Whether you’re contemplating serving as a surrogate or growing your family using a surrogate, you’ll find answers to common questions about the process and what to expect. No one goes into the process lightly, and knowing answers to these common questions can help you prepare effectively.
Answers to Common Surrogacy Questions
If you’ve never been through the surrogacy process before, you likely have a host of questions ranging from the general process to your rights. These FAQs about surrogacy will prepare you for your consultation with Accel Conceptions to guide you through the conversation.
What Is Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is an agreement between an intended parent or parents for a woman to carry their child. Once delivered, the intended parent(s) become the guardian for the child. However, for everything to run smoothly, you should have a clear contract that outlines the various aspects of your agreement to avoid any surprises along the way.
Why Might a Parent Choose Surrogacy?
Parents choose surrogacy for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include:
- Infertility
- Challenges in carrying a baby to term
- Being a single parent
- LGBTQ+ parenting
- Individuals whose profession might make it challenging to be pregnant, such as a professional athlete or model
Why Do Women Choose to Be Surrogates?
Women who choose to be surrogates might do so as a way to give back to the industry that helped them become a parent, such as in the case of a woman who required in vitro fertilization to become pregnant. They might also enjoy pregnancy and the miracle of life but have completed their own family.
Can You Explain Gestational vs. Traditional Surrogacy?
Simply put, gestational surrogacy involves both egg and sperm from the intended parents or an outside donor. Traditional surrogacy is when the surrogate uses her own eggs, making her the biological mother of the child, but not the legal parent. For those reasons, gestational surrogacy is more common as it makes the surrogate’s relationship with the child clearer.
What is the Process for Becoming a Surrogate?
The process of becoming a surrogate is fairly straightforward. It involves these steps:
- Application and intake
- Matching to intended parents
- Psychological evaluation and medical screening
- Signing the legal contract
- Preparing for embryo transfer with medical appointments
- Embryo transfer
- Pregnancy and prenatal care
- Delivery
For a more detailed description of how surrogacy works, read our step-by-step guide.
Is Surrogacy Legal?
Surrogacy laws in the U.S. differ by state. Each state has the right to permit, restrict or forbid surrogacy. For a full listing of the state laws on surrogacy, read our full state-by-state guide. Accel Conceptions is located in California, where surrogacy laws are friendly toward intended parents and make for a great place to protect your rights both as intended parents and a surrogate.
What Are the Requirements for Surrogacy?
The requirements for surrogacy will vary based on the surrogacy agency you work with. Accel Conceptions has the following requirements for surrogates.
- Be a citizen of the U.S.
- Have completed at least one pregnancy and delivery, and have full custody of the child
- Completed no more than five deliveries and three C-sections
- Have had no major pregnancy or delivery complications previously
- Be ages 21-38
- Be free from drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Have a clean criminal record
- Your body mass index (BMI) must not exceed 31
- Live a healthy lifestyle and have a support system to help you through pregnancy and delivery
- Communicate with the surrogacy agency and intended parents clearly and responsibly
How Much Communication Happens Between Intended Parents and Surrogates?
Intended parents and surrogates might have little to no communication with one another or they might communicate freely. It all depends on the specifics of the surrogacy contract you enter into.
This is one aspect that the agency will look at when pairing surrogates and intended parents. Some parents want to be very involved in the pregnancy while some surrogates prefer for a more private relationship with the medical providers.
Are Surrogates Paid?
Surrogates receive a variety of compensation types when they work with Accel Conceptions. This comes in the form of three types of compensation: base compensation, potential compensation and additional benefits.
The base compensation is what all surrogates receiving, including compensation for embryo transfer, lost wages for individuals who are employed, health and life insurance coverage, a stipend for maternity clothes, as well as a monthly allowance.
Potential compensation is based on unique circumstances, such as having to travel long distances for surrogacy meetings and medical care. A canceled cycle or mock cycle is another area of potential compensation. If you become pregnant with more than one baby, you can also receive compensation for that.
Additional benefits include a housekeeping allowance for when the surrogate is not able to keep house themselves, potential for pumping breastmilk for the intended parents to give to the baby. If you must undergo an invasive procedure as part of the pregnancy, you can be compensated for that as well.
How Much Does Surrogacy Cost Intended Parents?
The total cost of surrogacy for intended parents varies due to the nature of pregnancy potentially experiencing unforeseen circumstances that the surrogate must be compensated for. Accel Conceptions goes through the full potential cost during initial consultations.
What if the Surrogate Wants to Keep the Baby?
Surrogacy contracts are detailed as to the rights of the surrogate and the intended parents. Given that it is a legally binding contract, the surrogate cannot keep the baby, which is a major reason to work with a surrogacy agency.
Book a Consultation for Specific Surrogacy Questions and Answers
Each surrogacy journey is unique, bringing up unique questions and answers along the way. Accel Conceptions is ready to be your guide throughout the process. For the most extensive questions and answers around surrogacy and your unique situation, schedule your consultation.