Timeline:  1-2 weeks

As part of the surrogacy consultation process, you’ll meet with a licensed mental health professional from our surrogate support team for a video interview. During this time, we’ll explore topics such as:

• Your motivations for becoming a surrogate

• The support system you have in place

• Your pregnancy and medical history

• Your family and personal background

• Your relationships and connections

• Your hobbies, interests, and life experiences

Once your consultation is complete and you appear to be a strong candidate, you’ll undergo psychological testing which will be done by a licensed psychologist.

Timeline:  varies

After your initial consultation with a Luxe team member, you’ll fill out a matching questionnaire. This comprehensive form collects key data points to help us understand your preferences, expectations, and priorities. The intended parents looking for a surrogate complete a similar questionnaire, ensuring we can find the most compatible match. The questionnaire is your opportunity to share your vision for the surrogacy experience. Who would you like to carry for? What kind of relationship do you hope to have with the intended parents? What are your expectations around compensation, pregnancy terms, or multiples? Your responses are analyzed through our LuxeMatch software, which cross references your preferences with our current intended parents.

Once you are matched with an intended parent, Luxe will introduce you to your surrogacy coordination team who will take the time to explain the upcoming surrogacy steps and process in detail so you fully understand what to expect at each milestone. This will also be the team who manages your journey and supports you every step of the way.

Timeline:  2-3 months

Medical Screening: You will travel to the intended parent's fertility clinic of choice for medical screenings. This is when you will complete a series of evaluations such as bloodwork, ultrasounds, and other important health checks to ensure you are fully prepared for the journey ahead.
For some surrogates, this is a special part of the process as this is the perfect opportunity to meet the intended parents in person for the first time!
This is typically an overnight trip in which the expenses are covered by the the intended parents.

Contracts/Agreements: This phase is also when the legal process begins. Both parties will work with their own lawyers to create a Surrogate Contract that ensure they both have full representation and guidance throughout the process. This can take weeks, but details need to be carefully reviewed so that everyone is confident and protected before moving forward.

Timeline:  3-4 weeks

Medications & Monitoring: Once you have successfully completed your medical screening and are approved by the IVF doctor, you’ll begin your treatment protocol. This includes starting prescribed medications and attending regular monitoring appointments. To make the process as smooth as possible, these visits take place at a trusted clinic local to you. Our team, together with the intended parent's IVF clinic, will coordinate all of these details to ensure you are fully supported every step of the way.

Transfer: Once you have been medically cleared for the embryo transfer, you’ll travel to the intended parent's IVF clinic for the procedure. The embryo transfer itself is relatively quick.
This is typically a 3-7 day trip with your support person. Many intended parents choose to be present for this special moment, spending meaningful time with you and your support person.
After the transfer, you’ll return home and continue monitoring at your local clinic, beginning with beta tests about 10–14 days later to confirm pregnancy. Around the six-week mark, you’ll have your first ultrasound—an exciting milestone where the heartbeat can often be seen and heard!

Timeline:  9 months

Once you return home following the embryo transfer, you’ll continue care at your local fertility clinic with routine blood tests, known as beta tests, to track the early progress of the pregnancy. The first beta test typically takes place about 10 days after the transfer. If the results are positive, a follow-up ultrasound is scheduled around six weeks to confirm the presence of a heartbeat—or heartbeats. This milestone marks the point at which Circle officially recognizes the pregnancy!

Around the 10th week of pregnancy and for the duration of the pregnancy, you will shift from your local fertility clinic to your personal OB/GYN who will oversee the rest of your pregnancy and provide regular ultrasounds and monitor the baby's development.
Some intended parents choose to attend these visits whenever possible.

As the pregnancy moves into its later stages, intended parents begin preparing for two key milestones: creating a birth plan and finalizing parental rights. The birth plan is crafted in collaboration with you, outlining everyone’s preferences and expectations for delivery day—helping ensure the experience is thoughtful, respectful, and aligned with everyone’s wishes. At the same time, your legal team, along with counsel in the intended parent’s state, will begin the process of securing parental rights so that all is in place well before the baby’s arrival. Our team is here to guide and support you through both steps, making sure you feel prepared, protected, and excited for the big day!

Timeline:  birth & after

Once the doctor clears the newborn for discharge, the intended parents will finally get to take their baby home. The Luxe team will continue to stand beside both you and the intended parents through these first days, offering guidance and answering any questions that may come up. You’re never alone on this journey—we’re here to make sure you are supported every step of the way.

The weeks after birth can bring a mix of emotions—joy, pride, nostalgia, and even a touch of emptiness. All of these feelings are completely normal as you transition from your surrogacy journey back to everyday life. If you’d like, spending time with your intended parents and the baby while they’re nearby can be a meaningful way to cherish these moments. Saying goodbye may feel bittersweet, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Many surrogates and intended parents continue to stay in touch long after the birth, creating lasting bonds at a pace that feels right for everyone.