How to Become a Surrogate Mother

Introduction

Becoming a Surrogate is a unique way to help someone build their family! It’s more than carrying a child. It’s a meaningful journey that requires compassion, commitment, and careful preparation. If you’re someone who loves helping others, and had healthy pregnancies, surrogacy may be a wonderful adventure for you to embark on. Let’s look at how you would get started!

Requirements to Become a Surrogate

Before starting your journey, it’s important to understand the qualifications are put in place to protect you as the Surrogate and the baby you would carry for your Intended Parents. Surrogacy should be as low risk as possible, and your health and safety is a top priority: both physically and emotionally.

Core Eligibility Criteria

• Age: between 21 and 42 years old.
• Health: Overall good physical and mental health, with a healthy BMI(below 32) , no chronic medical conditions that may complicate a pregnancy.
• Pregnancy History: At least one prior healthy pregnancy and delivery. (full term, no complications)
• Lifestyle: Non-smoker, no drug use, and generally healthy habits.( those Taco Bell late night trips are totally fine!.. no judgement)

Here is a more detailed breakdown

Medical and Psychological Screening

Becoming a Surrogate involves thorough evaluations to confirm that you’re prepared physically and emotionally. Screenings include:

• Medical records review
• Uterine lining check (to ensure no uterine anomalies)
• General medical exams and lab tests
• Psychological evaluations to ensure emotional readiness and resilience

Learn more about what to expect

The Step-by-Step Journey to Becoming a Surrogate

Understanding the process from start to finish can help you feel confident and prepared.

1. Application

Start by completing a detailed application with your personal, medical, and lifestyle information -Apply to become a Surrogate

2. Zoom/Phone call Q&Q

You’ll meet with a Surrogate Specialist and go over any questions you may have (Fun fact- everyone you meet here at Hatch has been a Surrogate!)

3. Admissions

You will meet with one of our lovely Surrogate Advocates via Zoom. They will advocate for you throughout the rest of the admissions phase. She will collect your medical records, background checks (for you AND anyone else over the age of 18 who lives in your home), she will coordinate your uterine lining check and set you up with a licensed mental health professional specializing in surrogacy for a psychological screening and PAI.

4. Matching

Hatch’s experienced Match Specialists carefully pair Surrogates with Intended Parents. Compatibility, values, and communication styles are considered to ensure a positive, mutually respectful match! Your preferences are important. (Have you started to think about the type of family you’d like to help?)

5 .Met your Case Manager ( your new bestie!)

Your Case Manager is there to support you the whole way through this process! Her support starts prior to getting pregnant.  She will connect you with your Clinical Coordinator who will set you up for your official medical screening, this will be done at the clinic where the IPs are storing their embryos (yay for traveling at no cost to you!) After the medical screening is complete your case manager will send you some recommendations for reproductive law attorneys (also no charge to you.

6. Embryo transfer( all embryos are genetically tested prior to transfer)

Once contracts are complete you will start your hormonal medication that will prep your body for the FET(frozen embryo transfer). You will be on these for a few weeks then you’ll travel back to the clinic and receive the FET in hopes of achieving a successful pregnancy. You’ll get to bring an adult support person with you so you get all the post-transfer rest you need.

7. Pregnancy Support

Once pregnancy is confirmed you’ll have access to regular prenatal care first through the IVF clinic and local monitoring (when needed) and then from your own OBGYN when you graduate to OB care at 11-12 weeks of pregnancy. You’ll also have comprehensive support from your Case Manager. Throughout your journey you’ll be invited to monthly Zooms to meet and mingle with your fellow Surrogates and will be included in our social media group!

8. Delivery and Postpartum

After delivery, you are still a part of the Hatch family! We love it when our previous Surrogates still attend the Zooms and remain in the social media group. Our Surrogates are not just Surrogates, they’re our friends and make this community so special! We hope you’ll keep sharing all those fun moments with us, and share your experience and knowledge with new Surrogates. 

Compensation and Benefits

Surrogates are fairly compensated for their time, effort, and commitment. Hatch ensures that compensation is transparent, structured, and timely.

What’s Included

• Base Surrogate pay
• Medical and fertility treatment expenses
• Travel and accommodation costs
• Insurance coverage and legal support
• Additional allowances for pregnancy-related expenses
• Lost wages, housekeeping, childcare 

You can view full details on our compensation package here

Why Become a Surrogate?

Surrogacy is a personal choice to help others have the greatest gift on the planet: Family!  As a parent- you know exactly how priceless this gift is. If you want to give back in an immeasurable way while also making a difference for your own family, surrogacy is an amazing option. Welcoming a child is life changing for the Intended Parents, but also for many surrogates who utilize their compensation to fund their children’s college education, start a business, return to school, put a down payment on a home, get a new family vehicle, or take an international trip they have dreamed about. How would being a surrogate change your life? We would love to chat with you about this!