Are you planning to become a parent through surrogacy, or would you like to be a surrogate mother? Here’s how the surrogate process works in California for intended parents and gestational mothers.
Surrogacy in California
If a couple cannot conceive a child by themselves, they can go to another woman to carry the child for them. The mother can provide her own egg or use a donor’s. This egg is fertilized through in vitro fertilization, known as IVF, and implanted inside the surrogate mother. Surrogacy in California is available to:
- LGBTQ+ couples who want to have a genetic link to their child
- People who have a health condition or a genetic defect that they don’t want to transfer to their child
- Women who are unable to carry their own child
- Heterosexual partners who are struggling to have a baby
Finding a surrogate
It’s recommended to look for a surrogate mother through surrogate clinics or agencies available in California. Doing it on your own can put you at risk of fraud or complications that you don’t want. It’s also recommended to always have your attorney around before you sign any surrogacy contracts to ensure that everything is legally correct.
Surrogacy process in California
Surrogacy and donation agreements are a year-long commitment that requires the parties involved to be fully dedicated to the process. A typical California surrogacy contract includes:
- The intended surrogate’s compensation
- Responsibilities of the surrogate and the intended parents as well as risks
- The names of the intended parents
- The donor’s credentials
- The date the contract was created and executed
- Expectations on the contract
The law also requires the surrogate mother to go through a thorough medical screening process to ensure that she is healthy enough to endure the pregnancy. The doctors will check for her fertility and hormones before they transfer the embryo inside. After the doctor confirms the pregnancy, the intended parents will typically give the surrogate mother a base compensation and monthly allowance until the surrogacy period is over and the baby is born.