The Surrogacy Process for Intended Parents

New York Surrogacy Center will be there every step of the way to guide you through the surrogacy process.

Reach out through our website, phone or email to set up a free 30-minute intake call by Zoom or phone with our Director of Intended Parent Services
We’ll provide materials about the surrogacy process, surrogate compensation, the cost of surrogacy and more to review before your intake call
During your intake call, we’ll get to know you, tell you about NYSC, and answer all of your questions about surrogacy
You’ll fill out an online application
We’ll notify you that your application is approved and send you our Service Agreement
We’ll run criminal history checks
We’ll work with you to create the perfect profile that will be shown to potential surrogate matches
We can provide referrals to fertility clinics and resources for egg, sperm or embryo donation, if needed

We thoroughly pre-screen all of our surrogates before they are eligible for matching:

Detailed surrogacy application
Comprehensive background check for surrogate and live-in partner (criminal history, civil lawsuits/judgments, sex offender registry, driving history, credit history)
Child abuse/neglect history disclosure
Drug and nicotine testing
STD testing
Current pap smear
OB/GYN recommendation letter
Obtain prior pregnancy and delivery records
Summary of medical records created by medical record review company based on ASRM guidelines
Review of surrogate’s existing medical insurance policy
Income confirmation for surrogate and live-in partner
Virtual home visit

Your application will contain your matching preferences
We only provide you with surrogate profiles for surrogate who also match your fertility clinic’s screening criteria
We meet on a weekly basis to discuss matching of surrogates who have successfully completed our pre-screening process
We prioritize matching our longest waiting intended parents so no one remains on our waiting list for too long
When we have a possible match for you, we will provide the surrogate’s profile and compensation package to you
If you are interested in this surrogate, we will then share her full set of redacted pre-screening materials with you so you can get a better sense of her and her medical and social background
We will then share your profile with this surrogate
Your fertility clinic will then review your surrogate’s full set of medical review to make sure they think she is a good surrogate candidate for you
We will then set up your match meeting which the agency hosts over Zoom
After the match meeting, if both sides want to move forward together, you are officially matched!

Most fertility clinics will have your surrogate travel there for her medical screening and we will handle all travel arrangements
The medical screening typically involves at least a hysteroscopy, saline sonogram, infectious disease screening and other bloodwork
If you are using embryos created from your own egg/sperm, you may have to undergo additional FDA testing during this time period
Some fertility clinics will use an in-house mental health provider for the surrogate psychological screening process while others will defer to us to coordinate this process
The psychological screening process typically involves an individual session for your surrogate which includes an MMPI, PAI or similar testing, an individual session for you and a joint session

We will provide you and your surrogate with referrals to attorneys who specialize in surrogacy law
Typically, the attorneys will need to be licensed in the state where the surrogate resides because that is where the court proceeding to establish parentage and the birth will occur
The surrogacy agreement will contain information about compensation, insurance and the surrogate’s conduct during the pregnancy
Your attorney will draft the agreement and go over it with you before sending it to the surrogate’s attorney to review it with her
Once your agreement is signed, you’re ready for the embryo transfer!

Your fertility clinic will coordinate the embryo transfer cycle
Your surrogate will have frequent bloodwork and ultrasounds completed before and after transfer at a monitoring facility close to her
We will locate a monitoring clinic and help coordinate the communication between your clinic, the monitoring facility, and your surrogate
Your surrogate will travel to your clinic for the embryo transfer and we will handle all travel arrangements
After a positive pregnancy test, your surrogate will continue to be seen by the monitoring facility until she is discharged by your clinic to her OB

When you reach the start of the second trimester, we will have your attorney start the parentage proceeding
The parentage process varies from state to state, but typically involves a petition filed by the intended parents and a consent form signed by the surrogate
Most states will issue a pre-birth order of parentage that declares you to be the parent(s) of your baby and directs vital records to list you as the parent(s) on your baby’s birth certificate

We will help you and your surrogate formulate a birth plan that you are all comfortable with
We will connect with the hospital where your surrogate will deliver to make sure we are aware of all of their relevant policies
We will provide the hospital all necessary documents such as insurance cards, HIPAA releases, parentage order, hospital plan, etc.
Depending on how close you are to your surrogate, you may choose to travel to her in advance to await the arrival of your baby
You will be at the hospital for delivery and will care for and bond with your baby throughout the hospital stay
Your baby will be discharged to you from the hospital and you are able to return home as soon as you’re ready

Depending on the state your baby is born in, there may be post-birth legal proceedings that your attorney will take care of
You will receive a birth certificate for your baby listing you as the parent(s). This can take a few days to a few months depending on the state
Your surrogate will pump and provide breast milk to you if you both want that
Final expenses will be paid from your escrow account and then any remaining funds will be returned to you (the escrow account remains open for 12 months after birth in NY and 6 months for all other states)