Surrogate FAQs
If you are thinking of becoming a Surrogate, you probably have many questions! Our Surrogate FAQs offer answers to many common questions that potential Surrogates often ask. You can also apply to become a Surrogate or contact us if you need more information and would like to speak to our Surrogacy Program Director.
Surrogate’s compensation package, that includes base pay, additional payments, and benefits, always depends on individual circumstances and her surrogacy journey. Some of the factors that can influence the overall package are i.e., if a surrogate carries more than one baby, or has more than one embryo transfer. We explain this in more detail on our Surrogate’s pay and benefits page.
There is a minimum package that first time Surrogates can expect to receive, and it is $60,000 for ladies who are based In California, and $50,000 for surrogates based in the rest of the United States. Previous surrogates’ base pay is considerably higher.
Rest assured that Premium Surrogacy not only offers one of the most competitive compensation packages in the US, but a support that is second to none.
In order to qualify as a Surrogate here at Premium Surrogacy, you will need to meet the following basic criteria:
- had a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery of at least one child
- not more than 5 births in total, or more than 3 c-sections so far
- no psychiatric history
- financially stable (no government assistance)
- non smoker with no drug/alcohol use
- be willing to reduce for medical reasons at Intended Parents’ discretion
We explain Surrogate qualifications in detail on our dedicated page too, follow this link to learn more: Surrogate Qualifications
It takes about 8 weeks to screen to become a Surrogate, depending on where you are currently at in your cycle. Once fully medically and psychologically cleared for surrogacy, we’ll match you with Intended Parent(s) and plan your surrogacy journey.
Absolutely! Although our physical offices and clinics are currently located in California and Florida, we work with surrogates who live in all the states where surrogacy is legal, and we have successfully completed the surrogacy process with our surrogates based in Washington state, Oregon, Nevada, Georgia, just to name a few! When you travel to one of our clinics to complete the initial medical screening, we will cover all your costs associated with travel, including gas, flights, accommodation, and meal allowance. When it’s time to travel for an embryo transfer, we’ll cover all the expenses for both you and your companion. What’s more, we’ll do our best so that you can stay under care of your OB/GYN near your home throughout your surrogate pregnancy.
In gestational surrogacy journeys, Surrogates become pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF). We’ll create the embryo ready for implantation from the intended parent(s)’ or donor’s egg and sperm. You will take medications for a few weeks before the transfer to prepare your body to be receptive to an embryo being transferred to your uterus.
It depends on a few factors: if you are a first time or repeat Surrogate, if you carry multiples, or have to deliver by cesarean section. In general, the number is around the $50,000 mark plus potential additional expenses and fees. We breakdown the surrogate pay and benefits on a dedicated Surrogate compensation page: Surrogate Compensation Breakdown
No, in order to become a Surrogate Mother, you do not have to have medical insurance, since we can obtain a policy for you. If you do have an insurance policy, we will have it reviewed for use as a Surrogate and offer complimentary insurance in case there are items that your policy may not cover in the surrogacy process.
Surrogate pregnancy carries the same risks as carrying your own pregnancy.
No, we cover the cost of everything pertaining to your surrogacy journey. You may occasionally need to pay for a cost upfront (i.e. a co-pay at a doctor’s office) and we reimburse you upon receiving your receipt for your expense.
Yes, absolutely. Miscarriage will not disqualify you from becoming a Surrogate, as long as it has not been a recurrent issue.
Unfortunately, no. In order to qualify as a Surrogate here at Premium Surrogacy, you need to have had given birth to and raised at least one child.
Due to the physical and emotional effort surrogacy requires, unfortunately you will not qualify for surrogacy program if you currently have a depression diagnosis. If it was a situational diagnosis in your past, it is still possible for you to qualify to become a surrogate.
Yes, absolutely. There are many factors that influence the level of surrogate compensation. We explain the surrogate pay and benefits in detail on our dedicated page, please follow this link to learn more: Surrogate Compensation page
Yes, absolutely. Having had an abortion does not disqualify you from becoming a Surrogate Mother here at Premium Surrogacy.
You do have a say in the Intended Parents you work with. Once you are medically and psychologically cleared to become a Surrogate with us, we’ll match you with one of the intended parent(s) we work with. We will provide you with an Intended Parent(s) profile where you will find out more about who they are, what they are looking for, and what their expectations and hopes are during the surrogacy process and beyond. If you feel it is someone you can share your surrogacy journey with, we’ll share your profile with them and arrange a match meeting.
Surrogacy match meetings can be face to face, however as we also work with many international patients, it most often be a FaceTime or a phone call meeting.
This really depends on how many pregnancies you have carried already; typically we will allow no more than 5 pregnancies in total. If you have carried and delivered between 1 and 4 pregnancies so far, we can still consider you to become a Surrogate with us here at Premium Surrogacy.
No. Since we only work with gestational Surrogates, the embryo that we transfer to your uterus is created from the intended parent(s)’ or donor eggs and sperm. This means that the baby is genetically related to the parent(s) or the donors they used and not the Surrogate Mother.
Every surrogacy process is different and all our Surrogates have individual protocols in terms of medication and doses they take to prepare for IVF embryo transfer and pregnancy. However, you can expect to be provided with the following medications: Birth control pills, lupron, estrace and progesterone.
All of our Surrogates are paid the same whether they reside in California, Florida, or another state. The Surrogate pay and compensation is around $50,000 for a first time Surrogate and depends on many factors and situations that we explain in detail here:
Surrogate Compensation breakdown
Yes, absolutely. You can qualify to become a Surrogate if you have had no more than 3 c-sections so far; we’ll need to ensure that a potential c-section during your future surrogacy process would not put you over our 4 c-sections limit.
The intended parents typically make decisions regarding the baby after consultation with medical specialists. The surrogate legal agreement and state laws may specify situations where the surrogate makes decisions regarding the baby.
Both parties can decide the nature of the relationship during and after the pregnancy. For example, we work to match intended parents who want limited contact with a surrogate who seeks the same degree of interaction. After birth, there is no ongoing legal relationship, and both parties can make decisions on whether to stay in contact or not.
In most of the surrogacy-friendly states we work with, an attorney files a pre-birth order with a court before the baby’s birth. The court then sends a declaration of parentage to the hospital, and the hospital then places the intended parents’ names on the birth certificate. There can be some exceptions to this process due to varying state-specific laws and international policies. We are always happy to connect you with an attorney who can counsel you on applicable laws for your situation.