First Time Using Surrogacy: What to Expect

No matter how you got here, choosing surrogacy to grow your family comes with a great deal of emotion. Knowing what to expect may ease some of your anxiety as you continue your journey towards parenthood.

At Great Beginnings Surrogacy Services (GBSS) in San Diego, California, our fertility and surrogate expert, Dr. Samuel Wood, along with our team of care coordinators, specialize in matching intended parents (IPs) with their ideal surrogate, making the experience joyful and memorable. 

Although each person’s path through surrogacy is distinct, we want to provide you with a guide outlining the process so you know what to expect as a newcomer. 

Find a surrogacy agency

Surrogacy is complicated, and laws vary from state to state. When you decide surrogacy is the best choice for you, you need to find a reputable surrogacy agency.

Our team has extensive experience helping IPs understand the surrogacy process and find the right surrogate to help them add children to their families. We can explain the process so you know what to expect from beginning to end and have all the resources necessary to help you successfully navigate your way through. 

Meet potential surrogates

After your initial consultation, we have you complete a questionnaire that helps us find the best surrogate for you. We select a few surrogates that match your criteria from an extensive pool of candidates and share their profiles with you. 

We schedule video call meetings between you and the surrogates you feel best meet your needs.

Sign contracts

Once you find the right surrogate, it’s time for the legal stuff. We recommend consulting with an attorney specializing in surrogacy for expert advice and guidance. 

We only use gestational surrogates at our agency. Gestational surrogates have no genetic links to the baby. Laws surrounding surrogacy are complicated. Having a surrogate with no biological ties to the baby means they have no legal parental rights to the child. 

Begin IVF

After signing the contracts, you and your surrogate begin in vitro fertilization (IVF). You may use your own eggs and sperm or donor eggs and sperm to create the embryo. Your fertility doctor implants the embryo (or embryos) into your surrogate's uterus. 

Pregnancy and childbirth

Once pregnancy is confirmed, your surrogate sees her OB/GYN for prenatal care. You and your surrogate should discuss your involvement in her prenatal care. For example, will you attend all or only the significant appointments (first visit, ultrasounds, glucose tolerance test)?

You want to support your surrogate in a way that benefits her and the baby without invading her space. Finding the right level of involvement benefits your relationship. 

Surrogacy is complex, and you don’t need to figure it out alone. Let us help you navigate the process so it goes as smoothly as possible. Call our office today or book your complimentary consultation online.