• Prepare thoroughly for the life-changing process ahead. Learn as much as possible about the pros and cons of surrogacy, and be sure you fully understand your choices.

• Establish clear, open lines of communication with your partner and aim to have the same goals and values in mind when trying to find a surrogate mother.

• List qualities you both hope to find in your surrogate mom. It helps to break them into ideal and mandatory categories.

• Your surrogate mother should be thoroughly trustworthy, with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to the total process.

• She should be in good health, and have given birth previously, ensuring that she knows what to expect during pregnancy and childbirth.

• Look for someone with her own support network and healthy home environment. She will need to rely on loved ones for help as she goes through the surrogacy experience.

• Join an online forum to share resources, hopes, and fears. Others may have unique insights, and you could form friendships that last a lifetime.

• Be aware of your comfort level when meeting with a candidate. Remember, you’ll be discussing the most intimate, momentous life issues, so it is important to feel comfortable.

• Think through the relationship you want to establish during pregnancy and after. Will she become part of your family life and maintain a connection to your baby?

Your surrogate should fully understand the implications of the role she will undertake. Inform yourselves first, then review these considerations with her.

• Will you request amniocentesis when she becomes pregnant? Review possible outcomes and next steps, depending on results.

• There is risk in every pregnancy, especially if multiple births result – a significant possibility with in vitro fertilization (IVF). In case of triplets, will you choose to selectively reduce, and will she be willing to undergo this procedure?

• If results show a Down syndrome diagnosis, or more severe condition, will you proceed with the pregnancy or terminate? Will your surrogate agree?

• Work with a reputable agency to guide you and your surrogate through complex medical, emotional, and legal decisions.

• An established group with a good track record can assist with all these functions, and help you locate the right surrogate.

• Surrogacy and IVF are illegal in some states. An agency like Family Creations requires you to be a resident of selected states in order to participate. Look for agencies handling surrogacy in California, Colorado, Illinois, or Texas, among states most open to the practice.

• You have successfully arrived at the end of a pregnancy and the beginning of a new life. Now what?

• A relationship has developed during nine-plus months. Your surrogate will feel an emotional connection to your baby and a deep friendship with you.

• Some parents make the surrogate a cherished part of the family, while others prefer to gradually withdraw, having only occasional contact.

• A surrogacy agency will guide you all, working with a team of professionals who are experts in each area.

• They’ll do preliminary screenings of potential surrogates, only accepting women ages 21-35 who are non-smokers, non-drug using, in excellent health, and with an unblemished background.

• Medical staff and psychological counselors work closely with you and your surrogate to monitor her health and the baby’s throughout implantation, pregnancy, and delivery.

• Legal staff will help you draw up a contract, setting out all relevant issues, including surrogate payments and benefits. You should involve your own attorney for complete protection.

• What are your chances of success? Although it is difficult to collect data widely among states, there are many organizations contributing to the record. Ask your agency for information on their success rates.

• The number of births using surrogacy is reported to have grown 89% between 2004 to 2008.1

• In a survey of women age 35, 47.7% of embryos transferred in all measured IVF cycles resulted in live births, while in women age 41-42, the result dropped to 16.3%.1

Family Creations, LLC® is an egg donor and surrogate program that has achieved international recognition by helping families face fertility challenges. Contact them for assistance in finding or becoming a surrogate at www.familycreations.net.