Choosing surrogacy might sound like the easiest step of all. However, there are many things you should consider before deciding this journey is the right one for you.

Surrogacy is a fulfilling, incredible opportunity, but take the time to understand the pros and cons. No matter what your final decision ends up being, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way.

There’s more than one type of surrogacy to choose from:

• Gestational versus Traditional: Traditional surrogates use their own eggs in the process; gestational surrogates do not. The vast majority of surrogacy professionals today only complete gestational surrogacies due to the increased legal and emotional risks of traditional surrogacy.
• Compensated versus altruistic:  Sometimes the surrogate receives base compensation in addition to reimbursement for the surrogacy-related medical and legal expenses. Not all states permit compensated surrogacy.
• Domestic versus International: The intended parents and surrogate either both reside in the U.S., or the two parties are in different countries. Not all surrogacy professionals will complete international surrogacies.
• Agency vs. Independent: Surrogacy agencies screen your match, coordinate the process and provide support services from start to finish. In independent surrogacy, you’d handle all of this on your own.

The path that's right for you will largely depend on your circumstances and preferences. If you have any trouble choosing an option, don’t be afraid to reach out for more information.

A thorough screening is a crucial part of the Frederick surrogacy process for both intended parents and surrogates, but it looks a little bit different for each party.

For Intended Parents

If you’re an intended parent working with a matching program, your screening experience will sometimes consist of an in-home visit, an interview and background checks. To learn more about what your surrogacy experience will be like, please reach out to your chosen professional to get more information.

For Surrogates

After you’ve established that you meet the requirements to become a surrogate, you’ll start a Frederick surrogacy screening process of your own. This will normally consist of an in-home assessment with background checks, filling out a surrogate social medical history form, a psychological and medical evaluation, and more.

Finding a match is one of the most exciting steps of the Frederick surrogacy process.

By now, you might have already located your surrogacy opportunity. In which case, you may only need to work with a Frederick surrogacy attorney who specializes in local assisted reproductive law, such as our  lawyers here at Modern Family Formation. However,if you don’t someone in mind already, you have two options:

You can find, screen and manage your match on your own (without an agency) in what’s called independent surrogacy. Or you can work with a matching program (also called surrogacy agencies) to connect with pre-screened surrogates and intended parents who are waiting to find the right match.

No matter how you find your Frederick surrogacy match, we’ll be there to guide you through the necessary legal steps and ensure your legal protection throughout. If both parties are comfortable and ready to move forward, it will be time to solidify the match through a legal contract.

Both the intended parents and the surrogate will have their own Frederick surrogacy attorney to help them complete the contract and make sure both parties’ rights and interests are respected. If you don’t already have a second Frederick surrogacy lawyer, we can refer you to local representatives whom we trust.

Once each party agrees to the terms of the contract and both attorneys have had a chance to review and approve it, the contracts can be signed.  After that, the embryo transfer process can begin. 

Now that the legal contract is complete for your Frederick surrogacy process, it’s time to start the medical procedures to get ready for the embryo transfer.

At this point, if the intended parents don’t already have frozen embryos, the intended mother or the egg donor will start taking medication to stimulate the production of multiple eggs and then prepare for the egg retrieval process. The embryo will then be fertilized in a laboratory and transferred to the surrogate. If you’re a surrogate, you’ll undergo fertility treatments before the transfer and during the pregnancy.

Once a pregnancy has been confirmed and a heartbeat is heard, the surrogate will typically start receiving base compensation.  The details of everything from medical decisions to compensation will be carefully outlined within the Frederick surrogacy contract we help you establish and execute.

The hospital stay is a very exciting time for everyone involved. After a long and emotional surrogacy process, welcoming the birth of the child is an incredible,life-changing experience. After the baby is born and the surrogate is ready to be discharged, everyone will be able to leave the hospital with their lives forever changed.