What is the Screening Process Like for Becoming a Surrogate?
Becoming a surrogate is truly a unique and transformative experience. For women who want to help others build their families, it’s an opportunity to offer something extraordinary—helping bring new life into the world. It’s a selfless act that requires physical, emotional, and mental strength, but it’s also deeply fulfilling and rewarding in many ways.
The Steps You'll Take Before Becoming a Surrogate
While surrogacy is an incredibly meaningful journey, it’s important to approach it with careful consideration. The process involves a series of steps designed to ensure that you’re physically healthy, emotionally ready, and fully committed. Let’s walk through the steps you’ll take before becoming a surrogate.
Step One: Filling Out the Application
Your journey starts by filling out an application, which we will utilize once approved to develop your profile. This application asks detailed questions about your medical history, previous pregnancies, home life, and your motivations for becoming a surrogate. You’ll describe why you want to help others through surrogacy and what you envision for your journey during this initial step. The information you provide will help match you with the right intended parents.
Important Note: Compensation is an important part of the process, and we believe every surrogate should set her own value. We’ll share industry averages to guide you, but ultimately, you’ll decide what compensation works best for you.
Step Two: The Consultation
Once your application is complete, the next step is scheduling a consultation. This is an important opportunity to discuss your journey in more detail, revisit your profile, and address any questions or concerns you might have. We want you to feel confident about your decision, and this meeting allows us to make sure we align in values and expectations. This consultation is also your opportunity to interview us, ensuring that we at The Genesis Group are the right fit for you.
Step Three: Partnership and Documentation
If you feel we’re a good match after your consultation, we would be honored to work with you and help you connect with intended parents who share your goals. The next step is completing the necessary paperwork. This can be a smooth and quick process, but it depends on how quickly you’re able to respond.
What’s involved in the paperwork?
To move forward, you’ll need to provide a few documents—such as a copy of your ID, and if applicable, your partner’s ID—along with a commitment agreement, a benefits package, medical release form, and video and photo releases. These are all necessary steps to ensure you’re set up for success on your surrogacy journey.
When working with an agency, most of the paperwork and logistics are handled for you. Once your documents are signed, the agency will begin obtaining your medical records. A medical professional will review your records, and you will even have a call with a Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist to ensure everything is in order. We take care of the groundwork so that your time and energy are spent on the meaningful parts of this process.
Note: It is important to point out medical record retrieval can take anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks depending on your facility.
Step Four: Home evaluation
During this waiting period, you’ll also complete a home evaluation. This is not about judging your home, but ensuring that it is a safe and clean environment for you and any future child. It's a chance to make sure everything is in place and ready for the next steps in your journey.
Talking to Your Family
As you move forward, a crucial step is to prepare your family for the journey ahead. If you have children, they’ll be a part of this process, too, and it’s important to keep them informed and involved. We recommend talking to them when things have progressed further along, but start considering how they will feel about you being a surrogate during this time. Read more about communicating with and emotionally preparing your family here.
Step Five: Background Check and Publishing
Once your OB-GYN and delivery records have been reviewed, our team will assess whether any additional information is needed. Sometimes, an updated pap smear or an OB-GYN clearance letter may be required.
After the medical review, the next step is a background check, which is standard procedure for surrogacy. This includes a full check for you and anyone over 18 years old living in your household to ensure that everyone in your home is part of a safe and supportive environment.
Once everything is cleared by the recruitment team, the most exciting phase begins—matching! This is when you get to connect with intended parents and start your surrogacy journey. It’s the moment when your hard work and dedication truly come to life.
Your profile will finally be published to our database for our deserving intended parents’ review. Our case managers work closely with you and our parents to recommend matches they believe may be a perfect fit—but ultimately, the final decision to match is up to you.
Preparing for a Smooth Process
If you're considering surrogacy, being prepared ahead of time can help the process move smoothly and efficiently. Make sure your pap smear is up to date, consult your OB-GYN or primary care physician, and be ready to answer questions, schedule calls, and sign paperwork when necessary. The more prepared you are, the quicker the process will go.
Do you have questions? Let’s Talk.
If you’re unsure or have any lingering questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to have a conversation with you, and there’s no obligation, just an opportunity for you to learn more. We’d love to hear from you and support you as you explore this incredible journey.
If you are wondering if you qualify, take a look at our post about the requirements to become a gestational carrier.
