In 2024, surrogacy is safe and successful, and there are many options available to surrogates along their journey. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, we help you navigate this adventure. We have the ability to answer all of your questions, match you with your perfect intended parent or pair of parents, find you legal representation, make your appointments with the best IVF clinics that Bakersfield has to offer, and maximize your comfort & demand your preferences from first hormone injection to delivery of the baby.
If you are interested in becoming a surrogate, keep reading to discover the qualifications and what the screening and matching processes will look like. For more information, you can contact us here.
Qualifications to Become a Surrogate in Bakersfield, CA
To become a surrogate in Bakersfield, California, there are some qualifications you need to meet. This is to ensure your safety throughout the IVF process, as well as provide 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.
Have already had one successful pregnancy and birth.
Have valid legal status in the United States.
Have a BMI of 33 or less.
Have a good support system.
Have the support of your partner, if applicable.
Not take nicotine, marijuana, or antidepressants.
If you fit the above criteria, give us a call! Your perfect intended parent match may be around the corner.
Read more about our surrogacy qualifications here.
The Surrogacy Process in Bakersfield
To become a surrogate in Bakersfield, California, you will need to follow our screening procedure. It is as follows:
Initial Application & Interview
Your initial interview will allow you to get a feel for us as an agency. If you feel we are a good fit and you meet all of our qualifications, then you can move on to fill out an official application form. This form will cover the basics, such as name, phone number, address, email, etc. It also dives into some more detailed questions about topics like medical history & lifestyle.
Prescreening
After your application form is reviewed, there will be a physical examination and emotional wellness check for all prospective surrogates. Because surrogacy is a physically-taxing process that affects hormones, this is to ensure the safety of the surrogate.
Pre-screenings also include
A background check
Proof of employment and residence
Proof that your partner supports your decision to pursue surrogacy, if applicable
More details about the surrogate screening process can be found here.
Matching
Once your forms and exams are completed, there is another interview with your case manager where you discuss your preferences. These preferences could be about anything – from communication style and frequency 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 preferences are noted and your surrogate profile is complete. Then, we are able to match you with intended parents who match your preferences!
More on the matching process here.
Legal
Your intended parent partners will be represented by a different legal rep. Once you are matched with them, you will discuss your contract in great detail, negotiate anything you want to, and gain a deep understanding of your responsibilities before signing.
Hormones & Embryo Transfer
Once the contract is signed, the IVF process begins. You will begin hormone injections to prepare your body to become pregnant and then the embryo will be transferred to your uterus.
The embryo is a fertilized egg. It utilizes the intended parents’ egg and sperm, or those of donors. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, we never use a surrogate’s own eggs, so the child will never be biologically related to the surrogate.
Pregnancy
After a two-week waiting period, you will take a pregnancy test. If you are not pregnant, you will meet with your case manager to discuss your next steps. Many surrogates try the process two or three times if they do not get pregnant the first time.
If you are pregnant, then you will spend the next nine months growing and nurturing your intended parent partners’ baby.
Communication with your intended parent partners during your pregnancy is discussed before signing your surrogacy contract. Some partners utilize Zoom, phone calls, texts, WhatsApp, or meet in person if they are in close enough proximity. Many surrogates become lifelong friends with their partners.
Delivery
Baby is born! California law requires a pre-birth order to be signed, which means that the intended parents’ names will be on the baby’s birth certificate. Your case manager will be in the hospital with you during the birth, so if you ever need anything, you have her guidance.
Surrogate Compensation in Bakersfield
Although each surrogacy case is unique and can vary greatly, most first-time surrogates at Los Angeles Surrogacy make between $30,000-$80,000 for their sacrifice. Additional fees are paid to a surrogate who requires a C-section, who carries multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) and/or who loses income at the end of her pregnancy due to being unable to work. Also, surrogates with experience receive a higher base pay.
Pregnancy-related expenses for things like maternity clothing, vitamins, and more are reimbursed to the surrogate if she paid for them out of her own pocket. And of course, all medical fees are covered by the intended parents. This includes not only the IVF fees and pregnancy check-ups needed, but they also pay for surrogacy insurance, so you are covered in an emergency.
You can find a detailed summary of all possibilities here.
Why Los Angeles Surrogacy?
Los Angeles Surrogacy has 15 years of combined experience in the surrogacy field. We see the joy that intended parents feel at the opportunity to either start or grow their families.
We specialize not only in California surrogacy, but also international surrogacy. Our mission is to help intended parents from all across the globe achieve their parenthood goals when they are ready.
We help simplify the surrogacy process so that intended parents with unknowns or who don’t know where to start can get the guidance they need.
We are a leading surrogacy agency in the state of California. You can rest assured that your case manager has the skill set to guide you in the right direction, make a perfect match with intended parents, and demand your wants and needs be met throughout your journey with us.
Are you interested in becoming a surrogate? Contact us here.