Tips on Choosing a Surrogate

 

  1. Does she want to be a surrogate for the right reasons? (Wants to help another family create their family and loves being pregnant. It is fine to be motivated by the compensation, but that should not be the primary motivation.)
  2. Has she has at least one prior uncomplicated pregnancy and birth?
  3. Did she enjoy being pregnancy?
  4. Does she have a strong support network of family and friends who support her decision to become a surrogate?
  5. Does she live in a surrogacy friendly state? Ask an attorney that specializes in reproduction law or ask a surrogacy agency. For tips on choosing a surrogacy agency or an attorney that specializes in reproduction law, go to our surrogacy page.
  6. Does she have insurance that covers a surrogacy pregnancy? The reality is that few insurance policies cover surrogacy pregnancies, and more and more are excluding coverage.
  7. Do you and the prospective surrogate agree on the Big Four Issues:
    • How many embryos to transfer
    • Selective reduction and when
    • Amniocentesis
    • Abortion and under what circumstances
  8. Does she live a “pregnancy conducive” lifestyle prior to pregnancy?
  9. If you choose to use a traditional surrogate (the surrogate’s egg is used rather than a donor’s egg, and the surrogate is biologically related to the child):
    • You need to know that traditional surrogacy is legally risky.
    • It is likely that the surrogate can have either custody or visitation if she wants.
    • Look for a surrogate that you are absolutely sure does not want to parent this child, unless you are amenable to co-parenting.