Surrogacy in #location

Surrogacy in California

When it comes to assisted reproductive technology, California is a friendly state and offers plenty of options. Gestational surrogacy has become increasingly popular, and it’s easy to see why. Modern technology makes this process possible, relatively safe and effective.

There are two different types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational.Traditional surrogacy is when a surrogate’s egg and a intended father’s or donor’s sperm are used to create an embryo that is then implanted into the surrogate’s womb. Gestational surrogacy uses both intended parent(s) or donor egg and sperm to create the embryo, which means the surrogate is not genetically related to the baby.

Gestational surrogacy is by far the most popular option today. While traditional surrogacy is not illegal in California, it is not widely regulated and is usually discouraged for ethical reasons. At Pinnacle Surrogacy, we offer gestational surrogacy service only.

California is a Surrogacy-Friendly State

California has a long history of being surrogate-friendly. This means that the laws are supportive and relatively straightforward for both surrogates and intended parents to navigate. In California, intended parent(s) will complete the legal process with their surrogate before any medical processes begin. This ensures transparency and helps to make an often stressful journey a little easier. It also means that the intended parent(s) establish their parentage before their baby is born. In some other states, this process cannot begin until after the birth of the child.

Understanding California’s Surrogacy Laws

While California is known for its surrogacy-friendly policies, when planning your surrogacy journey it’s still important to research these laws yourself so you know your rights.

In California, both the intended parent(s) and the surrogate are required to have their own legal representation. This means intended parents cannot share attorneys with their surrogate. California Surrogacy Laws also require a surrogacy contract, which must be created, signed, and notarized before the embryo transfer.

The surrogacy contract will establish the legal terms of the surrogacy process. This will help to protect both the surrogate and the intended parent(s). Your fertility clinic and your lawyer can answer any additional legal questions that you have about surrogacy.

California does not require couples to be legally married to pursue surrogacy, making it a great option for many types of partnerships. Surrogacy is also an option for single parents and same-sex parents.As everyone’s individual circumstances differ, if you are unsure if you qualify, please contact us.

Surrogacy for LGBT Couples and Individuals in California

LGBT couples have the same legal rights as heterosexual couples in California, and that extends to assisted reproduction. Of course, understanding those rights can be challenging for any couple and individual, so it’s important to talk to both your lawyer and your fertility clinic about any questions you might have.

Because gay and lesbian couples cannot use both of their genetic information to create an embryo, these couples will need to decide which partner will donate their egg or sperm during the surrogacy process. They will also need to select an egg or sperm donor to complete the process. Pinnacle Surrogacy is proud to support LGBT couples and individuals on their fertility journeys. We will assist you in choosing an egg donor or/and sperm donor as well as a surrogate to make the process as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

You can find more information about Surrogacy Process for Gay Men here.

How To Become A Surrogate In California

If you are considering becoming a surrogate in California, you likely already know just how life-changing your decision has the potential to be. With your selfless choice, you have the power to positively impact the lives of another person or a couple with the most precious gift of all, that of a child.

A very important part of that decision is researching and choosing the right surrogate agency for you, as not all agencies are the same. Here at Pinnacle Surrogacy, our goal has always been to be the best surrogacy agency in California. We take pride in the care and the genuine respect we show to our surrogates, from our extensive screening process to make certain your surrogacy journey is a healthy one, to our expert support services delivered by our team all throughout the pregnancy.

Plus, our California surrogate compensation package is the highest in the United States.

How Much Do Surrogates Get Paid In California?

As a California surrogate, you are making a selfless decision and helping a person or a couple achieve a lifelong dream. But surrogacy is also a serious endeavour involving personal sacrifices, along with medical procedures and all the physical and emotional changes that come with pregnancy, and you should certainly be fairly compensated for these.

First-time surrogates based in California can expect a minimum base package of $60,000, which is $10,000 higher than for surrogates based in other states. For those who have been a surrogate before, the base pay is much higher.

Beyond the base package, there are a variety of factors that will determine exactly how much surrogates get paid in California. Every surrogacy journey is different, and these differences can affect the overall amount of the compensation package. These factors can include circumstances such as when a surrogate carries more than one baby or has more than one embryo transfer. You can get more information on all of these factors by exploring our surrogate pay and benefits page here.

California Surrogate Compensation

You may be wondering why compensation for California surrogates is higher than in other states. The answer is there is a very high demand for California surrogates, stemming from two main contributing factors:

• California surrogacy laws and pre-birth orders allow surrogacy for anyone, regardless of their marital status, sexual orientation, or even if they are genetically related to or not. This is in contrast to many other states that place limitations on who can have a baby through surrogacy.
• California is very easy to get to from almost any place in the world, and it’s also a beautiful and welcoming place for intended parents to visit and stay for parts of their surrogacy journey.

Requirements To Be A Surrogate In California

Because our California surrogates are at the heart of our program, we have guidelines all surrogates must meet in order to qualify. While these may seem restrictive, they are in place because they keep both our surrogates as well as the babies as safe and healthy as possible.

