Surrogacy in Texas allows you to build a family while receiving financial support for yours. Carrying a baby for someone else requires dedication, so we provide complete guidance before you begin. Eligibility depends on past successful deliveries, excellent medical health, and a collaborative match with intended parents.
We manage medical visits, travel arrangements, and compensation milestones so you can focus on a healthy pregnancy.
Requirements to Become a Surrogate in Texas with American Surrogacy
Surrogate qualifications in Texas require women between 21 and 40 years old with a qualifying body mass index. Most fertility clinics require a BMI between 19 and 32, though some consider up to 35 based on your health history.
You must be currently raising a child of your own following at least one uncomplicated delivery. Your home must be smoke-free and drug-free, and your household cannot rely on federal cash assistance. Fertility clinics also require that you're free from daily medications for active depression or anxiety during pregnancy.
Our complete requirements for surrogacy breakdown outlines the specific health criteria fertility clinics require. If you've had a prior C-section, our team evaluates your delivery records to confirm another pregnancy is safe.
The Process to Become a Surrogate in Texas: Step by Step
A typical surrogacy journey in Texas spans 12 to 18 months from initial application through postpartum recovery. This timeline accounts for clinical record reviews, mutual matching, medical protocols and the pregnancy itself.
Step 1. Apply to Be a Surrogate and Complete Agency Screening: 1-3 Months
Completing your initial application and agency screening usually takes one to three months. During this window, our team gathers your past prenatal charts and completes household background checks. You'll also review your personal expectations and compensation goals with a specialist before moving forward.
Medical Record Review: ~1-5 weeks Background Check: ~1 week Psychological Evaluation: Results available in ~1 week Insurance Review: ~1 week
Step 2. Match with Intended Parents: 0-2 Months
You choose the intended parents you want to carry for through mutual matching, typically within two months. You review prospective family profiles first, evaluating their personal values, lifestyle and communication preferences. A match only moves forward when both you and the intended parents agree to work together.
Every prospective family completes criminal background checks and home assessments before you review their profile. Read how intended parents are screened to learn how we vet every family.
Step 3. Complete Medical Clearance: 1-2 Months
Before cycle medications begin, your fertility clinic evaluates your physical health over a one-to-two-month clearance window. You'll visit the intended parents' clinic for an outpatient evaluation, including routine bloodwork and a uterine ultrasound. If you're married, your partner completes standard infectious disease screening panels during this same visit.
Once the fertility specialist grants medical clearance, you move directly into drafting your legal agreement.
Step 4. Complete Your Gestational Carrier Agreement: 1-2 Months
Partnering with an independent reproductive attorney to finalize your legal protections typically spans one to two months. Intended parents pay all legal fees while your attorney evaluates your contract terms, compensation schedule and medical decisions. Our guide to gestational carrier agreements details the boundaries and compensation terms these contracts establish.
In Texas, a district judge validates this agreement before embryo transfer to establish legal parentage before delivery.
Step 5. Complete the Embryo Transfer: 1-2 Months
The embryo transfer is an outpatient appointment scheduled several weeks after your legal contract is finalized. You'll take doctor-prescribed medications like estrogen and progesterone beforehand to prepare your uterine lining. During the procedure, the fertility doctor places the thawed embryo into your uterus using a small catheter.
The transfer takes only a few minutes and causes minimal discomfort without requiring anesthesia. Our walkthrough of the embryo transfer process explains clinic expectations and post-transfer recovery.
Step 6. Confirm Pregnancy and Begin Receiving Monthly Base Payments: 9 Months
About ten to fourteen days after transfer, a clinic blood test measures hCG levels to verify pregnancy. Once an ultrasound confirms an embryonic heartbeat around week six, your monthly base payments begin in ten equal installments.
You'll graduate from the fertility clinic around week ten and return to your trusted local OB-GYN. You deliver at your hometown hospital while your specialist coordinates clinical updates and delivery logistics.
How Long Does Surrogate Screening Take?
Surrogate screening usually wraps up within one to three months. The single biggest variable is tracking down past prenatal records from former delivery hospitals. We order your charts directly, though checking in with your former provider helps speed up the process.
Our screening checklist outlines the background reviews and medical verification steps completed during this intake stage.
Contact your medical providers to authorize sharing your medical records Upload your insurance card and policy booklet (if applicable) Submit IDs for all household members 18+ Send your profile materials to your specialist as soon as possibleTips to Keep Things Moving
How Texas Law Affects Your Surrogacy Agreement
Texas Family Code Chapter 160 Subchapter I establishes a clear legal process for gestational surrogacy agreements. Under Section 160.754, Texas district courts can validate your agreement before the embryo transfer takes place. This judicial validation names the intended parents on the birth certificate and confirms you hold zero parental obligations.
State law requires both parties to sign with independent legal counsel at least fourteen days before the transfer.
Escrow and Compensation Requirements
Texas surrogacy contracts require intended parents to fund an independent escrow account in full before you start cycle medications.
An independent escrow manager releases your payments on a strict monthly schedule so your household receives disbursements without delay. Intended parents pay for all approved medical bills and pregnancy-related travel expenses directly through escrow.
Independent Legal Representation
Texas law requires an independent reproductive attorney to represent you throughout contract negotiations. Intended parents cover all legal fees while your attorney negotiates your compensation terms and medical decision-making rights.
This separate legal representation ensures your personal interests remain distinct from the intended parents and agency.
Insurance Requirements
Intended parents pay all pregnancy-related medical costs, copays and deductibles throughout the process. An insurance specialist reviews your current health policy to check for surrogacy exclusions or lien provisions. If your policy excludes surrogate pregnancies, intended parents purchase a dedicated surrogacy insurance policy for you.
Abortion and Medical Decision-Making
Surrogacy contracts in Texas cannot override state criminal statutes, including the Texas Human Life Protection Act. Your agreement outlines medical decisions in detail and prioritizes your physical health in an emergency. Your independent attorney will walk you through these statutory boundaries so you understand your legal protections before signing.
How Much Do Surrogates Make in Texas?
First-time surrogates in Texas earn $70,000 - $80,000+ in base pay, while experienced carriers earn $90,000 - $110,000+. With monthly allowances, lost wages and milestone bonuses, total compensation packages reach $70,000 - $110,000+.
Your base pay increases if you have successfully completed previous surrogate journeys. Monthly allowances cover out-of-pocket expenses like maternity clothing, local travel and prenatal vitamins. We also match higher qualifying written offers from licensed agencies so your pay package remains competitive.
Why Become a Surrogate with American Surrogacy?
American Surrogacy pairs competitive compensation with direct specialist support and transparent contract negotiations. You retain full autonomy to choose the intended parents you carry for and approve your hospital delivery preferences.
Your specialist coordinates clinic travel, monitors escrow deposits and assists with medical records throughout your pregnancy. We also fund independent licensed counseling whenever you need personal guidance or postpartum emotional support.
What If You Don’t Meet the Requirements to Become a Surrogate?
Temporary disqualifications often resolve as your health routines or postpartum timelines change. Fertility clinics typically require waiting six months after giving birth or three months after weaning from breastfeeding before applying.
If carrying a pregnancy isn't right for you right now, you can still help waiting parents by referring qualified candidates. Connecting a qualified friend or family member with our agency allows you to earn a cash referral bonus.
Apply to Become a Surrogate in Texas
Submitting an online application takes under ten minutes and gives you a clear assessment of your eligibility. A specialist then contacts you to discuss your questions, household support and compensation goals.
Our team coordinates travel and legal representation statewide, whether you live in a major metro or a rural town. Connect with a surrogacy specialist today to talk through your options without any obligation to move forward.