Surrogacy 101

How Long Does It Take to Become a Surrogate in Kansas?

You’ve been researching surrogacy for weeks, but one question keeps popping up: “How long does it actually take to become a surrogate in Kansas?”

The websites said “12-18 months,” but what did that really mean? When will you actually be matched? How long would the medical stuff take? And honestly—when can you expect to know you’re done and know you’ve helped create a family?

Many women who become surrogates are big planners, and even if you aren’t huge into scheduling your life, it’s still good to have some idea of how much time you’ll be dedicating to the journey. A surrogacy professional can help you estimate your journey timeline and kickstart the process.

Your timeline will be unique, but here’s what you can expect: while the overall timeline is predictable, each phase had its own rhythm, surprises, and timing that you couldn’t have anticipated.

If you’re wondering how long it takes to become a surrogate in Kansas, Lisa’s story (a hypothetical example we’ve included below based on real stories) will show you how the real timeline works—not just the averages you see online, but what actually happens week by week, month by month, through a complete Kansas surrogacy journey.

Ready to follow Lisa’s timeline and understand what yours might look like? Let’s walk through her entire 14-month journey together.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Surrogate in Kansas? The Real Timeline

Before we dive into Lisa’s story, let’s set realistic expectations about Kansas surrogacy timelines.

The typical Kansas surrogacy timeline: 12-18 months total

Lisa’s actual timeline: 14 months, 3 weeks

What affects Kansas surrogacy timelines:

Let’s follow Lisa’s journey month by month to see how the Kansas surrogacy process timeline actually unfolds.

Phase 1: Getting Started (February – March, 2 months)

Lisa’s Timeline: February 1 – March 31

Lisa’s surrogacy journey began with a simple Google search: “how to become a surrogate in Kansas.” Two months later, she was officially approved and ready for matching.

February: Research and Application (4 weeks)

The first two weeks were spent researching. Lisa looked at probably six different Kansas agencies, read every blog post she could find, and joined online forums to hear from other surrogates.

Week 1-2: Research and education

Week 3-4: Agency selection and application

March: Screening and Evaluation (4 weeks)

Next Lisa began the screening process, which was thorough but not overwhelming, as she was able to fit in what she needed to do on her own schedule.

Week 1: Medical evaluation

Week 2: Psychological evaluation

Week 3: Background and reference checks

Week 4: Final approval and orientation

What You Can Control in Phase 1:. The key is staying organized and responding quickly to requests for information.

Phase 2: Finding Your Match (April – June, 3 months)

Lisa’s Timeline: April 1 – June 30

After approval, Lisa began the process of being matched with the right intended parents. This is often an exciting and nerve-wracking stage that some surrogates have compared to dating. You’re hoping to meet an awesome family, and they are hoping to meet an awesome surrogate, and your agency will help you connect with a good fit.

April: Profile Creation and Initial Matching (4 weeks)

Week 1-2: Profile development

Week 3-4: Initial matching attempts

May: Continued Matching Process (4 weeks)

For some surrogates, they may find a great match with the first family profile they look at, but a good surrogacy agency will help you make connections until you find the right fit.

Week 1-2: Third profile review

Week 3-4: Match exploration

June: Match Confirmation and Relationship Building (4 weeks)

Once you find a match, building a great relationship is the next phase. In Lisa’s example, that means full-family introductions as the official paperwork gets signed.

Week 1: Official match confirmation

Week 2-3: Relationship building

Week 4: Preparation for legal phase

Phase 3: Legal and Medical Preparation (July – August, 2 months)

Lisa’s Timeline: July 1 – August 31

With the right match confirmed, Lisa entered the legal and medical preparation phase—what you might call “the business phase” of surrogacy.

July: Legal Contract Negotiation (4 weeks)

Legal contract negotiations may feel more complex than other stages, but it is also crucial for protecting your interests. This is where a great agency and a great surrogacy lawyer really shine, and where things can easily go wrong if you don’t have professional help. In Lisa’s example, these negotiations were relatively quick, but there was some back and forth negotiation.

Week 1: Contract review and initial negotiations

Week 2-3: Contract negotiations

Week 4: Contract finalization

August: Medical Preparation (4 weeks)

Medical prep may be unfamiliar for a lot of surrogates who conceived naturally, and it’s one of the places that things can get delayed.

In best-case scenarios, all of the medical facilities will be able to schedule you as soon as you need appointments, but doctor availability can be a factor. Additionally, if anything is found in your medical exams that could affect your pregnancy, it could mean a delay for more testing or treatment, or even a complete pause on your journey.

Week 1: Fertility clinic consultation

Week 2: Medical testing and clearance

Week 3: Cycle preparation

Week 4: Transfer preparation

Phase 4: The Medical Process (September – October, 2 months)

Lisa’s Timeline: September 1 – October 15

The medical process phase included medication preparation, embryo transfer, and early pregnancy monitoring—the most medically intensive part of Lisa’s journey.

September: Transfer Cycle Preparation (4 weeks)

For Lisa, her medical clearance and medical prep was successful, which means that she is able to begin medications and complete her embryo transfer.

Delays during this phase can be due to medical issues or adjustments.

Week 1: Medication protocol start

Week 2-3: Cycle monitoring

Week 4: Final transfer preparation

October: Transfer and Early Pregnancy (2 weeks)

Transfer day can be emotional and exciting, and then waiting for the pregnancy test for another weeks can feel like forever. The main delay at this phase is the possibility of an unsuccessful transfer (which means no pregnancy)—this can add a significant amount of time, but it doesn’t always happen.

In Lisa’s example, her first attempt is successful.

Week 1: Embryo transfer

Week 2: Confirmation of pregnancy

Phase 5: Pregnancy and Beyond (October – July, 9 months)

Lisa’s Timeline: October 15 – July 20

Lisa’s pregnancy phase lasted the standard nine months, but it was filled with unique experiences that differed from her previous pregnancies. Mostly extra monitoring and the relationship she built with the intended parents.

First Trimester: October – December (10 weeks)

Key milestones:

Second Trimester: January – March (13 weeks)

Key experiences:

Third Trimester: April – July (13 weeks)

The final trimester in Lisa’s example pregnancy include extra monitoring because she was surprised with twins (you should note that most fertility specialists try to prevent multiple pregnancies).

Most surrogate pregnancies are singletons. But any medical concerns will be closely monitored.

Key developments:

Delivery: July 20

The experience:

Notes: Giving birth may be similar to what you’ve experienced before, but the biggest difference is that when you go home, you won’t have a baby at home to take care of. Instead you can focus on your own recovery.

What Could Affect Your Timeline in Kansas?

Based on input from other Kansas surrogates, several factors can influence your surrogacy timeline:

Factors that might extend your timeline:

While your experience will be unique and there is some inherent need for flexibility when it comes to pregnancy, talking to a surrogacy professional can help you understand the full picture of what to expect and how you can plan around surrogacy.

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