Surrogacy By State

Hawaii Surrogacy Process


Key Points:
  • Couples in Hawaii can pursue surrogacy to fulfill their dreams of becoming parents.
  • Surrogates can receive competitive compensation when they become a qualified surrogate.
  • While there are no laws in Hawaii that govern surrogacy, working with a reputable professional can ensure a stress-free process.

Starting those first few steps toward the process of surrogacy in Hawaii are often the hardest. Fortunately, the following guide will take you step-by-step through the Hawaii surrogacy process, so you know more about what it’s like, how to get started and how to decide if Hawaii surrogacy is right for you.

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The 6 Steps of the Hawaii Surrogacy Process

Everyone’s HI surrogacy experience will be unique, but most journeys will follow these six steps:

Step 1: Decide if You’re Ready to Commit to Surrogacy

Surrogacy isn’t the right fit for everyone. So, the first step of the surrogacy process in Hawaii is to decide if it’s the right path for you, or if you should pursue an alternative option.

There are legal, emotional and practical considerations that you should educate yourself about before you begin.

All intended parents and surrogates will need to be prepared to fully commit to the process of surrogacy in Hawaii, which typically takes at least one year. During that time, surrogates will make sacrifices to their body, time, emotions, family and career. Intended parents will need to carefully compare surrogacy to other potential family-building paths to be certain that this is the choice that’s right for them.

Remember that there are also eligibility requirements that each party will need to meet through their surrogacy professional, and that not everyone will be eligible for surrogacy in Hawaii. These requirements are in place for everyone’s safety, especially for the baby at the heart of the journey.

One more important consideration: Why do you want to choose surrogacy? Pursuing surrogacy in Hawaii for the right reasons and with clear expectations about what’s involved will be instrumental in your overall satisfaction with this experience.

Step 2:  Choose Which Method of Surrogacy and Professional You’ll Work With

If you’ve decided that you’re ready to commit to the Hawaii surrogacy process, your next step will be to choose between the two types of surrogacy in HI:

  • Traditional surrogacy: This type of surrogacy in Hawaii is rare, and few professionals will complete it. That’s because traditional surrogates use their own eggs to create the embryo, meaning they are the biological mothers of the children they carry. This creates legal and emotional risks.
  • Gestational surrogacy: In gestational surrogacy, Hawaii surrogates (also called carriers) aren’t biologically related to the babies they carry. Instead, embryos are created through IVF in fertility clinics using gametes from donors or intended parents, and are then transferred to surrogates to carry. This is the more common and preferred method of surrogacy.

Now you’ll need to choose which type of surrogacy professional you’ll work with. You’ll always need to complete the Hawaii surrogacy process with the guidance of an experience professional. This is for your protection as well as for the safety of everyone involved. Your options are:

  • A surrogacy agency or program: These professionals complete all the necessary services on behalf of the intended parents and gestational surrogate. This usually includes searching, screening, matching, counseling, case management and more. This is the preferred option if you want a single point of contact and a “one-stop shop.”
  • A surrogacy attorney: These professionals specifically handle the legal steps required for surrogacy in Hawaii. They’re not usually able to provide services for things like matching, but they can often refer you to professionals that do offer those services.

Step 3: Match with Your Surrogacy Partner

You’re not limited to searching for a surrogacy partner within the islands. You could match with a surrogate or intended parent on the main continent if you feel that person is the best fit for your surrogacy goals.

There are three ways you could potentially match with a Hawaii surrogacy partner:

  • Partner with someone you know: A common reason for choosing surrogacy in Hawaii is because you may already know your surrogacy partner — either an intended parent or surrogate. If you’re already found the person you want to partner with, you’ll need to contact a surrogacy professional to confirm everyone’s eligibility and then to complete the legal process before you begin the medical steps.
  • Match through a surrogacy agency: If you aren’t already partnered with someone, an agency or matching program can help you connect with someone who is the right fit. They provide profiles of pre-screened candidates who have already signed on with the agency and whose surrogacy preferences align with your own.
  • Search on your own: Remember that without the protection of a professional, pursuing the Hawaii surrogacy process independently can be risky. You would be responsible for screening potential matches yourself. Searches are usually done online or through word-of-mouth.

DID YOU KNOW?

Some surrogacy agencies are able to find you a match within an average of 30-90 days. These agencies maintain a balanced list of intended parents to keep wait times low.

Step 4: Complete the Legal Process for Surrogacy in Hawaii

Once you’ve been matched with a surrogacy partner, you’ll complete the legal process of surrogacy in HI together prior to any medical actions.

Hawaii surrogacy attorneys will need to represent the intended parents and the surrogate individually to ensure equal advocacy throughout the creation of a surrogacy contract. Contracts outline things like securing the legal parental rights for intended parents, surrogate compensation, what the parties would all do in the event of situations like pregnancy complications and more.

Your attorney will help you navigate laws based on your individual circumstances, and they will adhere to any necessary out-of-state laws if you have a long-distance surrogacy relationship.

Step 5: Complete the Medical Process of Surrogacy in HI

When your contract has been finalized, you’ll move on to the medical process of surrogacy in Hawaii. In order to reach that stage, surrogates will have already met the health requirements and screening processes that their surrogacy professional requires. Once they’ve been cleared as physically healthy enough to move forward, they’ll begin taking the prescribed medications that lead up to embryo transfer.

Transfers are typically done at the intended parents’ fertility clinic. There, embryos are usually created through IVF with the egg and sperm of donors or intended parents, which are then transferred to the gestational surrogate’s uterus. Whenever the doctor is able to confirm that the surrogate is pregnant, she’ll be able to see her own OB-GYN for regular prenatal care.

Intended parents and surrogates usually keep in touch throughout the rest of the pregnancy and plan for the baby’s arrival together.

Step 6: Welcome the Baby

It’s common to have a long-distance surrogacy partnership, especially across the islands, so the intended parents will often make travel plans to be with their surrogate for her labor relatively early in the Hawaii surrogacy process. A surrogacy birth is a life-changing experience for everyone involved, and the parents and surrogate often enjoy planning for it and enjoying it together.

Ready to learn more about how to become a parent through surrogacy in Hawaii? Or are you interested in becoming a surrogate in Hawaii? Contact us online today and we’ll help you get started with your Hawaii surrogacy process.

Male and Female couple smiling with surrogate mother
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