The Gestational Surrogacy Process

The 13 Steps of the Surrogate Journey

The complete 13-step BabyTree gestational surrogacy process, from your online application through delivery.

1. 1

   Phase 1

   Step 1: Apply Online

   Upon completion of application, one of our Gestational Carrier coordinators will reach out to you with a welcome email and phone call. You will be sent an email with our office documents in order to continue they must be completed correctly and sent back. We will hold an interview in our local office or online.

2. 2

   Phase 2

   Step 2: Gather Medical Records

   We will then reach out to all parties that were stated on the HIPAA / Medical Release form completed by the applicant in hopes of being able to obtain all records. For any reason that we are unable to do so we will make contact with the applicant to further assist us in doing so, to be able to proceed.

3. 3

   Phase 3

   Step 3: OB Clearance Letter and PAP Smear Results

   At the same time, the applicant will schedule an appointment with their treating OB doctor or primary physician to complete a PAP Smear and to obtain a Surrogacy Clearance letter.

4. 4

   Phase 4

   Step 4: Ready To Match

   Once all medical records with OB clearance letter and PAP smear results are retrieved we will then Congratulate you on to the next step of moving into our “Ready to Match” phase. We will then match the potential Gestational Carrier (GC) with potential Intended Parents (IP). We go based off of your needs and wants just as we go based off the same for our IP(s).

5. 5

   Phase 5

   Step 5: Video Chat With IP

   Once matched, we will schedule a meeting between the GC and IPs. This gives you as our GC the opportunity to ask all questions and concerns that you may have for the IPs vice versa. After meet and greet, both parties will decide if they would like to move forward with one another.

6. 6

   Phase 6

   Step 6: Medical Records Pre-approved By IVF doctor

   If both parties agree, we will then send the GC records over to the clinic that the IP(s) are already working with for review. IVF doctor reviews records and will decide if potential GC is capable to move forward.

7. 7

   Phase 7

   Step 7: Medical Screening

   Once your medical records have been pre-approved by an IVF doctor, we will send an official match sheet to the IVF clinic to schedule your medical screening. The clinic will make contact with you to schedule the appointment. You are requested to report to the agency and clinic when all menstrual cycles begin on the first day as the clinic needs to know when to schedule your evaluation based off of your cycle.

8. 8

   Phase 8

   Step 8: Psychological Evaluation

   Agency will arrange for a licensed psychological specialist to take an evaluation of potential GC to verify if GC is suitable for surrogacy.

9. 9

   Phase 9

   Step 9: Legal Process

   If all goes well we will be moving forward with legal documents to be completed with the attorney’s. The IP(s) will be the ones to provide legal assistance for the GC. Contracts will be completed and notarized and sent out to all parties. Once the IP attorney receives both sides of the IP and GC completed contract they will then issue a legal clearance letter to the clinic and agency.

10. 10

    Phase 10

    Step 10: Transfer

    Once legal clearance is received from the attorney to the clinic then the clinic will make contact with GC with further instructions. Clinic will schedule an appointment for you to come into the office to receive your scheduled calendar with a potential transfer date along with medication. If all goes well with medication administration then GC will proceed with transfer.

11. 11

    Phase 11

    Step 11: IVF Clinic Monitor After Transfer

    Upon completion of transfer the clinic will still be needing to monitor GC. During this time GC will still be needing to take medications and visit the clinic until stated otherwise by IVF doctor. Once the IVF doctor feels comfortable with progression of pregnancy, the GC will graduate from the clinic and then GC will need to locate an OB office in their area.

12. 12

    Phase 12

    Step 12: OB Visit

    GC is required to inform the agency as to which OB office they will be going to for regular monitoring. The agency will then send over assessment form to GC to be completed by treating OB for each appointment that is scheduled. The GC must inform the agency of all appointments and update how appointments went as well as return the assessment form. At same time GC is required to sign a HIPPA for agency to get her records or treatment updates from her OB clinic legally.

13. 13

    Phase 13

    Step 13: Delivery

    IP will arrive in the USA one week before GC’s due date. If IP(s) are unable to be with GC during the time of delivery they will have a Power Of Attorney (POA) be there in substitution. As one of our Gestational Carriers you will be pampered with amazing pregnancy gifts to help get you along with your journey. As our GC you will treat this pregnancy just as you have with your own. Nothing is different as rules and regulations still apply from your personal pregnancy(ies) along with any additional ones added on by the IVF doctor and OB doctor.

What stays constant through every phase

Three structural commitments that hold regardless of which step you are in:

• Coordinator at every step

  One person guides the whole journey

  You are paired with a dedicated BabyTree coordinator from the application through postpartum recovery — not a queue of separate staff.

• Independent representation

  Your own attorney + independent psych

  Both your surrogacy attorney and your psychological evaluator are independent of BabyTree. They represent you, not the agency.

• No out-of-pocket cost

  Medical, legal, screening all covered

  Every cost in the screening and approval process — medical exams, OB clearance, psychological evaluation, attorney — is covered by the intended parents through your contract.