Finding a surrogate to partner with for your surrogacy journey is a process you will want to approach carefully and thoroughly. Many intended parents utilize a surrogacy agency and their matching services, but you may not feel like this is the right choice for you. If you want to find a surrogate on your own, you can find a surrogate online.
Even if you don’t feel an agency is right for you, they can still offer guidance. To get more information about how to find a surrogate mother online, reach out to a surrogacy professional today to get more information.
As the internet has evolved, there isn’t much you can’t find today. Many prospective surrogates use the internet to advertise their services, and many intended parents who want to feel more involved in the surrogacy process choose to find a surrogate online. While this is definitely an option for you there are a lot of pros and cons to consider.
How to Find Surrogate Mothers Online [3 Methods]
If you’re interested in finding a surrogate online, you may have luck doing so on surrogate mother websites and forums. However, without an agency to assist you, it may be difficult knowing where to start. There a number of resources you can utilize to find a surrogate online. No matter which avenue you decide to take in your surrogate mother search, you’ll want to be sure you do incredibly through research. To find a surrogate online, you can utilize:
1. Online Surrogacy Advertisements
The most common way intended parents find a surrogate mother online is through surrogacy classifieds. This is akin to a “help wanted” ad. Surrogates and intended parents can create advertisements on surrogacy websites and other classifieds websites. You can include details about what you’re looking for in a prospective surrogate such as:
- Age
- Location
- Marital status
- Independent or agency-assisted
- Whether or not you intend to compensate your surrogate
- And more
If you manage to find a prospective surrogate mother online, you will want to talk at length about your surrogacy goals and expectations to ensure you’re on the same page. Without a surrogacy professional to screen your surrogate, you will want to make sure you do the research on how to do so yourself.
2. Surrogacy Matching Groups
A less formal method of finding a surrogate online is utilizing surrogacy matching groups. These groups are typically created with the intention of connecting surrogates and intended parents, and give them the opportunity to post about themselves. Many of these groups are located on social media sites. Some may be private, but you can find many such groups on Facebook.
These matching groups can be a great way for intended parents and prospective surrogates to get to know each other. You may even find a lot of helpful information on the surrogacy process from others who have gone through the process already, or first-time intended parents who are learning as well. As with the classifieds, you will want to make sure you feel confident in your surrogate match and can verify that she is physically and mentally prepared to be a surrogate.
3. Friends and Family
You may already have a friend, family member or a friend of theirs who would be interested in becoming a surrogate for you. You can post on your personal social media accounts and encourage your following to share your posts with anyone who may be interested. You may find that you have a friend or family member would be more than happy to be a gestational carrier for you!
If you do find a surrogate online who you already know, some agencies offer services for the rest of your surrogacy journey.
Risks of Finding a Surrogate Mother Online
While it’s understandable that you and your partner want to be as involved in your surrogacy process as possible, there are disadvantages of finding a surrogate online. These include:
- No proper screening. One area an agency is the best place to find a surrogate is adequate screening. All surrogacy agencies medically and psychologically screen their surrogates to ensure they are able to safely and successfully carry a child for someone else. If you find a surrogate online, there’s s a chance they haven’t been screened, which could cause issues down the line.
- Potential fraud. Unfortunately, if you find a surrogate mother online, she may not be interested in surrogacy for the right reasons. Because they aren’t required to be screened, they may be pursuing surrogacy purely for monetary gain. Never exchange financial information with a potential surrogate until there is a surrogacy attorney involved and a contract has been completed.
- Longer wait times. Because you have to do your own research and vetting, you it can take a while to find your perfect match. If you’re feeling impatient or like you’re running out of time, a surrogacy agency can help you find a surrogate in a timely manner.
- Miscommunication. If you find a surrogate online, you will be in charge of all communication with your surrogate and other professionals, it’s important that you are communicating in a timely and clear manner. This can be a lot to juggle in addition to your intended parent responsibilities. A surrogacy agency would be able to communicate on your behalf and coordinate services with outside professionals.
If you’re not sure if an agency is right for you or need help finding a surrogate mother online, a surrogacy professional can help. Reach out to a surrogacy professional today to get the advice you need.