The basic requirements for becoming a California surrogate are:

• Your age is less than 40
• You must be both physically and mentally healthy, without any history of smoking or drug use.
• You cannot have a criminal record. Plus the members of your household must not have a criminal record.
• You must have previously had a healthy pregnancy and delivery, without a history of gestational diabetes, blood pressure problems, or preterm labor.
• You must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.
• You must be financially stable and must not be receiving either federal or state financial aid, including section 8, public housing, welfare, or cash assistance.

(Please see a complete description of our surrogacy qualifications here.)

As everyone’s individual circumstances differ, if you are unsure if you qualify, please contact us.

Can A Surrogate Change Her Mind And Keep The Baby In California?

No, a surrogate in California cannot change her mind and keep the baby. Because this is a gestational surrogacy, the baby is not genetically related to the surrogate and the surrogate is simply carrying the fetus until birth. The surrogate does not share DNA with the baby and the baby does not belong to the surrogate.

If you decide to become a surrogate, you will be required to sign a legal agreement surrendering all rights to the baby you carry for intended parent(s). This requirement is yet another reason why our surrogates must be emotionally and mentally healthy and pass a physical and psychological screening process to make sure they are ready for the commitment surrogacy requires.

California Surrogacy Agencies

If you are considering becoming a California surrogate, you may be surprised at the sheer number of surrogacy agencies in the U.S. and especially in California. Plus there are new surrogacy agencies being opened all the time. We understand how overwhelming it can be, not only in making the decision on becoming a surrogate but trying to decide which agency to choose.

Here is what we absolutely know to be true: it’s critical for you to work with a surrogacy agency that is established and has a proven track record, with surrogacy coordinators who have knowledge and years of direct experience in successfully supporting surrogates through their journeys.

At Pinnacle Surrogacy, ALL of our surrogacy coordinators have been surrogates themselves, and many have been surrogates more than once. Please be assured we know how to make your surrogacy experience as straightforward and supported as possible.

The Best Surrogacy Agency In California

We are hands down, the absolute best surrogacy agency in California, offering superior support, a fair and competitive compensation package, and completely transparent service for both our surrogates as well as the intended parents.

We can back up this claim with facts:

• Pinnacle Surrogacy offers the highest surrogate pay package in the United States. As a surrogate with us, you will never have to pay any expenses out of pocket, as all screening, medical, insurance, legal, loss of wages, and travel expenses are fully covered.
• We offer our California surrogates a sign-on bonus, compensating you for going through our medical screening. Plus, once you are medically cleared and you qualify to become a surrogate with us, we will compensate you again.
• Unlike the majority of other surrogacy agencies, we work exclusively with clinics within the Pinnacle Fertility network. This means that you can be screened and qualified immediately and matched without delay with one of our many loving families needing the help of gestational carrier.
• In addition, we will work with the OB/Gyn of your choice near your home throughout your surrogacy journey.
• We will not leave you without access to support. As one of our surrogates, you have phone access to our expert surrogacy agency team 24 hours a day, each and every day.

Pinnacle Surrogacy – Top-Rated Surrogacy Agency

But you don’t have to take our word for it. We have many five-star reviews from our surrogates, including C., who had this to say about her journey:

“I have worked with [Pinnacle Surrogacy, formerly] Pinnacle Surrogacy for the past year. I have just completed my Surrogacy Journey about a week ago. This journey was absolutely flawless. From the beginning, I knew I needed to find an agency that had my best interest in mind. Pinnacle Surrogacy was that company and clearly the only choice if you are looking to take this journey yourself.”

Or T., who was simply blown away by our superior service:

“[Pinnacle Surrogacy, formerly] Pinnacle Surrogacy is an AMAZING agency! This is my second time being a surrogate and working with Dr. Jain and his staff and both experiences have been wonderful. They are able to get you screened and matched with an IP in less time than any other agency I’ve heard of! I always feel I am in the best hands with Dr. Jain and his wonderful staff! I would highly recommend anyone interested in becoming a surrogate to contact and apply with Pinnacle Surrogacy!!!”

We invite you to explore our reviews and testimonials page to hear more 5 star testimonials from our previous surrogates.

Becoming a Surrogate Mother in California

If you are ready to apply to become a surrogate in California, we congratulate you on your decision! To apply to become a surrogate, simply fill out the application to begin the process. Once you have submitted your application online, we will be in touch with you right away.

We have other informational resources that may be helpful to you as well, such as the stories of other surrogates, that many of our surrogate candidates have found helpful to read. These stories will give you helpful insights into others’ surrogacy journeys, including what motivated them and also the challenges they encountered along the way.

We also have a FAQ, filled with questions and helpful answers. We understand that becoming a surrogate is a huge decision but is also one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences you will ever have. We are here to help you with that decision to make sure it’s right for you. Please contact us today with any questions or if you are ready to apply just click here.

We would be delighted to welcome you into our surrogacy family!