Becoming a Repeat Surrogate

4 Things to Know About Being a Repeat Surrogate

Experience the joy of family building again

Once our surrogates have experienced their first surrogacy journey, they often ask if they can become a repeat surrogate. Repeat surrogacy is a wonderful way to continue helping to build families, while benefiting from the knowledge and wisdom from your previous surrogacy journey. We’ve answered a few of the most common questions about how to be a repeat surrogate and what to expect from the experience.

Can I Be a Repeat Surrogate?

Absolutely! In fact, having gone through a successful surrogacy journey is usually seen as a benefit. Think about it this way – you’ll already be familiar with the process, including how to form a bond with the intended parents, and you know firsthand that you enjoyed the surrogacy process and found it meaningful. It is important to note that you still need to meet the standard surrogacy requirements, but overall, we have many repeat surrogates who continue to help build families past their first surrogacy experience.

Why Do People Choose to Become a Repeat Surrogate?

There are several reasons why someone who has been a surrogate once might choose to do so again. Our surrogates are generous, loving people who enjoy being pregnant and are motivated by the desire to help intended parents build their families. With that in mind, it makes a lot of sense that many surrogates still want to help families after their first surrogacy journey! Another very common reason to be a repeat surrogate is for families that wish to have siblings. In these cases, the parents may reach out to the surrogate who carried their first child, to see if she will carry a sibling for them.

What Should I Consider Before Becoming a Repeat Surrogate?

It’s wonderful to want to continue helping build families as a repeat surrogate. Each surrogacy experience is different, so it’s important to make the decision based on your current situation, not where you were with the first surrogacy. For starters, you must still meet the standard surrogacy criteria, including age, overall health, and family support. Also, the ASRM guidelines recommend that surrogates have no more than five previous vaginal deliveries, or three previous cesarean deliveries. Beyond that, it’s important to consider how your life has changed since your last surrogacy. Are you still able to make the year-long physical and emotional commitment that surrogacy entails? Is your partner and/or family on board? Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on whether repeat surrogacy is right for you.

How Will the Process Be Different for a Repeat Surrogate?

If you choose to become a repeat surrogate, you’ll find the process is a bit more streamlined the second (or third, or fourth!) time around. Also, repeat surrogates receive higher compensation than first-time carriers. If you’ve already been a surrogate with Eggceptional Surrogates, then much of the intake process is already done – you’ll just need to make sure the information is up to date. You will still need to go through the medical tests to get a current picture of your overall health. If you are going to become a repeat surrogate for the same parents as before, then you also won’t need to go through the matching process again. If you’d like to be a surrogate for new parents, the matching process may also be quicker, as you have experience in what you’re looking for from a parental match. Most importantly, remember that each surrogacy journey is different, even if it’s for the same parents, so be prepared for a unique pregnancy and process.

Becoming a surrogate is a selfless and compassionate choice, and wanting to be a repeat surrogate is wonderful! As with any surrogacy journey, it’s important to consider all the details before you decide. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how to become a repeat surrogate, reach out to us today.