Surrogacy for Intended Parents: What to Expect and How to Begin

Becoming a parent through surrogacy starts with understanding the path ahead. Whether you’re exploring your options or ready to begin, knowing the qualifications, age considerations, and next steps can make all the difference. This guide was written with you in mind — clear, compassionate, and grounded in real experience. 

Intended Parent Meaning

Intended parents are individuals or couples who seek to build or grow their families through surrogacy. Whether due to infertility, health risks, or being part of the LGBTQ+ community, these future parents require the help of a gestational carrier to carry their child. The intended parents are the ones who initiate the surrogacy process, take on legal and financial responsibilities, and are recognized as the legal parents of the child.

Learn more about the journey here: For Intended Parents

Types of Intended Parents

Surrogacy is inclusive, and intended parents come from all walks of life. The most common types include:

• Heterosexual couples experiencing infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss.
• LGBTQ+ couples, particularly gay male couples who require both an egg donor and a surrogate.
• Single parents, both men and women, who want to build a family on their own.
• Medical exemptions, such as cancer survivors or women with uterine issues.
• International intended parents, who work with U.S. agencies due to favorable surrogacy laws.

Regardless of background, all intended parents are united by one thing: the desire to love, raise, and nurture a child.

Is There an Age Limit for Intended Parents?

There is no strict legal age limit for intended parents, but most IVF clinics and agencies recommend an age cap between 50 to 55 years old, particularly for egg retrieval or embryo transfer. That said, many parents beyond this age range successfully build families through surrogacy.

What matters most is emotional readiness, medical clearance, and the financial ability to support the child and the surrogacy process. Agencies like SurrogateFirst work with intended parents on a case-by-case basis to ensure a safe, supportive journey for everyone involved.

Intended Parents Requirements

Before proceeding with surrogacy, intended parents are usually asked to meet certain criteria:

Medical screening 

Especially for those providing sperm or eggs.

• Physical Health: Medical clearance ensures intended parents are healthy enough to care for a child.
• Mental Health: Psychological evaluations assess emotional readiness and stability.

Psychological evaluation

To ensure mental preparedness for parenthood.

Emotional and Psychological Readiness

1. Coping with Grief and Loss: Acknowledge potential challenges, such as failed cycles, miscarriages, or unmet expectations.
2. Open and Transparent Communication: Foster honest communication between you and your partner, as well as with your surrogate. This is critical for managing expectations and addressing concerns.
3. Building a Support Network: Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, or professional counselors to navigate the emotional highs and lows.
4. Embracing Uncertainty: Recognize that not all aspects of the surrogacy journey will be within your control. Flexibility and resilience are key.

Financial readiness

Surrogacy costs can range from $100,000 to $150,000 depending on services and clinic fees. 

Proof of financial stability is often necessary to demonstrate the ability to support the surrogacy process and the child.

Legal preparedness

Must be willing to complete contracts and court orders for parental rights.

Respectful and communicative 

Able to build a positive relationship with the surrogate.

Use our Surrogacy Cost Calculator to plan and budget your journey.

Matching with a Surrogate

Matching is one of the most important steps in the surrogacy process. At SurrogateFirst, the matching process is intentional, thorough, and mutual. Here’s how it works:

• Intake interview: Understands your values, expectations, and preferences.
• Compatibility screening: Aligns your goals with a surrogate’s.
• Match meeting: A facilitated conversation where both parties ask questions and share expectations.
• Final match: Only happens when both surrogate and intended parents enthusiastically agree to move forward.

Strong matches lead to stronger journeys. Our goal is to create the foundation for a respectful and trusting relationship.

How to Prepare for Parenthood

Surrogacy might shift the pregnancy dynamic, but it doesn’t lessen your role as a future parent. Here’s how to emotionally and logistically prepare:

• Legal readiness: Ensure your parental rights are secured before the baby is born.
• Emotional prep: Join IP support groups or work with a counselor.
• Practical logistics: Arrange newborn care, travel plans (especially if international), and maternity/paternity leave.
• Bond with your surrogate: Communication during the pregnancy builds connection and trust.
• Prepare the home: Nesting isn’t just for the pregnant. It’s your time, too.

Learn more about investment and emotional preparation. 

Start Your Intended Parent Pre-Screen

The road to parenthood through surrogacy may feel different, but it’s just as real, powerful, and transformative.

Let SurrogateFirst help guide your next steps — because every story deserves a beginning filled with care and clarity.

Create your IP profile here.