Surrogacy process guide
Surrogacy Process: Step-by-Step Guide for Parents and Surrogates
In a typical gestational surrogacy process, you move through six stages: screening, matching, legal contracts, IVF and embryo transfer, pregnancy and delivery, then post-birth legal steps. This guide walks through each step in plain language so intended parents and surrogate mothers know what to expect at every stage.
Legal, Medical & Emotional Readiness
Legal clarity & consent
Law comes first. Independent attorneys explain consent, risks, privacy, and parentage. California courts support gestational surrogacy well. Many families choose a pre-birth order. That choice keeps delivery clean. This answers what is the surrogacy process on the legal side.
Financial transparency & safety
Money and safety matter too. SeedTrust runs escrow. The team releases funds by milestones. ART Risk guides insurance. That keeps the surrogacy steps transparent and fair.
Medical & lab planning
Now the clinic plan. Doctors and nurses show how is surrogacy performed in modern care. They design meds and timing. Labs build embryos. The ivf surrogacy process covers stimulation (if needed), retrieval, fertilization, and culture. The ivf surrogacy procedure sets transfer day. That is how does a surrogate mother get pregnant in a clinical sense—through embryo transfer, not intercourse.
Emotional readiness & support
Emotions shape the journey. A counselor teaches tools for boundaries, stress, and family talk. A case manager sends weekly updates. Everyone knows the next surrogacy step and the owner. That’s how surrogacy works in real life: clear roles, short checklists and kind support
Choose Your Surrogacy Track
The surrogacy process looks slightly different depending on whether you’re an intended parent or a prospective surrogate mother. Choose the path that fits you:
Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Surrogacy process
The surrogacy process works best with simple, clear surrogacy steps. This map shows how does surrogacy work for intended parents and for a surrogate mother in California and across the United States.
6 Steps in the Surrogate Process
Initial Consultation & Eligibility Review
Week 1–3
Legal Consultation & Contract Formation
Month 2–4
Medical Screening & IVF Preparation
Month 1–3
Embryo Transfer & Confirmation of Pregnancy
Month 3–5
Pregnancy Monitoring & Emotional Support
Month 5–14
Delivery & Post-Birth Legal Steps
Birth + 2–6 Weeks
Initial Consultation & Eligibility Review
Week 1–3
Key Activities:
- •Align goals and timelines for parents and surrogate mother.
- •Outline clinics, legal paths, and program expectations in calm language.
- •Review pre-screen records and ensure both tracks feel supported.
Process Details:
A coordinator opens the file and sets goals. The team listens first. We review timelines, clinics, and legal paths in the surrogacy in the United States context. For the surrogate mother, we outline the process to become a surrogate mother in plain steps. We welcome U.S. citizens and prefer California residents for fast access to care.
Additional Information:
Focus of this step: align values, set expectations, and answer what is the process for surrogacy without stress.
Surrogate eligibility (US citizens, California preferred)
- •Prior healthy birth, steady home, and supportive partner or family.
- •Clean medical history and healthy BMI.
- •Clear consent to the surrogate program terms and calendar.
Intended parent profile & expectations
- •Fertility history, embryo status, donor needs, and clinic choice.
- •Budget windows and escrow plan.
- •Early view of the surrogacy process for intended parents.
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Start the surrogate mother program pre-screen.
- –Parents: Book a consult to see the surrogacy process step by step.
Legal Consultation & Contract Formation
Month 2–4
Key Activities:
- •Host legal briefings with independent counsel for all parties.
- •Document consent, hospital plans, and confidentiality expectations.
- •Launch parentage strategy tailored to state requirements.
Process Details:
Independent attorneys guide every talk. They protect privacy, consent, and hospital plans. They also map parentage for California and other states. Clear contracts keep the surrogacy steps safe and fair.
Additional Information:
Legal agreements outline rights, confidentiality, and obligations.
Legal agreements outline rights, confidentiality, and obligations
- •Decision authority for pregnancy care and delivery.
- •Travel, bed rest, multiples, and C-section plans.
- •Clear support for wellness and time off.
Parentage order preparation (U.S. state-specific overview)
- •Attorneys draft filings early.
- •Many California cases use a pre-birth order.
- •Orders help families becoming a parent through surrogacy without delays.
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Meet an attorney for a friendly walk-through of the surrogacy legal process.
- –Parents: Ask about surrogacy laws United States that fit your case.
Medical Screening & IVF Preparation
Month 1–3
Key Activities:
- •Complete health, lab, and psychological evaluations for the surrogate mother.
- •Coordinate insurance review for surrogate mother health insurance options.
- •Finalize IVF medication calendar and embryo creation plan.
Process Details:
Clinics run full screening before any cycle. Doctors check labs and uterine health. A psychologist meets the surrogate mother to confirm readiness and support. Counselors explain what does a surrogate mother do in day-to-day life during treatment.
Additional Information:
Health, lab, and psychological evaluations.
