Surrogacy is the process by which a woman carries a child for someone who is unable to carry the pregnancy on their own. The Intended Parents may be a heterosexual couple, same-sex couple or individual.

There are 2 types of surrogate mothers: Gestational Surrogates / Carriers; and Traditional Surrogates. A Gestational Surrogate is a woman who becomes pregnant through the IVF process using the eggs of the Intended Mother (although an Egg Donor may be used) and the sperm of the Intended Father (although a Sperm Donor may be used). Therefore, a Gestational Surrogate becomes pregnant with a child who is not genetically related to her.

A Traditional Surrogate is a woman who is artificially inseminated with the Intended Father’s sperm and carries her own biological child created from her egg and the Intended Father’s sperm. The Center for Surrogacy and Egg Donation, only works with Gestational Surrogates. We do not work with Traditional Surrogates.

Please see our Surrogate Qualifications and Requirements page.

No. We only work with women who become gestational surrogates. As noted above, a gestational surrogate is not genetically related to the child she carries.

Yes. Having a tubal ligation will not affect your ability to become a gestational surrogate

Yes, you can be on birth control pills and still be a gestational surrogate. You will be instructed by the IVF Clinic if and when to stop and start birth control. If you have an IUD, you will need to have it removed before participating in a gestational carrier cycle. You should contact your primary care physician and/or gynecologist to talk about having the IUD removed. Be sure to discuss alternative forms of birth control with your doctor so that you do not become pregnant on your own and then cannot become a surrogate.

Gestational surrogacy is done through the in vitro fertilization (“IVF”) process. A detailed explanation of the IVF Process can be found here. You should also visit the links found on our Resources page which will bring you to sites that contain information on how IVF works.

Yes. The IVF process involves taking hormone medications that will thicken your uterine lining in preparation for the embryo transfer. All of the medications will be discussed with you at the IVF clinic and the IVF doctor will answer any questions you may have.

Yes, if you are married, engaged or living with a significant other, your spouse, fiancé or partner will need to accompany you to the screening appointment(s) and be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. If you are sexually active with a partner but not living with that person, your partner will need to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases but will not have to participate in the process in any other way.

Becoming a Surrogate Mother will involve a significant time commitment by the gestational surrogate; more so than a “normal” pregnancy. To begin, it typically can take up to 1 month to be matched with Intended Parents. After being matched, the amount of time the process will take depends on the particular fertility clinic where the intended parents are patients. In general, the screening process at the IVF clinic is usually 1 full day or split between 2 half days. The screening appointment usually is scheduled between 1 and 2 months after you are matched.

Once you are fully screened, the Clinic will set up the IVF cycle. A cycle typically takes approximately six weeks, although it can be shorter at some clinics. During that time, you should expect to have approximately 5 to 6 monitoring appointments. These appointments are done first thing in the morning before work or school and typically last between 15 and 30 minutes.

Surrogates typically spend approximately 3 to 4 hours at the IVF Clinic on the day of the embryo transfer. You will be instructed to rest for at least the remainder of the day, although some clinics require surrogates to rest for up to 2 days following the embryo transfer. You will then typically have 2 to 3 more short appointments at the IVF in order to confirm the pregnancy.

In sum, most surrogates spend a couple of hours completing the paperwork and gathering medical records, up to two days for a screening appointment, 15 to 30 minutes for monitoring appointments on approximately 5 to 6 days during the IVF cycle, and then a full day for the embryo transfer procedure.

You will not incur any costs for becoming a Surrogate Mother. Any out of pocket expenses that you do incur will be reimbursed.

Surrogacy is a very complicated process. It is important to have an agency with significant experience in the surrogacy world to help you and the intended parents navigate the various parts of the process. In addition, it is critical that both you and the intended parents have someone they can talk to and help mediate any issues that may arise during the surrogacy process. In fact, a good agency can help anticipate issues and avoid problems between you and the intended parents from the beginning.

Yes. A member of the Surrogacy Team will discuss with you the types of intended parents with whom you are looking to be matched. In addition, once your profile is selected by intended parents, you will have an opportunity to review their profile and decide whether they are the Right Match for you.

We encourage surrogates and intended parents communicate approximately once per week throughout the process. Intended parents are also strongly encouraged to attend as many obstetrician appointments during the pregnancy as possible.

Yes. You should be comfortable with the obstetrician you see for the pregnancy and with the hospital where you will deliver. Occasionally, intended parents ask surrogates to consider changing obstetricians and/or the hospital for the delivery, especially if they have experienced a prior loss of a child. You will only be matched with such intended parents if you were willing to change obstetricians and/or hospital.

No. You and the intended parents will enter into a legal agreement that will govern each party’s legal rights and responsibilities. That agreement will state that the intended parents shall be the legal parents of any child carried by you as a gestational surrogate. You will receive legal advice from an independent attorney who specializes in the field of reproductive law. That attorney’s fee is paid by the intended parents. Your attorney will review the legal agreement with you to ensure that you are comfortable with all of the legal issues. In addition, the intended parents’ status as the child’s legal parents will be clarified through a pre-birth order or some other legal process.

The majority of our clients work with fertility Clinics in the New England area, we work with intended parents from around the country and around the world. Surrogates are typically, but not always, matched with intended parents who either live in the same area or are working with a clinic near the surrogate. If you agree to work with intended parents who are working with a clinic that is not in your area, we will make all travel arrangements for you and all costs will be paid by the intended parents.

You will be required to attend a screening appointment at the fertility clinic that is typically 1 to 2 days. You will also miss work for the day of the embryo transfer and possibly 1 to 2 days after the transfer. You will not have to miss work for monitoring appointments as these are done in the early morning. You will then miss work for the delivery and post-partum recovery. You will be reimbursed for any wages you lose by becoming a surrogate mother.

Please see our Compensation and Expenses page.

Your fee will be paid to you at certain milestones throughout the process, typically starting with the embryo transfer. You will be paid a second amount when there is a confirmation of pregnancy via visible heartbeat. The remainder of your fee will be paid in monthly installments throughout the pregnancy.