Guide to Becoming a Surrogate
Becoming a surrogate is a highly selfless and personal decision. Surrogates carry a precious embryo created through IVF, using either the intended mother’s egg or an egg donor’s egg. This means the baby won’t be genetically related to you, leaving clear emotional and legal boundaries while fostering a powerful bond. This process involves medical screenings, legal contracts, and emotional preparation. When you choose to be a surrogate with Jbaby, we ensure that you are helped physically and emotionally along the way. In this guide, we want you to learn about becoming a surrogate and what it takes to become one.
Start with a Conversation
We want you to feel excited about your decision to work with us, so we’ll start by having a conversation to get to know each other. Because this process is so personal, it should start with a real, personal conversation. We want to build trust through communication and be sure that we gain an understanding of our mutual needs.
Application Time
Once we’ve had an opportunity to get to know each other, we’ll ask that you complete an application. You can complete this 30-minute questionnaire online, answering questions about your living situation, prior birth(s), whether you have a partner, and getting to know your mindset and anticipated level of support. Let us know about your medical and pregnancy history and your personal feelings about the possibility of becoming a surrogate.
Time for Your Medical Records
We need to gather all your medical records to get approval from the IVF doctor. This sounds like a headache, but our team is here to help you get that done so you don’t have to stress. Once the doctor reviews the records, they’ll decide whether you’re a good candidate for surrogacy.
Conducting a Psychological Assessment & Background Check
We want to make sure that you are not just physically healthy but mentally prepared to take on the responsibility of being a surrogate. We ask that you (and possibly your partner) participate in a psychological assessment with a mental health professional who specializes in issues around infertility. This is a very respectful process that is done with compassion and kindness.
A standard background check is needed to ensure that there are no outstanding legal issues in your past or your partner’s past, protecting you and the parents you’re going on this journey with.
Meet Your IP
At this point in the process, you’ll meet your intended parents (IP). Meeting the IPs and building a relationship is one of the most potentially fulfilling parts of the surrogacy journey. Because most of our IPs are Japanese, we will provide the translation services you need to ensure the meeting goes well and language is not an issue. Jbaby has been around for a while now, and we can report that language differences have never caused issues with any of our surrogates or IPs.
The Medical Review
The medical review process consists of you meeting your IVF doctor, who will be with you every step of the way. They’ll complete a medical exam that includes blood work, an ultrasound, and other procedures to lead you to medical clearance. Once you’ve obtained this clearance, you’ll be set to start your surrogacy journey!
Signing the Dotted Line
The legal contract outlines the rights, responsibilities, and expectations of the IPs and you. It protects both parties from the initial agreement to the baby's birth.
The Journey Begins
At the beginning of your surrogacy journey, you’ll start with fertility medications that prepare your body most optimally for anticipating the transfer of the tiny embryo that kicks off the amazing miracle of surrogacy. You’ll soon have a baby in your belly, ready to grow, making future parents’ dreams come true.
Why Choose Jbaby?
At Jbaby, the power of family gives meaning to everything we do. Surrogacy isn’t just a process at Jbaby; it’s a connection, a journey, and a true miracle. We are a family dedicated to helping you fulfill the dreams of having a family. We will stand by you every step of the way with care and attention and commit to your needs as you go through this process. If you’re interested in helping create a family, start your journey with Jbaby.
