For some intended parents and surrogates, choosing surrogacy in Virginia is an easy choice. For others, it will take some time to know that it’s the right choice .

Before you make your final decision, be sure to take a look at the pros and cons of surrogacy and Virginia surrogacy laws,  and potentially reach out to a professional who can provide support services.

We will be here to answer any additional questions you may have and to walk you through the legal process of surrogacy in Virginia.

Once you have decided that Virginia surrogacy is the right choice for you, it’s time to start thinking about the types of surrogacy along with the type of surrogacy professional you may work with. There are several different paths to choose from, including:

• Gestational versus Traditional: Traditional surrogates use their own eggs in the process, gestational surrogates do not. The vast majority of surrogacy professionals today only complete gestational surrogacies due to the increased legal and emotional risks of traditional surrogacy.
• Compensated versus Altruistic: Whether or not the surrogate receives base compensation in addition to reimbursement for the surrogacy-related medical and legal expenses. Not all states permit compensated surrogacy.
• Domestic versus International: The intended parents and surrogate either both reside in the U.S., or the two parties are in different countries. Not all surrogacy professionals will complete international surrogacies.
• Agency versus Independent: Surrogacy agencies screen your match, coordinate the process and provide support services from start to finish. In independent surrogacy, you’d handle all of this on your own.

This will be a lot to think about. However, no matter which type of surrogacy you choose, we can help you complete the process legally and safely. If you’d like more information about the Virginia surrogacy process, contact us today to get started.

Screening is an essential step in the Virginia surrogacy process. What does it typically include?

Here’s what the process may consist of for both parties:

Intended Parents:

• An in-home assessment, as decided on a case-by-case basis
• An interview
• Background checks

Surrogates:

• A medical and psychological exam
• An in-home assessment with background checks
• A social meical history form

To learn more about what your screening process will include for surrogacy in Virginia, please reach out to your primary surrogacy professional.

Now that you’ve completed the screening process, it’s time to start looking for the perfect match.

You might have already found the right match. In this case, you may only need one of our Virginia surrogacy attorneys, to help you complete the process. But if you haven’t already found the perfect intended parents or surrogate for your journey, there are two ways to find that match:

• Search for, screen and manage a match on your own in what’s called independent surrogacy (without an agency).
• Work with a surrogacy agency. They’ll screen a potential surrogacy partner and then support your match throughout the process of surrogacy in Virginia.
• Once you’ve found your match, it will be time to start drafting legal contracts to solidify the match.

For this step, the intended parents and surrogate will each have their own Virginia surrogacy attorney to make sure their rights are represented and respected. You’ll each meet with your Virginia surrogacy lawyer individually to review the legal terms of the journey. After everyone agrees to the terms and each lawyer reviews and approves it, the contract can be signed and the embryo transfer process can begin.

Don’t have a second surrogacy attorney in Virginia in mind? We’ll refer you to local legal representatives whom we trust.

Now that your legal contract has been signed and executed, it’s time to get ready for the medical process. This will likely be handled by an agreed-upon fertility clinic.

During this step of the Virginia surrogacy process, the intended mother or the egg donor will start taking medication to help her develop eggs (if the intended parents don’t already have frozen embryos). Once the egg has been retrieved, it will be taken to the laboratory to be fertilized to create an embryo. After that’s done, it will \be transferred to the surrogate.

All of these details and more will be carefully and thoroughly outlined within the contract we help you to create.

The birth of the baby is an exciting day for everyone involved. The plan for the hospital stay should already be determined by now within your contract, and the intended parents commonly join the surrogate at the hospital. Once the baby is born and the surrogate is ready to leave the hospital, everyone can head home as they prepare for a new chapter in their lives. Depending on your relationship with one another, you might choose to stay in touch long after the Virginia surrogacy process is over.