Become a Surrogate in Florida

Being a surrogate mother in Florida is an amazing way to help others to become parents. If you’ve ever thought: “I want to be a surrogate mother,” then you’re part of an incredible set of women who feel called to give another family the most extraordinary gift possible: parenthood. This guide will walk you through the seven steps of how to be a surrogate mother in FL:

Step 1: Decide If You’re Ready to Become a Surrogate in FL

Becoming a surrogate means making about a year-long commitment of your time, energy, body, heart and mind. If you’re married, your spouse will also need to express their commitment to your surrogacy journey, as they’ll need to legally acknowledge that they have no legal parental rights to any child that you carry for intended parents, and they’ll also be your emotional support throughout the process.

A common question from some women considering becoming surrogates is: “How much do surrogate mothers get paid in Florida?” It is legal in Florida to be a paid surrogate. Florida surrogates are compensated for their time, participation and for the medical risks they undertake as part of the surrogate pregnancy, but surrogate compensation is rarely the primary motivation for women who wish to be Florida surrogate mothers.

If compensation is your main motivation, you’re not likely going to be an ideal candidate for surrogacy. However, if your goal is, first and foremost, to help others to know the joy of raising a child, then you’ll likely make an excellent Florida surrogate!

Step 2: Pick the Type of Surrogacy and Surrogacy Professional

If you’ve decided that you’re ready to become a surrogate, Florida has two different types of surrogacy and surrogacy professionals to choose from.

• Traditional surrogacy: In this less-common type of surrogacy, you would be the biological mother of the child, so there are increased emotional and legal risks associated with this method. You would use your own egg and sperm from either a donor or an intended father to become pregnant via IVF or intrauterine insemination. You would need to complete a process called a prearranged adoption, because traditional surrogacy is legally treated similar to adoption in Florida. Because of the inherent risks and complications, most surrogacy programs and agencies will not complete traditional surrogacies.
• Gestational surrogacy: The most common type of surrogacy, you would not be biologically related to the child you’d carry. Instead, an embryo created through in vitro fertilization using an egg and sperm from donors or intended parents would be transferred to you to carry.

Both are legal and carefully-regulated ways to be a surrogate mother. Florida statutes §63.213 and Chapter §742, respectively, govern the laws surrounding these different surrogacy types.

In your journey to become a surrogate mother, Florida professionals you could choose to help guide you through the complex process include:

• Surrogacy agencies: These professionals match you with intended parents who are already screened, and can typically provide you with all of the services needed to complete the surrogacy process in its entirety.
• Surrogacy attorneys: They’re able to complete the legal steps of the surrogacy process and can often provide you with recommendations for how you can look for intended parents, as attorneys don’t usually provide searching or matching services.

Step 3: Complete the Screening Requirements to Become a Surrogate Mom in FL

Women usually wonder, “What does it take to be a surrogate in the state of Florida?” They may not be sure if they’ll meet the requirements for being a surrogate in FL, and they’ve asked questions like, “Can a foreigner be a surrogate in Florida?” Or, “Can you become a Florida surrogate with no background check?”

Surrogates in Florida must meet a number of requirements. While the specific requirements can vary slightly depending on the professional you work with, you’ll generally need to meet requirements like the following:

Health

In order to apply for surrogate jobs, Florida applicants must meet a series of health requirements and complete a medical screening process. This includes having a healthy BMI range, having given at least once with no pregnancy complications, being smoke- and drug-free and more. Learn more about the health requirements involved in the process to be a surrogate mother in FL here.

Legal

If you’re learning how to become a gestational surrogate in FL, you’ll need to meet a few legal requirements, as well. You’ll need to be a permanent resident of the United States, not be receiving any financial assistance from the state and more. Learn more about the legal steps of how to be a surrogate mom in Florida here.

Emotional

There’s also a psychological screening process required for those willing to be a surrogate mother in Florida or anywhere in the U.S. which is meant to verify that you’re mentally and emotionally prepared for the process of surrogacy. A strong support system at home is an important part of being a gestational surrogate carrier, as they’ll support you in your surrogacy goals. Learn more about creating a support system as you learn how to become a gestational surrogate in FL here.

Step 4: Choose the Intended Parents You’ll Carry For

Finding the right intended parents to work with is an important step of learning how to become a surrogate mother in Florida. If you’re working with a surrogacy agency, they’ll provide you with profiles of potential parents that you can consider carrying for.

If you already have someone in mind that you’d like to partner with for the surrogacy process, all that’s needed is a surrogacy professional to complete the legal and medical steps.

If you work with a surrogacy attorney and are becoming a surrogate without an agency in FL, you’ll be responsible for finding intended parents on your own via online sources, personal connections, etc.

Step 5: Complete the Legal Surrogacy Contract

The creation of a surrogacy contract is necessary before beginning the medical process. Intended parents and surrogates will need individual legal representation so that each party’s interests are fairly represented. Your surrogacy contract will cover everything from the compensation to the legal parental rights of the intended parents, and even how you’d all want to handle “what-if” situations like pregnancy complications.

Once you’ve all agreed to a final version of a contract, you can proceed to the next steps to becoming a surrogate in FL — the medical stage.

Step 6: Complete the Embryo Transfer Processes

If you’ve successfully met the required health criteria and completed the medical screenings, you can begin the fertility treatments, medications and injections that culminate in an embryo transfer. The transfer takes place at a fertility clinic agreed upon in your surrogacy contract, which you may need to travel to. Any travel expenses will be covered by the intended parents. You’ll need to rest there for a few hours after the procedure, and then continue to rest for a few days following in order to help the embryo to properly implant.

Sometimes it takes a few cycles of embryo transfers to result in a healthy pregnancy. But if a doctor is able to confirm this, you can see your regular OB for your routine prenatal care and continue to update the intended parents as their baby grows and your due date approaches.

Step 7: Celebrate the Baby’s Arrival with the Intended Parents

The experiences of your surrogate pregnancy in Florida are something that you can share with the intended parents. That includes the most rewarding moment in your surrogacy journey — when you unite the intended parents with their baby for the first time. Intended parents often travel to their surrogate once she goes into labor, but you’ll be able to discuss your birth plan and the intended parents’ involvement during the creation of your surrogacy contract.

Becoming a surrogate in Florida is one of the most fulfilling things that a woman can do for someone else. Surrogacy is an amazing way to bring people together in pursuit of a common goal — to create a family!

If you’ve ever asked, “How do you become a surrogate mother in Florida?” then it’s time to contact a FL surrogacy professional now for surrogate paperwork in Florida.