Why become a surrogate mother?
Women become surrogate mothers for many reasons! Mainly, it's because they're rock stars who want to help everyone have an equal chance at having a family.
Hearing directly from experienced surrogates about why they became a surrogate, and what their journeys were like, is a great way to understand what being a surrogate is really like.
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5 Things to Know About Being a Surrogate
There's a lot of information out there on how to become a surrogate, but here are 5 specific things to know before you get started!
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Surrogates DO NOT use their own DNA (eggs) for the babies they carry.
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Surrogate mothers are paid for the entirety of their trip (not the end) and start before the pregnancy.
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Substitutes have a say in who they match up with; all the matches they are mutual.
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Surrogates DO need to have injections as part of the IVF process; most surrogates say these needles aren't much of a deal.
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The surrogates will have to say goodbye to the baby; they hope to "give the baby back" to its intended parents; because they are not genetically related to the baby, surrogates do not become "attached" to the babies they carry.
Do you want to know more? Keep reading!
Surrogacy Process
01. Application & Interview
Once a Surrogate applies online, an extensive interview and consultation is scheduled to determine eligibility and discuss the surrogacy process.
02. Psychological Screening
In this phase, the Surrogate undergoes a psychological evaluation as part of the preliminary screening.
03. Profile Published
Once the Surrogate has passed all preliminary screening, her profile will become active and published in the database, where Intended Parents will be able to view her profile.
04. Meeting
Once mutually interested, we will facilitate an in-person or online meeting between the Intended Parents and Surrogate to determine compatibility.
05. Official Match
If both parties wish to move forward after the meeting, the match will become official and coordination with the IVF clinic will begin.
06. Medical Screening
The Surrogate and her partner (if applicable) will undergo a medical screening appointment at the Intended Parents’ IVF clinic to determine if the Surrogate has any issues that would preclude her from being a Surrogate.
Focusing on You
We match Intended Parents with Gestational Surrogates using our two-step matching protocol. Whenever possible, the first step is an in-person consultation with the Intended Parents. The Costa Health interviews the Intended Parents and matches them with an appropriate Surrogate based on five criteria:
Expectations
We consider the type of relationship that the Intended Parents and the Surrogate are looking for.
Personality
Since surrogacy is a long process, it’s important that the Intended Parents and the Surrogate are compatible.
Geography
Locale can play an important role in facilitating good relationships between Surrogates and Intended Parents.
Special Requests
We believe that each match is unique, and we’re happy to facilitate special requests if all parties are in accord.
Timing
It’s crucial that the Surrogate and Intended Parents have the same expectations about timing.
