Giving a Surrogate journey timeline is not a specific amount of time, so let’s break it down!
Preliminary Assessments: 1-2 months
First, you start with the initial intake process, which begins with submitting an application! This is where we gather basic information and can ensure you are a good candidate for Surrogacy. The next step can take anywhere from one to two months; this is when your journey coordinator will gather medical records. After, you will meet with a psychologist, who will evaluate you to ensure you have the right support for a surrogacy journey.
Matching: 1-4 Months
Stronger Together Surrogacy (STS) dedicates a large amount of time to this process, we want to ensure you and your intended parents will make a good team throughout your journey. Each party is given one profile at a time of a potential match. You then can choose to schedule a meeting together with the help of your Journey Coordinator. STS will guide the meeting and discuss several key topics, but the main focus is that this is a good match and everyone is comfortable. Matching can happen very quickly or it can take a few months, depending on multiple factors.
*An alternate in matching is completing the Medical Screening process prior to a Virtual meeting with the Intended Parents. This is becoming more common as it assures all parties that you are qualified with the clinic before meeting, and can save time on the back end of the matching process as your medical records have already been reviewed by the IVF clinic.
Medical Screening: 2 months
Once everyone has agreed to move forward, you will visit the intended parent’s IVF Clinic, to ensure you are medically capable of carrying a child via IVF. You will complete routine labwork, drug screening, and SIS (sonohysterogram) which is usually a painless process.
Legal Contracts: 1-2 months
Legal contracts in Surrogacy address every possible outcome and occurrence throughout your journey and ensure all parties are protected. Your STS team will provide options for a Legal Provider, and as a surrogate this is at zero out-of-pocket to you. You will receive an initial draft where you can make adjustments as you see fit. Once all documents are in order and agreed upon, they are signed, then you will receive Legal Clearance. From drafting the initial contract to execution is about a two-month process, though it can possibly move much quicker, depending on several factors.
Monitoring and Transfer: 2-3 Months
Once Legal Clearance is achieved, the clinic will begin to order medications and schedule the transfer. The initial medications start about four weeks before embryo transfer. This is where you receive hormones to control your cycle and to prepare your body to accept the embryo. Medication protocol varies from clinic to clinic and you will attend Monitoring Appointments to verify things are going as planned. Once the perfect conditions are achieved, the transfer can happen!
Once the Transfer is complete, the hardest waiting period begins! It can take up to two weeks to find out if the embryo(s) have successfully implanted. If a viable pregnancy does not occur, typically the parties choose to embark on another round of IVF treatments to achieve pregnancy where this stage starts over. Success rate varies based on many factors, check out our blog on Surrogacy Success Rates to learn more.
Pregnancy: 9 Months
Pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, and there will be many milestones throughout your pregnancy as a surrogate. This is where a large chunk of your surrogate journey timeline will take place! The clinic monitors you and your medications until you are about 12 weeks along, then you will begin to see your OBGYN for routine visits. The intended parents may wish to join you at some of these appointments depending on their location and relationship.
Time to Apply to Become a Surrogate!
Now that you’ve decided to become a surrogate, Stronger Together Surrogacy will be your partner through your entire journey. STS is the most trusted agency in the United States, having over 60% of our surrogates as referrals, we have supported hundreds of surrogates and have been growing families for many years. Also, we do our best to keep you on track for your surrogate journey timeline!
View our surrogates page to find out if you fit the guidelines to become a surrogate. You can contact us directly at [email protected] or by calling 951-877-3949 to learn more about starting your journey today!
