Our most frequently-asked questions about becoming a surrogate are about (1) the qualifications to apply, (2) the compensation for the journey, and (3) the entire process from start to finish.
So, we are here to answer your questions about becoming a surrogate in Irvine, California.
Qualifications to Become a Surrogate in Irvine
Becoming a surrogate in Irvine, California is a very simple process if you meet all of the surrogate requirements. Surrogate requirements exist to ensure your safety and the unborn child’s safety as you undergo the IVF, pregnancy, and delivery processes. Meeting the requirements also provides the most likely scenario possible of pregnancy occurring.
To become a surrogate with Los Angeles Surrogacy, you need to:
- Be between 20 and 39 years old.
- Already have had one successful pregnancy and birth.
- Have valid legal documentation to live in the United States, whether it be a license, passport, green card, etc.
- Have a BMI of 33 or less, unless otherwise directed by a doctor.
- Have a good support system at home.
- Have the support of your partner, if you have one.
- Not take nicotine, marijuana, recreational drugs, or antidepressants.
If you fit the above criteria, you may qualify to become a surrogate! A beautiful journey lies ahead of you. Give us a call, or fill out an online form here.
For a more detailed outline about the surrogacy qualifications above, read here. All of our surrogates in California must meet the same qualifications in order to begin their journey with us.
Surrogate Compensation in Irvine
The question of compensation is an important one for those who are considering becoming a surrogate. You want to be sure that there is a fair exchange for your sacrifice so you can support yourself and your family.
Surrogate compensation can vary greatly, due to reimbursements for pregnancy-related expenses, medical fees and insurance costs, and additional fees for things like C-sections, multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) and any income the surrogate loses out on due to the pregnancy.
With this in mind, compensation paid throughout the nine months with reimbursements after delivery can amount to $30,000-80,000.
The Process of Becoming a Surrogate in Irvine, California
- Initial Application & Interview
Your initial interview will allow you to get a feel for us as an agency, and we’ll get a chance to see if you’re a good fit to work with us. After this, you may move on to fill out an official application form.
The application form will have basic questions, like your name, address, and contact information, as well as some more detailed questions about your reproductive health history, lifestyle habits, and prior experience giving birth.
- Prescreening
The application will be reviewed by the Los Angeles Surrogacy team. Once that is complete, all prospective surrogates will be required to get a physical exam and an emotional wellness check by a medical doctor. Surrogacy is a physically-taxing process that affects hormones, so these wellness exams are in place to ensure the safety of the surrogate and the possibility of pregnancy.
Prescreening’s also include:
- A criminal background check
- Proof of employment and current residence
- Proof that your partner supports your decision to pursue surrogacy, if applicable. Your partner may be brought in for an interview.
Read more details about the surrogate screening process here.
- Matching
Onto the next step of the prescreening process, there is another interview with your case manager. This is where you will discuss your preferences in regards to your surrogacy journey as a whole, and what you’d like in, or expect of, your intended parent partners. These preferences could be about anything – from communication frequency (and via what platforms), with your intended parent partners, to how far you are willing to travel, to if you prefer working with local parents or international parents.
Your surrogate profile will be complete once all of your preferences are entered into it. That way, we are able to match you with intended parents who match your preferences. This method allows for a smooth, and likely successful matching process. We not only want our partnerships to result in a healthy baby, but also in a friendship between parent(s) and surrogate!
Looking for more on the matching process? Read here.
- Legal
Your intended parent partners will be represented by a different legal rep than you. Once you’re matched up with your lawyer, you will discuss your contract in great detail, negotiate anything you want to, and gain a deep understanding of your responsibilities before signing.
Every person involved in a surrogacy journey is educated on what is needed of them, what they’re responsible for, and what to expect before signing anything. Only after the contract is signed will a surrogate begin hormone injections.
- Hormones & Embryo Transfer
Once the contract is signed, the surrogate begins the IVF process, which starts with injecting hormones at home by herself or with a trusted and trained partner. The injections prepare your body to become pregnant, and then the embryo will be transferred to your uterus.
The embryo is a fertilized egg, which is a combination of the intended parents’ egg and sperm (or those of donors). We never use a surrogate’s own eggs, so the child will never be biologically related to the surrogate.
- Pregnancy
After the “two-week wait” (which is the coined term for the two-week waiting period between the embryo transfer and the initial pregnancy test) you will take the pregnancy test. If you are not pregnant, and proven not to be pregnant, you will meet with your case manager to discuss the next steps. Many surrogates try the process two or three times to achieve pregnancy.
If you are pregnant, then the real journey begins! You will spend the next nine months growing and nurturing the baby in your womb.
Communication with your intended parent partners during your pregnancy is expected, just as you discussed before signing your contract. Sharing any milestones with them is part of the fun of the journey.
- Delivery
Then, the baby is born! California law requires a pre-birth order, which means that the intended parents’ names will be on the baby’s birth certificate, not the surrogate’s. Your case manager will be in the hospital, acting as your person to turn to for help or guidance.
Why Los Angeles Surrogacy?
Los Angeles Surrogacy is a leader in the California surrogacy industry. Our 15 years of experience speaks for itself. We pair successful partnerships because of our comprehensive prescreening process and interviews with both parties. And we help coordinate international intended parent journeys, including travel, accommodations, and plans.
If you are considering becoming a surrogate in California, let us be your trusted partner, advisor, and guidance. We will ensure you are safe within the law, work with the best medical clinic(s) that Irvine has to offer, and that you’ll have someone to fight for you if any obstacles arise.
Ready to apply to become a surrogate? Fill out the form here. We are looking forward to meeting you!