When you want to grow your family but are unable to conceive, fertility clinics often suggest working with a surrogate. Surrogacy is a widely embraced legal agreement in which a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child for another individual or couple. As you embark on this journey toward parenthood, here are a few recommendations from infertility specialists to ensure you choose the right surrogate. 

4 Tips for Choosing the Right Surrogate

1. Establish Your Wish List

The relationship between a surrogate and a prospective parent is very intimate. As such, think through your wish list so you can help refine your search. Do you want to be geographically close to your surrogate? Are you interested in working with a woman who has gone through this process before? Are there specific dietary, health, and communication requirements you’re hoping for in order to feel comfortable? Write this down as a guide to get started.

2. Work with a Reputable Agency

Surrogacy agencies are important allies during this process. They will be able to match you with the right surrogate. Better still, they can help answer questions, prepare legal agreements, and walk you through the process so you’re fully prepared for what is to come. 

3. Create a Pregnancy Plan

Once you’re matched with a surrogate, whether it be a family friend or someone found by your surrogacy agency, sit down and walk through your overall pregnancy plan. This can include details on overall communication, financial contributions, doctor checkups, labor preparations, and anything applicable to make both parties comfortable and ready when the baby arrives. 

4. Discuss Counseling

While the legal implications and logistics of pregnancy, doctor’s appointments, and labor are frequently discussed, it’s common for parents-to-be and surrogates to overlook the emotional side of bearing a child and pregnancy as a whole. With this in mind, ask potential surrogates if they are open to counseling together or apart to ensure everyone is comfortable and happy with the baby’s best interests at heart. 

Are you ready to become a parent with the help of a surrogate? If so, the Diamond Institute for Infertility & Menopause is the right fertility clinic for you. With multiple locations across New York and New Jersey and over 50 years of experience, Dr. Matan Yemini and Dr. Ndidiamaka Onwubalili have helped hundreds of people experience the joy of parenthood via surrogacy, egg freezing, and IVF procedures. To schedule an appointment, call (973) 761-5600 or visit the website to browse their services.