Becoming a surrogate is one of the most generous and life-changing gifts you can offer a family. If you're someone who loved being pregnant and feels called to help others experience the joy of parenthood, surrogacy might be the perfect path for you.
At Independent Surrogacy Support, we’re here to walk with you every step of the way—from exploring if surrogacy is right for you, to matching with intended parents, and all the way through delivery and postpartum. As a 3x experienced surrogate myself, I understand the process from the inside out and offer the kind of personal, one-on-one support you won’t find at a traditional agency.
Not sure where to begin? I’ll help you understand the requirements, the process, and what to expect—so you feel informed, empowered, and supported from start to finish.
Stages of The Surrogacy Process
Background screening
The surrogate should be willing to have a background check completed on both the surrogate and their partner. Because the surrogate is being trusted to carry the intended parent's child, the screening is done for the parents comfort and to ensure them that the surrogate is deemed responsible for surrogacy.
Psychological screening is a vital part of the surrogacy process, designed to ensure that everyone is emotionally prepared for the journey ahead.
The gestational carrier will complete an individual evaluation with a licensed mental health professional experienced in third-party reproduction. This typically includes a clinical interview and sometimes a personality assessment (such as the MMPI or PAI). If the carrier has a partner, they may also be asked to participate.
Intended parents may also be invited to attend a joint session with the carrier and/or a separate consult to discuss expectations, communication, boundaries, and plans for the journey.
We’ll help coordinate all aspects of psychological screening and refer you to trusted professionals when needed. Our goal is to ensure everyone enters the journey with clear expectations, emotional readiness, and a shared understanding—building a strong foundation for a positive experience.
Medical Screening
Once you have a potential match and you both mutually agree that you would like to move forward, I will assist you with having your medical records sent to the parent's fertility clinic. The fertility clinic will review your medical records from all of your previous pregnancies to confirm that you meet all of the clinic requirements for surrogacy. Once approved, you will be able to move forward and begin your journey. To learn more about the surrogacy process, please click here.
After a match is made and legal clearance is on the horizon, the gestational carrier will complete medical screening at the intended parents’ fertility clinic. This screening ensures that the carrier is physically healthy and medically approved to move forward with an embryo transfer. It typically includes bloodwork, infectious disease testing, a saline sonogram (or hysteroscopy), and sometimes additional labs or evaluations based on clinic requirements.
We’ll help coordinate travel, prep you on what to expect, and make sure all parties stay informed throughout the process. Medical screening is a critical step to ensure safety, readiness, and the best chance of a successful pregnancy—and we’re here to guide you through it with confidence and care.
Legal Agreements:
Once medical and psychological screenings are complete, the next step is drafting and finalizing the legal contract between the intended parents and the gestational carrier.
This agreement is essential—it protects everyone involved by clearly outlining expectations, responsibilities, financial arrangements, parentage, and potential outcomes in various situations. Each party will have their own attorney, and Independent Surrogacy Support can help you find experienced legal professionals who specialize in assisted reproduction.
We’ll support both sides through the entire legal process—answering questions, ensuring timelines are met, and helping keep communication clear and respectful. Our goal is to make sure everyone feels confident and protected before moving forward to the next stage of the journey.
All surrogates are thoroughly screened to confirm that they meet the basic surrogacy requirements before matching. If you meet all of basic requirements above and you are interested in becoming a surrogate, please apply below. This form will help us learn more about you, where you are at on your journey, and what your matching preferences are so that we can better support you on your journey.