Matching with intended parents is one of the most exciting milestones in your surrogacy journey. After weeks or even months of waiting, you’ve found a family whose goals, values, and expectations align with yours. It’s completely normal to feel excited, relieved, and maybe even a little nervous about what comes next.
While matching is a huge step forward, it isn’t the finish line. There are still several important medical, legal, and logistical steps to complete before an embryo transfer can take place. The good news is that you won’t be navigating them alone. Your agency, fertility clinic, and legal team will guide you through each stage.
Understanding what happens after you’re matched can help you feel confident and prepared as your journey moves forward.
Getting to know your intended parents
Now that you’ve officially matched, you’ll begin building a relationship with your intended parents. This is an exciting time as you get to know one another beyond your initial match meeting.
Every surrogacy relationship is different. Some intended parents and gestational carriers text frequently, while others check in once a week or communicate mainly around appointments and milestones. There is no “correct” level of communication. The goal is to find a rhythm that feels comfortable and natural for everyone involved.
As you get to know each other, you’ll begin discussing topics like communication preferences, appointment attendance, pregnancy updates, and hopes for the journey ahead. Starting these conversations early helps build trust and creates a strong foundation for the months to come.
Medical records and screening
After you’re matched, the fertility clinic becomes the primary coordinator for the medical portion of your journey.
The clinic will first review your pregnancy and delivery records to confirm you meet their medical requirements. Even if your agency has already screened you, every fertility clinic has its own protocols and approval process.
Once your records are approved, you’ll travel to the fertility clinic for a comprehensive medical screening. This appointment often includes:
- A physical exam
- Bloodwork
- Infectious disease screening
- A uterine evaluation, such as a saline sonogram or mock embryo transfer
- A review of your medications and medical history
If you have a spouse or sexual partner, they will typically need infectious disease testing as well. Exact requirements vary by clinic.
This appointment allows the medical team to confirm that your body is ready for an embryo transfer and identify any issues that should be addressed beforehand.
Psychological evaluation and joint session
Individual psychological evaluation
Before moving forward, you’ll complete a psychological evaluation with a licensed mental health professional who specializes in third-party reproduction.
This is not a test that you pass or fail. Instead, it is an opportunity to discuss your motivation for becoming a surrogate, your support system, how you handle stress, and any questions or concerns you may have about the journey ahead.
Joint session with your intended parents
Many fertility clinics also require a joint session with you and the intended parents after everyone has completed their individual evaluations.
This meeting gives everyone the opportunity to discuss communication styles, expectations, boundaries, and how you hope the relationship will look throughout the pregnancy.
It is also a safe place to discuss more difficult topics before legal contracts are written. Conversations about selective reduction, termination, delivery preferences, and contact after birth are often easier when guided by an experienced mental health professional.
While these conversations may feel uncomfortable, they help prevent misunderstandings later and ensure everyone is moving forward with shared expectations.
Legal contracts to protect everyone involved
Once medical and psychological clearances are complete, the legal process begins.
Whether you matched through an agency or independently, each party should have their own attorney. Your attorney represents your interests only and will review every part of the agreement with you before anything is signed.
Your contract will cover much more than compensation. It outlines responsibilities, expectations, and protections for everyone involved throughout the journey.
Common topics include:
- Base compensation and allowances
- Lost wages
- Childcare and housekeeping reimbursements
- Travel expenses
- Bed rest
- Medical decision-making
- Selective reduction and termination
- Delivery plans
- Contact after birth
Take your time reviewing the agreement and ask questions about anything you don’t fully understand. Once contracts are signed, everyone can move forward with confidence knowing expectations are clear.
Insurance and escrow
Before medications begin, the financial and insurance details are finalized.
Your insurance policy will be reviewed to determine how pregnancy-related medical expenses will be covered. If additional coverage is needed, those arrangements are made before treatment begins.
An independent escrow account is also established. The intended parents deposit the agreed-upon funds into the account, and compensation and reimbursements are distributed by a neutral third party according to the contract.
This protects both you and the intended parents by ensuring payments are handled professionally and consistently throughout the journey.
Preparing for embryo transfer
Your medication calendar begins
With contracts signed and medical clearance received, your fertility clinic will provide your medication calendar.
Most gestational carriers begin with suppression or birth control medications before moving on to estrogen and progesterone. Throughout this process, you’ll attend local monitoring appointments so the clinic can track your hormone levels and uterine lining.
Following your medication schedule exactly as prescribed is one of the most important parts of preparing for transfer. Fortunately, your clinic will provide detailed instructions and is always available if questions come up.
Waiting can be the hardest part
Many surrogates are surprised that there can still be waiting periods after matching.
Legal reviews, clinic schedules, insurance approvals, medication timing, and coordinating everyone’s calendars all take time. While it can be tempting to wonder why things aren’t moving faster, each step serves an important purpose.
This is also a great time to continue building your relationship with the intended parents, stay organized, and lean on your support system when you need encouragement.
Try not to compare your timeline to someone else’s. Every surrogacy journey is different, delays are normal, and moving a little slower does not mean something is wrong.
You’re one step closer to transfer
Matching with intended parents is more than just another milestone. It is the beginning of a partnership built on trust, communication, and a shared goal of bringing a child into the world.
While there are still several important steps before pregnancy begins, each one is designed to protect you, the intended parents, and the future baby. Medical screening, psychological evaluations, legal contracts, and IVF preparation all work together to create the safest and most successful journey possible.
Take the next step
If you’re considering becoming a gestational carrier, now is the perfect time to learn whether surrogacy is the right fit for you.
At Shining Light Baby, we’ll guide you through every step of the process, from your initial application and screening to matching, embryo transfer, pregnancy, and beyond. Our experienced team is here to answer your questions, advocate for you, and provide the support you deserve throughout your journey.
Ready to begin? Apply to become a surrogate today and take the first step toward helping a family grow while making a lasting difference in someone’s life.