The Surrogacy Process - Personal, Professional, Rewarding

When you first reach out to First Coast Surrogates, you will go through fill out an application listing out your personal and medical history. This will be the foundation of your profile when it comes to matching and meeting with intended parents. You may also go through the following:

• Application and background review
• Financial information
• Work history
• Support system
• Medical/Pregnancy history

This steps allows you to be informed in the process of being established as a surrogate. Whether you have completed a journey before or looking to start one, all surrogates are handled and cared for the same by the team at First Coast Surrogates.

Being new to the surrogacy process can be overwhelming and scary. You will work closely with the team to ensure all your questions are answered and your concerns are addressed. You may, at this step, go through psychological screening and support teams to ensure you are ready to go through pregnancy as a surrogate. This step will vary and be on a case by case instance. 

When meeting with someone from First Coast Surrogates, you will go be asked possible questions like the following:

• Why do you want to be a surrogate?
• What is home life like?
• Do you have a family of your own?
• Your friend group or support group.
• You expectations and interests

This consultation will ensure you are truly ready to be a surrogate and you have been properly informed of what is to come!

This is where the surrogacy journey really takes off. You will be presented with profiles and portfolios of intended parents that are looking for people like YOU to be their surrogate. You will then review those profiles to learn about who's journey best fits your interests. This is a personal choice that you have. Even though you match on paper, doesn't mean you will be a good fit. This happens more than you'd imagine.

Once you believe you have reviewed a profile of a potential match, we will set up a video "meet and greet" so that you can have that personal and physical connection with your journey members. This meeting will be a conversation about personalities, hobbies, interests, etc. If you both feel the connection is mutual and both parties agree, you have matched and will move on to the next steps of the process.

You have matched with an intended and ready to get started. You will meet with an attorney who will be drafting the agreement , terms vary by state, and informing you of the conditions of the agreement. You will provide information and input into the agreement and the agreement will not be finalized until both parties agree on the conditions.

Once the agreement has been signed, you will start the process of medical visits to the intended parents fertility center. You will go through screening and health reviews to ensure you are ready to begin the transfer process and start pregnancy. Expenses are usually and typically covered by the intended parents and discussed during the agreement stage of this step.

Once you have been screened and cleared by the intended parent's fertility center, you will then begin the process of preparing for the IVF transfer of embryos. You will be instructed on how to and when to begin medications in preparation for the transfer and once the medical professional clears you for transfer, that will be scheduled and completed.

You have tested positive for pregnancy and officially on your way to completing your journey. Your care visits will take place locally at your OG/GYN during this time and you may offer the intended parents to attend if agreed to or if travel permits.

This is a truly special time of the journey. You may connect with your intended parents so that they feel close to the baby and apart to of the process. You may want to keep in contact as much as possible if there are travel constraints. This is an anxious time for them as well. 

This process begins with a positive test and ends with the birth of the baby on delivery day. We at First Coast surrogates will check in as well along the way to ensure you are comfortable and cared for during this time.