Sometimes, our dreams of starting a family aren’t so straightforward. Sometimes tough things get in the way, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your dream of having children. For intending parents, surrogacy can be a wonderful option for growing their family. Surrogacy is when a woman, called a surrogate mother, carries a baby for her intended parents. Once the infant is born, the intended parents become the legal parents of the child. Whether you choose domestic surrogacy or surrogacy abroad, it may be the right path to grow your family.
One of the biggest questions parents ask when considering surrogacy is, “How long does surrogacy take?” The surrogacy timeline ranges depending on the circumstances, but generally, both domestic and surrogacy abroad take 15-26 months. Here is a general timeline of the surrogacy process and how long you can expect each step to take.
If you have more questions about the process, contact our compassionate surrogacy experts at Stork Service.
1-2 Months: Consultations With Your Surrogacy Agency
Surrogacy is a highly complex legal, medical, and emotional process. Working with a surrogacy company protects your rights, the rights of the surrogate mother, and the rights of the child. Make sure to work with a comprehensive surrogacy agency like Stork Service that handles all aspects of the process. Once you choose the right surrogacy agency, you will have multiple consultations to discuss your goals and the process and handle any of the early paperwork.
2-6 Months: Surrogacy Matching Process
Once we understand your surrogacy goals, we will begin the screening and matching process. We screen all potential surrogate mothers for physical and emotional health. We also screen other important factors like a good support system, a stable living situation, and a healthy lifestyle. Please note it is often easier to find a surrogate abroad, as there are countries that offer higher quality medical care and more favorable laws around surrogacy. The agency will then introduce the intending parents to the surrogate candidates. Once there is a good match between the intending parents and the surrogate, a legal contract will be drawn up, and the process can begin upon signing.
2-4 Months: Surrogate Mother’s Medical And Fertility Treatments
The surrogate mother will then begin the medical procedures to become pregnant. The length of time and types of treatment depend on whether you have chosen traditional surrogacy, a process where the surrogate mother uses her own egg with donor sperm, or gestational surrogacy, where the mother carries an embryo that is made with the egg and sperm from the intended parents or other donors. Your surrogacy agency will take you through every step of the process so you know exactly what to expect.
9 Months: Pregnancy
Once physicians confirm the pregnancy with an ultrasound, which usually happens around 6-8 after the embryo implantation, the surrogate will start prenatal care. They will have regular checkups with the obstetrician, during which they will receive the highest quality care, such as fetal monitoring, screening tests, and even nutritional guidance. During pregnancy, the surrogacy agency also supports the mother to make sure she’s happy, healthy, and well-adjusted. You will get regular updates about the pregnancy and, if you choose, regular contact with the surrogate mother.
1-2 Months: Birth And Officially Becoming Parents
In most cases, you will be in attendance for the birth of your baby. Typically, your child will be born in the hospital with you in the room. After the baby is born, the agency handles the final steps so you are legally recognized as the parents. If you are doing surrogacy abroad, the agency will also handle all the paperwork needed to take your baby back to your home country, such as passports and travel documents. During this magical time, you can just relax and connect with your new family.
1-3 Months: Post Birth Wrap-Up
When determining how long does surrogacy take, it’s important to understand that even after the birth, there will still be a few things to do. First, the agency makes sure the surrogate mother gets all the post-birth care and support she needs. Depending on the location of the surrogacy, there may still be some legal details, like getting the birth certificate. Your surrogacy agency will handle everything,
Overall, if you are wondering how long does surrogacy take, you can expect the surrogacy process to take approximately 1 1⁄2 to 2 years. Working with a surrogacy agency and choosing surrogacy abroad can shorten this timeline. At Stork Service Surrogacy Center, we work with couples from all over the world to find surrogate mothers. We handle all the complex legal documentation and medical paperwork so you can focus on growing your family.
Ready to learn more? Book a meeting now with our surrogacy specialists! We’ll go over the surrogacy process from start to finish and help you understand the timeline.