How To Become a Surrogate

First, you must apply to be a surrogate by filling out our program’s application. After receiving this form, a surrogacy specialist from the Hatch team will contact you through one of the communication methods you’ve provided for an educational call with you about our program.

Hatch is one of the only programs to medically pre-qualify surrogates so intended parents and surrogates are best set up for a smooth and successful journey. After your initial call, your match coordinator will send you a questionnaire that covers your medical history. 

Your team will help you obtain copies of previous medical records from your OB offices, delivery hospitals, and IVF clinics (if applicable). Once your records come in, an IVF doctor will review these for medical pre-approval to ensure you’re a good medical candidate for surrogacy and able to proceed with this journey.

Once your application has been received, your coordinator will schedule your first video screening. This will be a face-to-face video conference with a focus on getting to know you and answering your questions to help you determine if the surrogacy program at Hatch is the right fit. This will also help us successfully match you with the perfect intended parents.

Next, your coordinator will explain the medical aspects of the surrogacy process and answer any questions you may have. During this call, we’ll discuss the IVF screening, cycle, and transfer, as well as other considerations that might be applicable to your journey.

If applicable, your coordinator will talk with your partner to ensure that they’re supportive of your surrogacy journey and answer any questions they may have. Surrogacy is a process that affects the entire family, and it’s important to make sure that your partner is on board and feels supported throughout your journey.

Once your medical records have been approved, you’ll receive a complete welcome package of paperwork that provides information about being a surrogate. This packet will also include pertinent details and forms that authorize routine background checks for you and your partner, and provide driver's license copies as well as pay stubs to calculate future lost wages when planning surrogate compensation.

After you’ve been approved by our medical director, our surrogacy team will submit a request to run routine background checks for you and your partner (if applicable).

Depending on your current method of birth control, we'll ask you to complete a mock cycle (IUD, depo shot, implant, BC pill, or any other hormonal birth control) or a simple ultrasound lining check (no BC, tubal ligation) to confirm that your uterine lining is adequate for surrogacy, and you don’t have any fibroids, cysts, or polyps that could disqualify or delay you from proceeding medically.  This screening usually isn’t done until after matching with other programs which can be very disappointing for you and the intended parents if the news isn’t good, and you have formed a connection with a family but medically couldn’t be cleared to proceed. This helps you to match with confidence and provides assurance that your in-person medical screening will go great!  

After your background check(s), you and your partner will meet with a mental health professional to discuss your readiness for the surrogacy journey. Your mental health professional will administer an MMPI-2 test to assess your personality and motivational fit, as well as screen for major psychological concerns. The interview and test results will be combined into a psychological report that will determine if you can proceed as a surrogate.

This call is designed to review all of your responsibilities and expectations in place as a surrogate. Not to scare you, but rather to reinforce the significance of your role and provide support in any way possible. Your coordinator is happy to address any questions or concerns you may have and provide assurance, whether it’s your first journey or your fourth.

Once you’ve passed the screening process, you’re ready to find your perfect match. Our surrogacy coordinators will consider your wants and needs, personality, medical history, and state laws to match you with the perfect intended parents. You’ll receive a “Dear Surrogate” letter written by the intended parents along with pictures. If you love what you read and feel that this individual or couple is the right match for you, your intended parent coordinator will facilitate an initial meeting via video conference to solidify the match. We look forward to welcoming you into our surrogate family and know you’ll feel right at home.