When Is the Right Time to Start the Surrogacy Process?
Choosing to grow your family through surrogacy is both exciting and deeply personal. You’ve probably heard the saying, “No one is ever truly ready to have a baby,” and in many ways, the same applies to surrogacy. While it’s natural to feel uncertain at first, understanding the process and reflecting on your readiness can help you move forward with confidence.
Understanding the Surrogacy Process
Before pursuing surrogacy, it's essential to understand the process involved. While every journey is unique, most follow a similar structure:
Screening: All potential surrogates undergo thorough physical and psychological evaluations. This ensures they’re not only in good health but also emotionally prepared for the responsibility of carrying a child for someone else.
Matching: Once approved, the surrogate enters the matching phase. Intended parents are matched with potential surrogates based on key compatibility factors — such as communication style, desired closeness during the pregnancy, lifestyle preferences, and shared views on sensitive medical decisions like selective reduction or termination.
Legal Contracts: Before any medical procedures take place, both parties meet with independent attorneys who specialize in reproductive law. A detailed contract is drafted to outline everyone’s rights and responsibilities, providing legal clarity and protection throughout the process.
Fertility Treatment and Embryo Transfer: The surrogate then prepares for in vitro fertilization (IVF), using embryos created from the intended parents’ or donors’ egg and sperm. If the embryo transfer is successful, the pregnancy begins. It’s important to note that gestational surrogates are not genetically related to the child.
Pregnancy and Beyond: Once pregnant, the surrogate receives regular prenatal care and ongoing support from both the agency and medical team. Intended parents are typically involved in the journey according to the level of contact agreed upon during matching.
Emotional Readiness for Surrogacy
Choosing surrogacy often comes after a long fertility journey, and it’s okay if you’re still processing that. Take time to acknowledge any feelings of grief, loss, or uncertainty. Being emotionally ready doesn’t mean you won’t have complex emotions along the way; it means you’ve created space to move forward with hope and openness. Talk with your partner, therapist, or support network about what this next chapter means to you.
Planning for the Surrogacy Journey
Once you feel emotionally grounded, it’s time to consider the practical side. Surrogacy involves careful coordination, financial planning, and legal clarity. This includes speaking with your fertility doctor, reviewing your budget, thinking about timelines, and researching surrogacy agencies. While working with an agency isn’t required, most intended parents find the guidance and logistical support invaluable — from navigating screenings to coordinating medical and legal milestones.
Taking the Next Step: Your Surrogacy Consultation
Once you’ve done your initial research and feel ready to take the next step, scheduling a consultation with a surrogacy agency can bring clarity and direction. During this meeting, the agency will walk you through their process, answer your questions, and help you understand what to expect — from matching and IVF to legal coordination and post-birth planning. It’s also a chance to make sure the agency is the right fit for your needs and values.
Your Journey Starts Here
Deciding to pursue surrogacy takes courage, clarity, and care — and you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or you’re ready to take the first step, having honest conversations with your partner and connecting with a trusted surrogacy agency can make all the difference.
At West Coast Surrogacy, we’re here to guide you with transparency, compassion, and personalized support every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and begin the journey toward building the family you’ve been dreaming of.
