Surrogacy for Intended Parents FAQ

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Surrogacy for Intended Parents FAQs

Process

Legal Details

Medical Details

Definitions

How do I find a surrogate?

Our agency can help you at each step of the surrogate selection process. Once we get to know you and your expectations, we’ll be able to recommend profiles of some of our surrogates who may be a good match with you. If both you and your chosen surrogate(s) feel that you may want to work together, we’ll set up a face to face or a video match meeting.

How do you match an intended parent with a surrogate?

We look for both parties to have common goals for the surrogacy process, i.e. communication during pregnancy and after the delivery or views on termination of the surrogate pregnancy based on medical grounds. However, agreeing to work together is ultimately up to the intended parent(s) and the surrogate.

How do you choose a surrogate?

Every situation is different, but you should look for a surrogate with goals that are common to yours. You should consider communication preferences, the location for delivering the baby, and each person’s stance on invasive procedures and terminating the surrogate pregnancy. You can learn more bout finding and choosing a surrogate in our dedicated blog here.

What happens during the match meeting?

A match meeting is a chance for you and the potential surrogate to get to know each other. The meeting is a time for both parties to ask questions about how they see things happening during a potential pregnancy. We address any questions or concerns you have during the meeting, but the meeting’s primary focus is for the parties to have a casual conversation. We want to ensure that the intended parents and the surrogate mesh well together.

After the meeting, our team follows up with each party individually to see if there were any additional questions a party was not comfortable asking during the meeting. We also ask each person about their thoughts on working together. We never force a surrogacy arrangement; a surrogacy match needs to be mutually agreeable to both the intended parent(s) and the surrogate.

What screenings do surrogates go through?

Our surrogates undergo a thorough background check and a home visit with a licensed social worker. Surrogates also undergo an intensive medical screening.

The surrogate medical screening process includes:
- Testing for diseases and drugs

- An ultrasound to ensure that the uterus is free from anything that may hinder a pregnancy from taking place.

- Psychological screening

- Prenatal screening

Can a surrogate change her mind and keep the baby?

No, in the United States where surrogacy is legal, surrogacy laws and legal contracts between parent(s) and a surrogate will not allow the surrogate to keep the baby. You can learn more about surrogacy contracts in our blog here.

An average cost of surrogacyAt Pinnacle Surrogacy, the average cost for the full surrogacy process typically falls between $140-160k. However, your individual circumstances can impact the total amount of how much surrogacy costs. For example, if the gestational surrogate needs a c-section, has to travel, or is carrying twins, costs will increase. Costs are also affected by the gestational surrogate’s health insurance coverage. Our initial, detailed fee schedule you receive takes into consideration all of these possibilities. All our surrogates are medically and psychologically screened and ready for their journeys.

While some surrogacy agencies may seem to offer slightly lower pricing at first glance, these numbers often don’t account for all costs involved in the surrogacy process and intended parents will still need to pay legal, insurance, fertility doctor, and escrow charges in addition to the initial quote they receive.

We encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual circumstances, so that we can give you a better understanding of what to expect in terms of surrogacy cost.

If there is a medical complication during the surrogate pregnancy, who makes the decision for the baby?

The intended parents typically make decisions regarding the baby after consultation with medical specialists. The surrogacy legal agreement and state laws may specify situations where the surrogate makes decisions regarding the baby.

Whose name goes on the birth certificate for a baby born through surrogacy

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.

What is the relationship between the intended parents & the gestational carrier during and after the pregnancy?

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.

Can a surrogate use her own eggs?

Our agency only completes gestational surrogacy journeys where the baby does not have a genetic link to the surrogate. The embryo that a doctor transfers to a surrogate comes from the intended parent(s)’ or donor eggs and sperm. The embryo can also come from a combination of an intended parent’s and donor’s genetic material.

We encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual circumstances, so that we can give you a better understanding of what to expect in terms of surrogacy cost.

Will a surrogate baby look like the surrogate?

No. The surrogate does not contribute any genetic material to the embryo. So, the baby will not look like the surrogate.

Is a surrogate baby biologically yours?

A baby born from a surrogate (gestational carrier) can be biologically yours if you use either your own egg and your partner's sperm or your own sperm and your partner's egg to create an embryo. Alternatively, a baby born from surrogacy can have genetics (sperm or egg) from one intended parent and partly from an egg donor or sperm donor.

How long does it take to have a baby through surrogacy?

The length of a surrogacy journey depends on a multitude of factors. These factors include how long it takes to create embryos, how long it takes to select a surrogate, and how many transfers it takes for the surrogate to become pregnant. A good estimation is 18 months from surrogate selection to delivery.

Does a surrogate share DNA with the baby?

No. At Pinnacle Fertility, we only assist with gestational surrogacy journeys and the surrogate does not provide any DNA to the baby's genetics.

What is a surrogate?

A surrogate is a woman who has decided to help another family have a child by undergoing IVF treatment. During IVF treatment, doctors transfer the parent(s)’ embryos to the surrogate’s uterus. After the embryo transfer, the surrogate then carries the baby until delivery.

We encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual circumstances, so that we can give you a better understanding of what to expect in terms of surrogacy cost.

What is the difference between gestational surrogacy and traditional surrogacy?

In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate is just the carrier of a child with the parents’ genetics or a combination of a parent’s and donor genetics. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate uses her own egg to conceive a child. Here at Pinnacle Surrogacy, we only work with gestational surrogates. You can learn more about gestational vs traditional surrogacy in our blog here.