How do I become a Surrogate?
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “How do I become a Surrogate?” you’re already asking a beautiful and meaningful question.
Becoming a Surrogate is one of the most generous choices a woman can make. It is also a big decision — one that deserves education, thoughtful screening, emotional support, and a team that truly cares about your experience from beginning to end.
At Family Makers Surrogacy, we believe Surrogates deserve to feel informed, respected, and supported throughout the entire journey. Whether you are just starting to research surrogacy or you already feel called to help another family, this guide will walk you through the basic steps of becoming a Surrogate.
What Is a Surrogate?
A Gestational Surrogate is a woman who carries a pregnancy for another person or couple, called Intended Parents. In gestational surrogacy, the Surrogate is not genetically related to the baby. The embryo is created through IVF using the Intended Parents’ embryos or donor egg, donor sperm, or both.
For many Intended Parents, surrogacy is the path that allows them to finally grow their family. Some have experienced infertility, pregnancy loss, medical complications, cancer, or other health conditions. Others may be LGBTQ+ individuals or couples who need the help of a Surrogate to have a child.
Surrogacy is about helping make a family possible.
Basic Requirements to Become a Surrogate
Every agency and fertility clinic may have slightly different requirements, but most Surrogates must meet certain basic qualifications.
At Family Makers, Surrogates generally need to:
Be between the approved age range for surrogacy
Have given birth to at least one child of their own
Be raising or actively parenting a child
Have had healthy previous pregnancies and deliveries
Have a stable home life and support system
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Have a healthy BMI within clinic guidelines
Be a non-smoker and drug-free
Be financially stable and not receiving certain forms of government assistance
Be willing to complete medical, psychological, and background screening
These requirements are not meant to make the process feel intimidating. They are in place to protect you, the baby, and the Intended Parents.
Step 1: Start With a Surrogacy Application
The first step is usually completing a short surrogacy quiz, then full application if you meet eligibility. This helps determine whether you meet the initial requirements to become a Surrogate.
You may be asked about your pregnancy history, delivery history, health, lifestyle, medications, family support, and why you are interested in surrogacy.
This is also your opportunity to start learning more. A good agency should never pressure you. You should feel comfortable asking questions and taking the time you need to understand the process.
Step 2: Submit Your Medical Records
After the initial application, the next step is usually a review of your pregnancy and delivery records. Fertility clinics need to see that your past pregnancies were healthy enough for you to safely carry again.
This may include records from:
Prenatal care
Labor and delivery
C-section records, if applicable
Postpartum notes
Any pregnancy complications
OB clearance, when needed
At Family Makers, we take this step seriously because we never want a woman to move forward without understanding whether surrogacy is a safe and realistic option for her.
Step 3: Complete the Screening Process
Once your medical records look promising, you will move through additional screening steps. These may include a background check, home visit, psychological evaluation, and conversations about your support system.
This part of the process helps make sure you are emotionally, physically, and practically ready for a surrogacy journey.
A strong Surrogate is not just someone who can carry a pregnancy. She is someone who understands the commitment, communicates well, has reliable support, and feels confident in her decision.
Step 4: Create Your Surrogate Profile
After approval, you will create a Surrogate profile. This allows Intended Parents to learn more about you, your family, your personality, your values, and why you want to become a Surrogate.
Your profile may include:
Information about you and your family
Your pregnancy history
Photos
A personal letter to Intended Parents
Your preferences for the journey
This is where your story starts to come to life. Intended Parents are not just looking for someone who meets medical qualifications. They are hoping to connect with a real person — someone kind, thoughtful, and willing to walk beside them during one of the most important seasons of their lives.
Step 5: Match With Intended Parents
Matching is one of the most meaningful parts of the process.
At Family Makers, we want matches to feel thoughtful and mutual. This means both the Surrogate and the Intended Parents should feel comfortable and aligned before moving forward.
You may talk about things like:
Communication preferences
Views on pregnancy decisions
Number of embryos to transfer
Relationship expectations during and after the journey
Travel requirements
Support needs
Compensation and benefits
A good match should feel respectful, clear, and emotionally safe for everyone involved.
