Who Do Surrogate Mothers Help?

Surrogate mothers give the gift of family to those who cannot have the family of their dreams on their own. Surrogate mothers are compassionate and giving, with the desire to help others experience the many joys of parenthood.

When a woman applies to become a surrogate, she may have an idea in her head of the type of people she will be helping. The people a surrogate helps are referred to as Intended Parents (IPs). Surrogacy agencies such as Reproductive Possibilities work with Intended Parents from the entire United States, as well as international intended parents from around the world. Intended parents can be heterosexual or from the LGBTQ+ community, single or coupled.

Here are some of they types of intended parents a surrogate might match with:

• Single man (straight or gay)
• Single woman, often struggling with infertility or has health risks
• LGBTQ+/same sex male couples
• LGBT/same sex female couples, often struggling with infertility or has health risks
• Heterosexual couple, often struggling with infertility or health risks

Why do Intended Parents choose surrogacy to grow their families?

Intended Parents choose to build their families through gestational surrogacy because it is currently the only route to parenthood (besides natural conception) that allows parents to have their own biological child. By transferring an already-created and fertilized embryo to a gestational carrier, the Intended Parents have the opportunity to use their own genetic materials (egg and/or sperm).

Some IPs may need to use a sperm or egg donor if their own biological material poses a risk or carries any severe or genetic defects. When the quality of the eggs and/or sperm of the IPs is not usable or unsatisfactory, their fertility clinic may recommend that they consider moving forward with a donor (sperm, egg, or both).

Why an Intended Parent may need to use an egg or sperm donor:

• poor egg quality
• premature ovarian failure
• exposure to cancer therapy
• low ovarian reserve
• carrier of genetic disease
• autoimmune conditions
• single parent
• same sex parent(s)

Do surrogate mothers get to choose the parents they work with?

When you apply to become a surrogate mother, you will be asked what types of Intended Parents are you open to working with. You should answer these questions openly and honestly; no one will be judging you on the types of IPs you prefer working with, instead the information will be used to find you the best match for a successful journey. The surrogacy agency will use your preferences, along with personality fit and legal fit, to find suitable IP matches.

Can a surrogate mother work request to work with parents from a particular region?

As a surrogate mother, you can speak with your surrogacy agency about matching with intended parents from a specific geographical location. However, because surrogacy agencies work with intended parents from all over the country and the world, you may have a longer match time if you have specific requests about the intended parents with whom you’ll work.

Do surrogates keep in contact with Intended Parents during the journey?

The amount of communication surrogate mothers and intended parents have during their journey – and after – is determined by the parties involved. Because a surrogacy journey is unique to the individuals involved, there is no “right amount” of communication to have. Some surrogate mothers and intended parents develop a very close relationship, and are in regular contact throughout the pregnancy. Some surrogates and IPs communicate less frequently – perhaps only around key milestones during the journey. The level of communication surrogates have with their Intended Parents is a personal decision made between the gestational carrier, IPs and the surrogacy agency.

Women who apply to become surrogates do so because they want to selflessly help others have the family they’ve always dreamed of. If you think being a surrogate mother is something you’d like to do, you can read our surrogate mother requirements to see if you qualify, and you can apply to become a surrogate today.