Apply to Become a Surrogate in Maine
Your Guide to Becoming a Maine Surrogate
We invite you to learn about our surrogacy program in detail below. Prospective surrogates can review our list of requirements, learn about how compensation works, the matching process, and more.
- Surrogacy in Maine
- Surrogate Requirements in Maine
- Surrogate Compensation in Maine
- How Surrogates Match with Parents
- Benefits of Being a Maine Surrogate
- How to Become a Surrogate in Maine
Surrogacy in Maine
Maine is a surrogacy-friendly state where gestational surrogacy arrangements are legal and protected. The 2016 Maine Parentage Act legalized surrogacy and put in place a safe, ethical guideline for surrogates as well as their intended parents.
What is Surrogacy?
In a gestational surrogacy arrangement, the surrogate has agreed to carry a child for another couple or individual. The surrogate is not the child’s biological mother, so she will not share a genetic link with the baby. An embryo, created from eggs and sperm provided by the intended parent(s) or donor(s), will be transferred to the surrogate’s uterus in order to try for a pregnancy.
How does surrogacy work in Maine?
In Maine, laws per gestational surrogacy contracts are rather straightforward. All parties involved are protected as long as laws are closely followed, including LGBTQ+ couples and individuals seeking a surrogacy arrangement.
Surrogate Requirements in Maine
Surrogate requirements are put in place to ensure the health and safety of both the surrogate mother and the baby she carries. The Reproductive Possibilities surrogacy program requirements are as follows:
- Surrogates must have given birth previously (with no medical complications and no more than three c-sections)
- Surrogates must not use tobacco products
- Surrogates must be between the ages of 21 and 44 years old (exceptions may be made for experienced surrogates)
- Surrogates must have a BMI between 18-33
Each Maine surrogate application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If our team finds that you meet all relevant criteria, you will then be accepted into our surrogate program. At this stage, it is now time to begin the surrogate matching process where you’ll be matched with your intended parents. Learn more about surrogate requirements.
Surrogate Pay in Maine
During a gestational surrogacy arrangement, surrogates are well-compensated for their dedication. Surrogacy requires a sincere physical, mental, and emotional commitment from medical appointments to pregnancy and through to childbirth. Because of this, the average amount a surrogate will earn is between $55,000 and $60,000 with experienced surrogates typically earning more. For example, a single fetus will earn a surrogate around $35,000 and if there are multiples, an additional $5,000 is provided.
Of course, if there are any surrogate compensation questions, our Reproductive Possibilities team will be happy to address them with you directly after acceptance into our program.
How Maine Surrogates and Parents Are Matched
Before being accepted into our surrogacy program, you’ll need to complete an application and the full screening process. Once accepted, the next step is to be matched with your intended parents. The Reproductive Possibilities team has worked with intended parents across the country and has initiated countless successful matches.
As a first step of the matching process, we connect directly with surrogates and intended parents to ask them about their preferences. An example of this line of questioning includes asking surrogates if they have a preference when it comes to the type of intended parents they would like to work with. Gaining an understanding of what all parties are striving for helps ensure that the matching process is on track.
After a potential match is established, we will schedule a conference between the surrogate and her intended parents. Topics covered in this meeting will include:
- An agreement on preferred forms of communications
- Is there a willingness on the part of the surrogate to carry multiples? If not, what are the agreed-upon next steps?
- Do all parties have solid family and friend support systems in place?
If, after this conference, there is an agreement across all parties to move forward then a match has been made! Congratulations on reaching this stage! Reproductive Possibilities will continue to help facilitate communication between the surrogate and intended parents as the surrogacy process moves forward.
To learn more, visit our surrogacy process page for surrogate mothers.
Benefits of Becoming a Surrogate in Maine
How to Become a Surrogate in Maine
Welcome to the first step in your surrogacy journey. To get started, you’ll need to complete an online application. Here, we’ll seek to understand your personal and medical histories. Once received, our team will review your application carefully and if we determine that you are a good fit for the program, we’ll connect with you directly so that we can perform a series of interviews in which we will learn more about you medical history, criminal background, and more.
This is also an opportunity for you to ask our team any questions you may have about becoming a surrogate in Maine.