Become a surrogate and help make someone’s dream of parenthood possible.
Surrogacy begins with a generous choice: using an experience you understand to help another person build the family they have hoped for. Explore the chapters below to learn what the role means, what the journey asks of you, and how the right support can help you build a relationship rooted in trust.
Select a chapter to read more01 What is a gestational surrogate?
A gestational surrogate—also called a gestational carrier—carries and gives birth to a baby for intended parents. The embryo is created through IVF using eggs and sperm from intended parents or donors. The surrogate does not provide the egg, so she is not genetically related to the baby.
Her role is both practical and deeply human. She attends screening and medical appointments, prepares for an embryo transfer, carries the pregnancy, communicates with the intended parents and professional team, and helps bring a hoped-for child into the world.
Time, care, and the ability to carry
You are helping carry an intended parent’s baby through a carefully planned medical and legal process.
People whose path requires another person
This may include people facing infertility, medical conditions that make pregnancy unsafe, LGBTQ+ parents, and single intended parents.
For a clinical overview, see the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s patient resource on gestational carriers.
02 Why women choose to become surrogates
There is no single “surrogate personality.” Women come to the idea through different experiences and relationships, often with a desire to use something they understand to make parenthood possible for someone else.
They want to help someone experience parenthood
Some have watched a friend or relative face infertility. Others simply feel drawn to making a concrete, lasting difference for another family.
Pregnancy was a positive experience for them
Many surrogates have completed their own families, understand what pregnancy asks of them, and feel confident in their ability to carry again.
They value the relationship behind the journey
Ultrasounds, milestones, and the moment intended parents meet their baby can create a meaningful connection that lasts beyond delivery.
They want their generosity to become part of a family story
For some women, surrogacy is a rare chance to turn empathy into action and share an experience their own family can feel proud of.
03 Six honest things to know before you decide
The most rewarding journeys begin with clear expectations. Surrogacy is generous, but it is also a serious medical, legal, emotional, and logistical commitment.
- It is an IVF journey.
You can expect medical record review, screening, fertility medications, monitoring appointments, an embryo transfer, and pregnancy care directed by qualified clinicians.
- It takes time and flexibility.
Records, matching, screening, legal agreements, clinic schedules, transfer timing, pregnancy, and postpartum recovery make this a journey measured in months rather than weeks.
- A match should be mutual.
You should be able to discuss communication, values, delivery preferences, and the relationship you want before choosing intended parents.
- Your voice remains central.
Informed consent for medical care belongs to you, and your own attorney should help you understand every agreement before you sign.
- Your support circle matters.
Your family or support person should understand the time, appointments, travel, recovery, and emotional energy involved.
- Care should continue after birth.
Recovery, emotional processing, and communication after delivery deserve the same attention as the beginning of the journey.
04 From first questions to postpartum
Every journey is individual, but a well-coordinated gestational surrogacy process usually moves through these milestones.
- 01
Explore and ask questions
Talk about your motivation, pregnancy history, support system, timing, and what you hope the relationship might feel like.
- 02
Complete an initial review
Share basic personal and pregnancy information so the team can identify likely next steps without treating a checklist as the whole story.
- 03
Screening and records
Medical records, background information, psychosocial readiness, and clinic requirements are reviewed to protect everyone involved.
- 04
Choose a compatible match
Meet intended parents, talk openly, and decide whether your expectations and communication styles feel aligned.
- 05
Independent legal review
Your own attorney explains the agreement, your rights, medical preferences, and what happens in different scenarios.
- 06
Medical preparation and transfer
The fertility clinic guides medications, monitoring, embryo transfer, and pregnancy confirmation before care transitions to your obstetric provider.
- 07
Pregnancy, birth, and recovery
Your coordinator helps organize communication, practical details, birth planning, and postpartum follow-through.
05 Could surrogacy fit your life right now?
Eligibility is individualized by the program, fertility clinic, medical history, and applicable law. In general, many reputable programs look for candidates who:
- Are legal adults, commonly within a clinic-approved age range.
- Have completed at least one healthy pregnancy and delivery.
- Have medical records that support another pregnancy.
- Live in a stable environment with dependable practical and emotional support.
- Do not smoke or use illicit drugs and are willing to follow clinic guidance.
- Can attend appointments, communicate consistently, and travel when required.
- Feel comfortable with IVF, screening, legal review, and the emotional realities of carrying for someone else.
A single detail does not always tell the whole story. A private conversation can help you understand which questions require medical review and whether completing a profile makes sense.
06 A good program should protect your voice
Support is more than having someone available when a problem appears. It means building the journey so you understand decisions before they arrive and never feel like you are navigating alone.
Your own attorney
Independent legal counsel should explain the agreement to you and advocate for your interests.
Medical clarity
You should understand medications, appointments, risks, clinic instructions, and who to contact with concerns.
A consistent coordinator
One trusted person should help connect the medical, legal, logistical, and relationship pieces of the journey.
Human check-ins
You deserve steady communication through screening, matching, pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum recovery.
07 Questions to ask before moving forward
A thoughtful agency should welcome careful questions and give you room to decide whether its approach feels right for you.
- Who will be my main contact, and how quickly do they normally respond?
- How do you screen intended parents before I meet them?
- Can I decline a match without pressure or penalty?
- How will you help us talk about communication, boundaries, and the relationship we want?
- Who chooses my independent attorney?
- What happens if a transfer does not work or a pregnancy complication occurs?
- What emotional and practical support is available to my family?
- What support continues after delivery?
Will the baby be genetically related to me?
No. In gestational surrogacy, the embryo is created through IVF and the surrogate does not provide the egg.
Can I choose the intended parents?
A thoughtful match is mutual. Your values, boundaries, communication preferences, and comfort should all be part of the decision.
Do I need to have been pregnant before?
Fertility clinics and reputable programs generally look for at least one prior healthy pregnancy and delivery. Medical records are reviewed before eligibility is confirmed.
What happens after delivery?
Postpartum support should include recovery check-ins and space to process the physical and emotional transition after birth.
What if I am only curious right now?
That is a good reason to talk. An introductory conversation can be private and informational, with no obligation to move forward.
Start your surrogacy journey.
Share your contact details to begin the same private application used by Loom’s surrogate team. Your progress will be saved before you continue.