When you first begin looking into surrogacy—whether you are a woman interested in becoming a surrogate mother or intended parents hoping to grow your family through surrogacy—it can feel a little overwhelming. Circle Surrogacy is here to help you navigate surrogacy in Florida, from the surrogacy process and how to become a surrogate to how to find a surrogate and much more.
Florida is a surrogacy-friendly state for both gestational carriers and intended parents. Whether you in live in a large city, such as Miami, Tampa, Orlando – or anywhere in between – here's everything you need to know about gestational surrogacy.
Surrogacy is a method of growing a family that allows couples and individuals from a variety of backgrounds, ages and sexual orientations the chance to build their families – people who would not be able to do so on their own.
Intended parents from Florida who use surrogacy include:
• Heterosexual couples who have struggled with infertility
• Intended mothers who are unable to carry a child
• Intended parents who have a genetic defect or health condition they don't want to pass onto the child
• Same-sex intended parents who want to have a genetic link to their baby
Every surrogacy story is unique, and we work with surrogates from all over the country and intended parents from the U.S. and around the world.
Because surrogacy is so well protected in Florida, it’s no wonder it’s become one of the most coveted states for surrogacy arrangements. It is also one of the few states where the laws have kept up with the scientific advances in assisted reproduction, often making it more affordable and less prone to legal conflicts.
Florida’s favorable statute recognizes contracts for gestational and traditional surrogacy arrangements as well as egg and sperm donations. The state’s comprehensive law protects the rights of the surrogate, the intended parents, the baby, and the egg donor (if needed).
Establishing parentage in Florida is a seamless process for everyone involved. Generally, surrogates in Florida won’t ever appear in court since the statute eliminates the need for post-birth legal proceedings, such as post-birth orders and second-parent adoptions. Even in cases where a post-birth action is warranted (i.e., intended parents' citizenship needs), the surrogates won’t need to appear in court. In surrogacy arrangements that require the use of an egg donor, the donor’s contract requires the relinquishment of all maternal rights to the child.
Navigating the surrogacy process can be complicated regardless of where you live. It requires keeping track of multiple milestones that lead to the ultimate destination: the birth of your baby! Understanding and preparing for each step in the surrogacy process is important.
Choosing to go through the surrogacy process on your own is an option, or you can get the help of a surrogacy agency. Working with an agency such as Circle Surrogacy, which has 25 years of experience, can help you navigate the milestones and events throughout your journey so that you can focus on preparing for the arrival of your baby.
Research is essential as you begin your journey. As you evaluate surrogacy agencies, make sure they share your views about the surrogacy process. If you don't sense good chemistry, that agency may not be a good fit for you. It's also important to choose an agency with lawyers well-versed in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) and surrogacy law, which varies from state to state. Our lawyers will help you understand Florida's surrogacy laws.
Once you've identified surrogacy as the way you'd like to grow your family and you've selected an agency you'd like to meet with, the first step is to schedule a consultation.
A surrogacy consultation is an in-depth meeting (about 2-21/2 hours long) where you share your story with a parent intake consultant and a lawyer. During this private meeting we can get to know you, as well, and together we'll talk about surrogacy, the process, and your unique situation. It's also a time when we can answer questions and help you understand our surrogacy programs, surrogacy costs, and how to find and match with a surrogate mother.
Even though meeting in person with intended parents for consultations is preferred, our primary concern is the health and safety of all involved. We are now offering free consultations using either Skype or Zoom video platforms.
And if you're considering surrogacy but aren't ready to schedule a full consultation, you can schedule a 15-minute chat with a member of our team to gather additional information.
In Florida, surrogacy costs typically fall into the following categories:
Most agencies do not offer fixed costs for any of these cost categories, which can result in surprise fees and financial uncertainty throughout the surrogacy journey. Circle Surrogacy fixes the costs for professional fees, gestational carrier and egg donor fees, and medical and insurance expenses.
Circle is proud to offer the all-inclusive Journey Protection Guarantee Program, which is designed to help as many Intended Parents in Florida as possible bring home a baby while reducing variable costs.
Journey Protection Guarantee Program
Cost for Surrogacy only: $142,250
Cost for Surrogacy plus egg donation: $163,250
(both prices exclude IVF)
Our Journey Protection Guarantee offers Intended Parents:
Finding your surrogate match is an exciting time in your journey to parenthood. Circle works with many surrogate mothers from Florida, as well as most of the surrounding states. Additionally, Circle's main office is in Boston, and we have a strong representation on the East Coast, making it even easier for surrogates and intended parents to connect.
Determining what you're looking for in a gestational carrier and the relationship you prefer with your surrogate, in addition to honestly assessing your expectations for your journey, are all important as you begin your search for a surrogate match. Thinking about these factors in advance will make finding a surrogate easier on your own (if you are making an independent journey) or help you decide if your surrogacy agency has recommended a good match.
If you are using an agency, expressing your views honestly about these issues is important because your Program Coordination team uses these answers, your geographic location, and your views on termination to find you the best match.
We ask intended parents to fill out a profile that helps us get to know them better and find appropriate surrogate matches.
The information we ask for in the profile includes your:
We also ask for photos of yourself and your loved ones, in addition to photos that provide a sense of who you are as people.
In addition to your profile, there are certain criteria on which you will be matched with your gestational carrier.
Intended parent matching criteria include preferences on:
You can also use these guidelines if you plan on pursuing your surrogacy journey independently.
Keep these 3 criteria in mind as you search for a surrogate mother in Florida:
Appropriate legal fit: Our legal department always ensures potential matches meet the requirements of Florida's surrogacy laws before presenting surrogate profiles to intended parents.
