What to Expect… Surrogacy Steps

Initial Agency Introduction…

You will receive an initial introduction about Roots Surrogacy, who we are and what we do.  Along with that introduction, there will be an email with the next steps including application, profile and calendar link to meet the team. There is a lot of paperwork in the beginning to get started but it is all really important. Feel free to reach out with questions anytime!

Psych Evaluation…

Once you have been approved, we will add you to our Facebook group where you can meet hundreds of other Roots surrogates, ask questions.  We will also connect you to a mental health professional who will want to meet you and your partner on Zoom and have you complete an assessment.  This process is quick, about an hour, and just covers the basics of mental health history.

Profile Swap…

After the initial approval of pregnancy records, you will be ready to match.  We will send you a profile of a parent or couple. It will be a lot of information about them, their situation and their lives.  The majority of our parents live in the United States and all of them speak fluent English.  They will have already seen your profile and are interested in matching with you! If you’re interested, we will send your records to the parent’s IVF clinic.  While there are clinics all over the country, most of the world’s surrogacy is done in CA so the majority of clinics are in California as well.

Match Call…

After the parent’s clinic has approved your records (between 10 days and 6 weeks), we will do a match call with Roots, you and the parents. We will get to know everyone, talk about next steps and also talk about communication, money, termination, self injected medications, birth, etc. The call is usually about 1 hour long and gets everyone comfortable to move forward with next steps.

Medical Screening…

Legal Contracts…

Medications and Transfer…

Pregnancy and Delivery…

If after the call everyone thinks it is a good match, we will be scheduling your medical screening with your clinic.  If you have to travel there, we will also set this up and pay for it.  Once you arrive, you will do a transvaginal ultrasound and blood work. The test results are usually back within two weeks.

Following the medical and psychological screening, you ready to start the legal process.  Roots will connect you with a lawyer who will represent you.  They do not work for us or the parents (although we will pay all the costs).  The parents and the surrogate will have separate attorney to best represent the interest of all parties.  The legal process can take anywhere from 1 -6 weeks, depending on the schedules of the attorneys. 

Once legal contracts are signed, you will start medications and will receive a transfer date.  We will not know the timing of the transfer until after legal contracts are signed.  You will start a series of medications that you have to inject yourself .  You will need to complete an ultrasound and blood work every week for the next six weeks.  Transfer will be about three weeks after starting medications.  It will take place at the parents’ clinic.  If air travel and hotel are necessary, Roots will set up and pay for said travel.

You will be checked ten days after transfer to confirm pregnancy and then again with an ultrasound around 6 weeks.  Once confirmed pregnant, you will continue to be on medications and monitored by the clinic for the first trimester.  After that, you can move to your OB and you will be seen by them for the remainder of the pregnancy.  You will deliver in a hospital near you and the parents will be there for the birth.