Health, lab, and psychological evaluations
- •OB records review, infectious-disease panel, ultrasound.
- •Mental health consult and lifestyle check.
- •Insurance advisors review surrogate mother health insurance options.
IVF and embryo creation (donor egg/sperm if needed)
- •Teams plan the ivf and surrogacy calendar with clear meds and monitoring.
- •The lab builds embryos: parental gametes first; surrogacy with donor egg when needed.
- •Doctors answer whose eggs are used in surrogacy, then align on consent and next steps.
- •This forms the core gestational surrogacy procedure and surrogacy in vitro fertilization plan.
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Confirm coverage and travel timing with a coordinator.
- –Parents: Lock your clinic and embryo plan for a clean handoff.
Embryo Transfer & Confirmation of Pregnancy
Month 3–5
Key Activities:
- •Coordinate lining reviews, embryo prep, and transfer details.
- •Guide medication adherence and post-transfer recovery.
- •Document beta-hCG results and first scan updates for both tracks.
Process Details:
Doctors schedule the lining check and the transfer day. Nurses keep meds simple. The lab prepares embryos. The physician completes surrogate IVF with a calm, focused routine.
Additional Information:
Uterine lining prep, transfer, and pregnancy test.
Uterine lining prep, transfer, and pregnancy test
- •Lining review, embryo thaw or selection, and transfer.
- •Beta-hCG confirms the result 9–12 days later.
- •This is how a surrogate mother gets pregnant in modern care—through embryo transfer, not intercourse.
- •Clinics teach what does a surrogate do to get pregnant: follow meds, rest, and scan on time.
Ongoing medical communication between clinic and agency
- •The case manager sends weekly notes after the first scan.
- •Everyone sees the same dates and the same surrogacy steps.
- •The ivf surrogacy process stays calm and organized.
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Save your scan schedule and wellness tips.
- –Parents: Prepare a hospital pre-registration and a birth-day plan.
Pregnancy Monitoring & Emotional Support
Month 5–14
Key Activities:
- •Track OB appointments, ultrasound milestones, and lab requirements.
- •Offer emotional health check-ins and support resources.
- •Coordinate insurance claims and intended parent updates.
Process Details:
Prenatal care follows standard OB rules. Ultrasounds mark growth and health. A counselor supports boundaries, family talk, and stress control. The surrogate pregnancy process stays caring and steady.
Additional Information:
Regular medical checkups, ultrasound schedule.
Regular medical checkups, ultrasound schedule
- •Heartbeat scan, NT scan, anatomy scan, growth scans as needed.
- •Clear reminders for glucose tests, vaccines, and travel windows.
- •A calm gestational carrier pregnancy helps everyone.
Surrogate wellness support and insurance coverage
- •Mental health check-ins and lactation support if desired.
- •Advisors manage claims under surrogate mother health insurance.
- •Parents plan first-hours bonding for babies born through surrogacy.
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Join the wellness chat and keep your sleep and nutrition strong.
- –Parents: Book the hospital tour and set a newborn plan.
Delivery & Post-Birth Legal Steps
Birth + 2–6 Weeks
Key Activities:
- •Coordinate hospital logistics, travel, and bonding preferences.
- •Ensure legal parentage documents and filings are completed.
- •Offer gentle close-out support for surrogate mother and intended parents.
Process Details:
The team finalizes the birth plan early. The hospital knows the legal names and the parentage path. Attorneys finish filings and guide the birth certificate request. This closes the gestational surrogacy process with clarity.
Additional Information:
Hospital coordination & intended parents’ presence.
Hospital coordination & intended parents’ presence
- •Packing lists, room plans, and bonding steps.
- •Nurses support skin-to-skin time and photos.
- •The surrogacy steps cover privacy and respectful good-byes.
Legal parentage establishment and return home
- •Attorneys complete orders and vital records.
- •Counselors offer a gentle close for the surrogate mother.
- •Parents travel home as a family. Lawyers answer common questions, like in surrogacy who is the biological father (the genetic father on record).
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Share feedback to improve the surrogate program for the next journey.
- –Parents: Store all legal papers and pediatric notes in one folder for travel.
6 Steps in the Surrogate Process
The surrogacy process works best with simple, clear surrogacy steps. Tap a step to see the focus for parents and surrogate mothers.
Initial Consultation & Eligibility Review
Week 1–3
Key Activities:
- •Align goals and timelines for parents and surrogate mother.
- •Outline clinics, legal paths, and program expectations in calm language.
- •Review pre-screen records and ensure both tracks feel supported.
Process Details:
A coordinator opens the file and sets goals. The team listens first. We review timelines, clinics, and legal paths in the surrogacy in the United States context. For the surrogate mother, we outline the process to become a surrogate mother in plain steps. We welcome U.S. citizens and prefer California residents for fast access to care.
Additional Information:
Focus of this step: align values, set expectations, and answer what is the process for surrogacy without stress.