Personality fit and surrogacy expectations: We want both surrogates and intended parents to have a comfortable relationship throughout their shared journey, so your Program Coordination team carefully reviews the list of safe matches provided by the legal team to ensure good personality fits.
Expectations surrounding termination and selective reduction: It's important that surrogates and intended parents share similar views about the termination of a pregnancy if a situation develops in which a reduction or termination is considered. In our experience, many intended parents prefer the option to make the choice regarding termination.
The choice of an egg donor is a significant decision for intended parents who require one. You are selecting a young woman who will provide half of your child's biology. The egg donor you choose doesn't necessarily have to live in Florida.
Egg donation involves a fertile woman donating her eggs for the creation of embryos for intended parents. That could be an intended parent herself or a surrogate for couples or individuals. If you or your significant other has infertility concerns, then building your family through egg donation may be the best option for you.
Circle Surrogacy can help find an egg donor for you in Florida, guide you through the entire egg donation process, and help you coordinate with an IVF clinic of your choice. Most intended parents start their egg donor search using an egg donor database. Most egg donor databases are set up so that you can search for an egg donor by certain criteria. Circle's egg donor database is easy to use and easy to navigate.
If you're considering surrogacy and live in Florida, Circle Surrogacy is an ideal match for you. We've worked with more Florida women than any other agency, and the Sunshine State is one of the most surrogacy-friendly states in the nation.
Florida’s favorable surrogacy laws recognize contracts for gestational and traditional surrogacy arrangements as well as egg and sperm donations. The rights of the surrogate, the intended parents, the baby, and the egg donor (if needed) are protected by the state’s comprehensive law.
The process of establishing parentage in Florida is seamless for everyone involved. Surrogates in Florida typically never appear in court since the statute eliminates the need for post-birth legal proceedings, such as post-birth orders and second-parent adoptions. Even in cases where a post-birth action is warranted (i.e. intended parents' citizenship needs), the surrogates won’t need to appear in court. In surrogacy arrangements that require the use of an egg donor, the donor’s contract requires the relinquishment of all maternal rights to the child.
Young women throughout Florida, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville, become surrogate mothers for a number of reasons. Some may be teachers or nurses; others are stay-at-home moms. All share a spirit of generosity, adventure, and kindness that leads them to make a caring and selfless commitment to helping intended parents grow their families.
If you're considering becoming a surrogate mother in Florida, our surrogacy agency is your perfect match. And Florida is one of the country’s most surrogacy-friendly states.
In order to qualify as a gestational carrier for surrogacy in Florida, you must meet several requirements. A qualified surrogate mother:
Besides the gratifying sense of fulfillment that accompanies providing the greatest gift possible to another family, the benefits of being a surrogate in Florida include:
Surrogate mothers in Florida also have the opportunity to work with intended parents who live in Florida or who reside in another country.
Gestational surrogates are paid for carrying a baby for someone. "Surrogate base compensation" or "surrogate pay," as it is often called, can range from $30,000-$35,000 in Florida, depending on whether the surrogate has insurance. In addition to base compensation, surrogates receive additional payments for milestones along their journeys.
The total compensation package for a surrogate in Florida can be up to $60,000.
You are paid throughout the duration of your surrogacy journey, including receiving payments even before you become pregnant.
Surrogate pay includes the following:
Your base compensation is paid monthly in 9 installments beginning with the confirmation of heartbeat, which occurs around 6 weeks gestation. However, you will receive compensation in the time leading up to that for transfers as well as the medical screening and signing of your contract.
Circle Surrogacy's more than 25 years of experience as the world leader in this field makes it the ideal agency for your surrogacy journey. Our team supports you at every step—from your initial exploration of surrogacy to meeting with prospective parents and throughout your pregnancy and childbirth. This support includes helping you navigate the screening process, ensuring you match with the perfect intended parents or parent, and guiding you through the legal and social work associated with surrogacy.
This is much more than just a job for our team. Many of the people at Circle supporting your journey are experienced surrogates, with some having completed 3 journeys! Their passion for helping other surrogates is authentic, and it means you're getting hands-on guidance that's informed by their experience and their expertise in the various legal, social, and medical aspects of your process. Our team is ready to answer any question you can dream of (and then some).
Circle's support doesn't end with our dedicated team. We'll connect you with skilled, trustworthy experts, including an attorney near you who has a strong working knowledge of Assisted Reproduction Technology law. These additional experts ensure your surrogacy journey runs as smoothly and seamlessly as possible.
We created the Circle Surrogate Promise because we truly care about our carriers, and we want each of them to have the most successful and rewarding journey possible.
The program is based on the suggestions of carriers who shared their thoughts and improvements with their social workers or during their exit interviews. We took all of those conversations and suggestions to heart and improved our offerings to our gestational carriers.
The Circle Surrogate Promise is a program exclusive to Circle Surrogates; no other agency can offer the same level of security and support.
Circle Surrogacy promises:
There is probably no journey more personal and awesome than the one surrogates take with intended parents. Our Florida surrogacy candidates rely on Circle to help them connect with intended parents who they can fully trust and share in their joy. We do that using an extensive and thorough matching process that's unique to Circle.
It begins with your Surrogate Support team reviewing profiles to find a perfect match based on personality fit and legal circumstances. Surrogates and intended parents review each other's profiles, ask questions, and get a sense of each other's demeanor. We also set up an initial Skype call and, in some cases, an in-person meeting.
Making sure all involved are completely comfortable with the match is the overriding goal, and surrogacy agreements only move forward if they are. Circle works with single parents, LGBTQ+ and heterosexual couples, domestic and international couples, and more. We're absolutely confident that you'll be able to find a great match.
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