Apply to Become a Surrogate in Minnesota
Your Guide to Becoming a Minnesota Surrogate
For Minnesota residents interested in becoming a surrogate, the Reproductive Possibilities team has organized an outline of everything you need to know for each stage in the surrogacy process. Please review the information outlined below before completing an online surrogate application:
- Surrogacy in Minnesota
- Surrogate Requirements in Minnesota
- Surrogate Compensation in Minnesota
- How Surrogates Match with Parents
- Benefits of Being a Minnesota Surrogate
- How to Become a Surrogate in Minnesota
Surrogacy in Minnesota
While Minnesota may not currently have any state laws pertaining to surrogacy or surrogate arrangements, it is still considered to be a surrogacy-friendly state. Minnesota courts have historically ruled favorably toward both surrogates and the intended parents without issue.
What is Surrogacy?
In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother is a woman who agrees to carry a baby on behalf of another couple or individual in exchange for compensation. The surrogate does not share a genetic connection to the baby and is not the child’s biological mother. The baby’s biological mother is either a female intended parent or an egg donor; the same is true for the baby’s biological father which is either a male intended parent or a sperm donor. The embryo is created in a laboratory and implanted into the surrogate’s uterus through the medical procedure of IVF.
How does surrogacy work in Minnesota?
In the state of Minnesota, surrogacy is considered legal. Because there are no laws that currently define surrogate arrangements, it is advised that anyone interested in surrogacy connect with an experienced local agency such as Reproductive Possibilities who can provide direction and support for all parties. As with all surrogacy arrangements the Reproductive Possibilities team is involved in, both parties will need to be represented by their own attorney to create an agreed-upon contract.
Surrogate Requirements in Minnesota
The Reproductive Possibilities surrogacy program has a few requirements that must be met before becoming a surrogate. These requirements are in place so your health as a surrogate as well as the health of the baby you carry are protected. We kindly ask that you please review these requirements below:
- You must have a BMI (body mass index) between 18 and 33
- You must be a non-smoker
- You must be between age 21 and 44 years old; though an exception can be made here for an experienced surrogate mother
- You must have given birth before; no medical complications can have taken place during pregnancy or delivery
- If you’ve had a c-section birth, you must have had no more than 3
Your application will be reviewed closely by our team to determine if you meet our criteria for the program. If you are accepted, it is time to begin the matching process. This is a very exciting stage in the surrogacy journey, so we are thrilled to welcome you as part of the Reproductive Possibilities third-party reproduction family.
Surrogate Pay in Minnesota
Gestational surrogacy arrangements are paid surrogacy contracts. Surrogates are well-compensated for their commitment, which involves a considerable physical and emotional journey. In Minnesota, a surrogate can typically earn between $55,000 – $60,000. Within this compensation, base pay, expenses, and benefits are included. To further break things down, compensation for one fetus is normally about $35,000. If multiple fetuses are expected, an additional $5,000 can be provided. If you are an experienced surrogate mother, higher compensation is given.
Should you have any questions regarding compensation after being accepted into our surrogacy program, the Reproductive Possibilities staff will be happy to clarify anything you’re unsure about.
How Minnesota Surrogates and Parents Are Matched
After you are accepted into our surrogacy program, it’s time for the matching process to get underway. The Reproductive Possibilities team has made countless successful matches across the country as well as internationally, and we have the experience needed to develop the best possible match to ensure the satisfaction of all parties.
Before meeting with potential intended parents, our team will reach out to you directly and ask questions designed to determine your preferences. For example, is there a type of intended parent you’d most like to work with? On the other side, we also connect with intended parents to determine their preference(s) as well. If we feel confident that a solid potential match can be made, we’ll schedule a conference for everyone involved to work through the key details of the arrangement before finalizing the match.
Within this conference, we’ll ask both the surrogate and the intended parents questions such as...
- Do you have a good support system in place, with family and friends you can rely on?
- Do you have a preferred form of communication? How much, what method, etc.
- Is there a willingness to carry multiples? If the answer is no, what plan can be agreed on moving forward?
Only in the event that all parties come to a sincere agreement on these topics will we consider a match to have been made. If a match is in place, then it is time for the surrogacy process to begin in earnest – congratulations! Our team will continue to initiate contact between you and the intended parents as things get underway.
To learn more, visit our surrogacy process page for surrogate mothers.
Benefits of Becoming a Surrogate in Minnesota