Surrogate eligibility (US citizens, California preferred)
- •Prior healthy birth, steady home, and supportive partner or family.
- •Clean medical history and healthy BMI.
- •Clear consent to the surrogate program terms and calendar.
Intended parent profile & expectations
- •Fertility history, embryo status, donor needs, and clinic choice.
- •Budget windows and escrow plan.
- •Early view of the surrogacy process for intended parents.
Soft CTAs
- –Surrogates: Start the surrogate mother program pre-screen.
- –Parents: Book a consult to see the surrogacy process step by step.
Surrogacy process Flowchart & Checklist
A simple map keeps the surrogacy process calm. It shows each handoff. It shows who owns each task. It answers how does surrogacy work and how does the surrogate mother process work without noise.
1. Inquiry → Pre-screen
1Parents: Parents share goals and clinic choices.
Surrogates: The surrogate mother shares OB records and lifestyle notes.
Team sets the surrogacy steps and timing.
2. Screening → Matching
2Parents: Labs, ultrasound, and psych consults.
Surrogates: Values and birth plan align.
Gestational carrier process.
3. Legal → Escrow
3Parents: Independent attorneys draft and sign.
Surrogates: SeedTrust opens escrow with milestone releases.
Surrogacy legal process in place.
4. IVF build → Transfer
4Parents: The lab runs surrogacy in vitro fertilization.
Surrogates: Doctors schedule the ivf surrogacy procedure.
This is how surrogacy is performed in real clinics.
5. Pregnancy care → Updates
5Parents: OB visits and ultrasound milestones.
Surrogates: Case manager sends weekly notes.
Steady surrogate pregnancy process, steady smiles.
6. Delivery → Parentage → Home
6Parents: Hospital follows the plan.
Surrogates: Attorneys finish orders and the birth certificate.
Family goes home. The surrogate mother rests with support.
Dual-Track Flowchart (Parents & Surrogates)
- 1. Inquiry → Pre-screen
- 2. Screening → Matching
- 3. Legal → Escrow
- 4. IVF build → Transfer
- 5. Pregnancy care → Updates
- 6. Delivery → Parentage → Home
Printable Checklist (Highlights)
- □ Send records; confirm clinic; map the surrogacy process step by step
- □ Complete labs, ultrasound, psych consult
- □ Match meeting; confirm values and birth plan
- □ Sign contracts; fund escrow; file parentage plan
- □ Meds delivered; monitoring set for surrogate IVF
- □ Transfer day; beta test; first heartbeat scan
- □ OB calendar saved; insurance claims ready
- □ Hospital tour; delivery preferences on file
- □ Birth; order complete; documents stored
Recruit + Process Balance Note
Here we keep a balance between explaining how surrogacy is performed and inviting qualified women to a respectful surrogate program. Intended parents get a clear, guided plan instead of a sales pitch.”
FAQ About the Surrogacy process
how does surrogacy work · how is surrogacy performed · what is the process for surrogacy
In surrogacy, intended parents work with a fertility clinic and a surrogate mother. The surrogacy process includes screening, matching, legal contracts, IVF, pregnancy and birth. Everyone has clear roles and protections at each step.
Resources & Educational Materials
what is the process of surrogacy · gestational carrier process
Medical & Legal Guides
- Medical guidance on IVF and pregnancy care.
- Legal primers on parentage orders and documents.
- Plain-language answers to what is the process of surrogacy and the gestational carrier process.
Language & Access
- Download short guides: how is surrogacy performed, the surrogacy process step by step, and the surrogacy legal process. See who does what at each step.
- Quick definitions for what is gestational carrier, whose eggs are used in surrogacy, and in surrogacy who is the biological father. Each term links to the right step.
Why Choose Yunda Surrogacy Agency 🩵
A Trusted U.S. Surrogacy Partner Based in California
A Trusted U.S. Surrogacy Partner Based in California
We know the courts and clinics. We guide families and surrogate mothers through the surrogacy steps with calm, clear updates.
Medical & Legal Excellence Under One Roof
We work with respected fertility centers and seasoned attorneys. We stand beside you during screening, the ivf surrogacy process, and delivery. We show how is surrogacy performed in real life, not just on paper.
Transparent Process & Escrow Security
SeedTrust manages escrow. ART Risk supports insurance. Milestones stay on time. Payments stay clear. The surrogacy process stays fair.
Dedicated Project Managers & Weekly Updates
One case manager owns your file. We send weekly notes. We keep the surrogacy process step by step on track for intended parents and for the surrogate mother.
Start Your Journey with Yunda
- - Intended Parents: Get your plan for the surrogacy process for intended parents.
- - Surrogates (U.S. citizens, California preferred): Join a respectful surrogate program. Learn what does a surrogate do to get pregnant in IVF. See real support, not hype.
Start Your Journey with Yunda
We know the courts and clinics. We guide families and surrogate mothers through the surrogacy steps with calm, clear updates.