Researching surrogacy.
2. Planning the surrogacy process.
3. Selecting a surrogate mother.
4. Commencement of a surrogate pregnancy.
5. Preparing for the birth of the baby.
6. Completing the reproductive journey.

Each stage involves several sequential steps, each of which will lead you to the goal of giving birth to your long-awaited baby.

Researching surrogacy

The first point of the reproductive journey plan is to gather information and assess your resources (primarily financial and psychological). You will have to choose the country where your baby will be born. It does not necessarily have to be a country directly bordering yours. It may turn out that a slightly more distant but accessible country has more reliable legislation in the field of reproductive technologies and surrogacy, lower prices of medical services, easier and faster process of legalisation of the newborn. 

Tip: Look out for surrogacy agencies that offer remote, guaranteed programs. This can often be a way to become parents without paying for unsuccessful IVF treatments, and can also allow you to organise the birth in your country if your country's laws allow surrogacy. Be sure to ask if the agency provides lawyers in the field of reproductive law: without their help it will be very difficult for you to carry out the process of legalising the newborn correctly.

The main actions at stage #1: make a budget for the reproductive journey, choose a country where surrogacy is legal, order a consultation on the websites of the selected clinics, study the reviews of their clients.

Planning the surrogacy process

At this stage, intended parents closely interact with managers and doctors of the chosen reproductive clinic remotely or by visiting the medical centre in person. Expectations from the program are discussed, medical history and related documents are studied, the program is selected taking into account the expressed expectations, all questions of the future parents are answered, and a detailed step-by-step action plan of each party appears. The result is signing a contract or searching for another clinic.

The main actions at stage #2: provide the clinic managers and doctors with as much detailed information about yourself as possible: medical history, expectations from the program. Make a final decision about cooperation or further search for a suitable clinic.

Selecting a surrogate mother

Ideally, the clinic you choose has its own database of surrogate mothers, whom you can meet via video link or even in person. If such a service is not available, you will have to find a surrogate mother yourself through specialised agencies or other ways (involving relatives/friends, forums on the Internet, etc.).

Important: the final decision to approve your surrogate mother is made by a doctor based on the results of medical and psychological examinations.

Main actions at stage #3: approve the candidature of the surrogate mother, conclude a tripartite contract between you, the surrogate mother and the clinic, first payments (including the gestational carrier fee) 

Commencement of the surrogate pregnancy

The key points of this stage are the start of the medical procedures to prepare the surrogate mother for pregnancy and the creation and transfer of the embryo.

Establishing contact with your surrogate is a reliable way to survive possible IVF failures or to enjoy the experience of a pregnancy together.

If the work is done with cryopreserved embryos - the future parents are limited to the excitement of expecting a pregnancy. If the embryo is created in a clinic, you will also have medical procedures: examination and treatment (if necessary), obtaining good quality genetic materials to create an embryo.

The main activities in step #4 are: maintaining contact with the surrogate mother, undergoing medical procedures (if necessary), and making a second payment to the gestational carrier. 

Preparing for the birth of the baby

At this stage, the expected date of delivery is determined and shortly before it, the future mum and dad arrive in the country of birth of their baby. The surrogate mother is under medical supervision and a birth plan is drawn up (whether the parents-to-be want to be present when the baby arrives, the method of delivery, etc.).

The main actions at stage #5: support of the surrogate mother by the parents, compensation of her expenses related to the pregnancy, waiting for the birth of the baby together. 

Completing the reproductive journey

After your daughter or son is born, reproductive lawyers come into play. While the family enjoys the happiness, the baby receives postnatal care, the birth certificate and the baby's travel documents are being processed.

Main actions in stage #6: choose a name, enjoy parenthood, pay the surrogate mother's fee, interact with lawyers in the process of legalising the newborn. 

We hope the sample roadmap of the reproductive journey will help you navigate the upcoming happy adventure of future parents!