Step 6: Medical and Psychological Clearance
After matching, you will typically attend medical screening at the fertility clinic. The clinic will make sure your body is ready for an embryo transfer.
This can include bloodwork, an ultrasound, a uterine evaluation, and a review of your health history. Psychological screening is also part of the process to make sure everyone understands the emotional side of surrogacy.
Once you are medically and psychologically cleared, the legal process can begin.
Step 7: Legal Contracts
Before any medications or embryo transfer, you will have your own attorney. The Intended Parents will also have their own attorney.
Your surrogacy contract will outline important details such as:
Compensation
Medical expenses
Travel expenses
Insurance
Pregnancy expectations
Risks and responsibilities
Decision-making
Bed rest or lost wages, if applicable
What happens in different medical situations
You should never feel rushed through the legal process. This agreement exists to protect you and make sure everyone understands their rights and responsibilities.
Step 8: Begin Medications and Embryo Transfer
Once legal clearance is complete, the fertility clinic will give you a medication calendar. These medications prepare your body for pregnancy and help support the embryo transfer.
The embryo transfer itself is usually a quick procedure at the fertility clinic. After the transfer, you will wait for pregnancy testing through bloodwork.
This is an exciting and emotional stage of the journey for both you and the Intended Parents.
Step 9: Pregnancy and Ongoing Support
If the transfer is successful, you will continue care with the fertility clinic for the early part of pregnancy. After that, you will usually transition to your regular OB for prenatal care.
Throughout the pregnancy, your agency should continue to support you. At Family Makers, we believe Surrogates should never feel like they are on their own once they are pregnant. You deserve communication, check-ins, guidance, and help navigating questions as they come up.
Surrogacy is a team experience.
Step 10: Delivery and Postpartum Support
Delivery is often the most emotional and rewarding part of the journey. This is the moment the Intended Parents meet the baby they have hoped for, loved, and waited for.
After delivery, your agency should continue checking in on you. Your physical recovery, emotional well-being, and postpartum experience matter.
At Family Makers, we believe support should continue after birth because a Surrogate’s care does not end in the delivery room.
How Much Do Surrogates Get Paid?
Surrogate compensation can vary depending on experience, location, insurance, and the details of the journey. Many Surrogates receive a base compensation amount, plus additional benefits for things like maternity clothing, travel, medical procedures, lost wages, childcare, and other approved expenses.
At Family Makers, qualified Surrogates may earn significant compensation while helping another family experience the life-changing gift of parenthood.
Compensation matters, and it should be clear. But the best surrogacy journeys are built on more than money. They are built on trust, respect, safety, and shared purpose.
Is Becoming a Surrogate Worth It?
For the right person, surrogacy can be deeply rewarding.
Many Surrogates say they choose surrogacy because they loved being pregnant, want to help another family, and feel proud knowing they played a part in something life-changing.
That does not mean surrogacy is always easy. It requires time, appointments, communication, emotional maturity, and support from the people closest to you.
But for many women, the experience is unforgettable.
Why Choose Family Makers Surrogacy?
Family Makers is a boutique, family-owned surrogacy agency founded with a deep understanding of both infertility and the surrogacy process. We believe in thoughtful matching, strong support, and caring for both Surrogates and Intended Parents with honesty and compassion.
We are not a large, impersonal agency. We are a team that believes every journey deserves attention, education, and heart.
When you become a Surrogate with Family Makers, you are not just another application. You are a woman making an extraordinary decision, and you deserve to be treated that way.
Ready to Learn More?
If you are wondering whether surrogacy could be right for you, the best next step is to learn more and see if you qualify.
Becoming a Surrogate starts with a question — and sometimes that question becomes the beginning of something incredible.
Family Makers Surrogacy is here to help you understand the process, explore your options, and decide whether becoming a Surrogate is the right path for you.
Ready to take the first step? Check your eligibility today to see if you qualify to become a Surrogate with Family Makers.
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