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Gestational Surrogacy Overview

A Perfect Match, Inc. recognizes and appreciates the self-sacrificing and caring attitude that every gestational surrogate must possess in order to help intended parents in the creation of families through gestational surrogacy.  We want to thank you for considering gestational surrogacy and for taking the time to read the information on this website.  The gestational surrogate who is willing and able to help a family in such a personal way is a selfless and unique woman who can offer a gift that will truly make a difference in the lives of the intended parents she helps. A Perfect Match, Inc. treats our gestational surrogates with great respect because we sincerely believe they deserve it. Please read our surrogate information and then feel free to contact us by email or phone should you have an interest in becoming a gestational surrogate or if you have further questions regarding the surrogacy process.

First, some definitions:

  • Gestational surrogacy involves an Intended Mother (or an egg donor), an Intended Father (or a sperm donor) and a gestational surrogate. Through in vitro fertilization, eggs provided by the Intended Mother (or ovum donor) are fertilized with the sperm of the Intended Father (or sperm donor). The resulting 3-5 day old embryos are then transferred to the gestational surrogate who carries and gives birth to the child/children.
  • Traditional surrogacy involves a surrogate mother who uses her own eggs and is artificially inseminated with the semen of the Intended Father or sperm donor. She then carries and gives birth to the child. (A traditional surrogate may also act as her own ovum donor: after her own donated ova are harvested and fertilized, the embryos are transferred back into the surrogate's uterus. She then carries and gives birth to the child.) APM does not work with traditional surrogates at this time due to the unsettled legal issues.

The criteria for recruitment of a potential surrogate through A Perfect Match is as follows:

  • Surrogate must be between the ages of 21-36
  • Surrogate must reside in the State of California and have no plans to move at any point during the surrogacy process
  • Surrogate must have given birth to at least one child 
  • Surrogate must live in a clean and stable home environment
  • Surrogate must not smoke, take any illegal substances, or medications that have not been prescribed for her by a physician
  • Surrogate, as well as her spouse, partner or significant other must not have any criminal background.
  • Surrogate must not be receiving government financial assistance or have Medical for her health insurance
  • Surrogate must have a positive support system to help her throughout the surrogacy
  • Surrogate must have reliable transportation for appointments
  • Surrogate must meet the qualification of the BMI Index used by most IVF centers
  • Surrogate and/or her spouse must understand and speak English
  • We are happy to work with single women provided they have extensive local family and/or friend support

After prospective gestational surrogates complete a profile and send photos to our office, we obtain their medical records. At that point, if they are still qualified to become a gestational surrogate, A Perfect Match hires a private investigative service to provide a criminal background check on both the surrogate and her spouse, partner or significant other, as applicable. A Perfect Match also arranges to have the surrogate screened by a Psychologist in order to make sure the gestational surrogate candidate understands all the psychological issues involved with surrogacy. Once a surrogate passes the investigative background check and the psychological screening, our surrogate coordinator will do a home visit, then the surrogate will be accepted into our surrogate program and presented to prospective Intended Parents.

Phone conferences between intended parents and surrogates are mandatory in our program during the match process, and personal meetings are encouraged unless geographically impossible at the time. Once a surrogate is matched with her intended parents she will undergo additional screening (at the expense of the Intended Parents and as directed by their IVF center)—physical and infectious-disease testing.

If you are interested in becoming a surrogate for A Perfect Match, or you would like more information about our surrogacy program, please contact Rose@aperfectmatch.com or Darlene@aperfectmatch.com  or phone at 1-800-264-8828.