If you want to know how to become a surrogate in Arkansas or how intended parents can find a surrogate to carry their child, this guide can help.

Contact us today to learn more about how surrogacy in Arkansas works.

Continue reading this guide to find out crucial information to help prospective intended parents and surrogates understand how surrogacy agencies in Arkansas can help them.

What is Surrogacy in Arkansas?

Surrogacy in Arkansas involves a prospective surrogate mother and intended parents. A surrogate often chooses to pursue surrogacy to:

• Help intended parents grow their family
• Receive compensation to help with their future goals

Intended parents pursue surrogacy to:

• Grow their family after trying to conceive
• Biologically have a child with the help of someone else due to various circumstances

Although there are two types of surrogacy in Arkansas, gestational surrogacy in Arkansas is more common and less legally risky.

Gestational Surrogacy in Arkansas

A gestational surrogate is not related to the baby she carries. With gestational surrogacy, an embryo is created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the sperm and egg from intended parents or donors. The embryo is then transferred to a surrogate’s uterus.

Nearly all modern-day surrogacies are gestational.

How Does Surrogacy Work in Arkansas?

Although intended parents and surrogates could choose to pursue independent surrogacy in Arkansas without the help of an agency, surrogacy agencies in Arkansas make all surrogacy journeys smoother.

What Do Surrogacy Agencies in Arkansas Do?

Surrogacy agencies in Arkansas make the surrogacy process more manageable and can provide support during your surrogacy journey.

If you’d like to connect with surrogacy agencies in Arkansas, here are a few you can consider:

• American Surrogacy
• Southern Surrogacy
• Earthly Angels

These surrogacy agencies will provide you with surrogacy professionals who can:

• Coordinate Screenings: An agency will coordinate your psychological, physical, and medical screenings.
• Quick Matching: Experienced agencies like American Surrogacy can match you with an intended family/surrogate within 30 to 90 days.
• Professional Referrals: An agency can refer you to a skilled surrogacy attorney who knows Arkansas surrogacy laws, fertility clinics if you need to work with gamete donors, etc.
• Provide Support: Surrogacy professionals will assist you from the start to the end of your surrogacy journey.
• Case Management: Professional case management so you can dedicate all your time and energy to your journey.

How to Become a Surrogate Mother in Arkansas

Becoming a surrogate in Arkansas can be an incredible journey. Although the screening and medical process takes effort, it’s well worth it if surrogacy is one of your goals.

The following are the steps you will take if you want to pursue surrogacy in Arkansas:

1. Decide surrogacy is right for you
2. Complete surrogacy screening
3. Match with intended parents
4. Agree to surrogacy terms and create a surrogacy contract
5. Undergo the medical surrogacy process
6. Confirm the pregnancy and start to receive surrogacy payments
7. Receive your final base surrogacy payment upon delivery

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in Arkansas for Surrogates?

Surrogacy is free to all gestational carriers.

Every surrogate will get reimbursed for all their surrogacy- and pregnancy-related expenses, and most gestational carriers entering a surrogacy receive additional compensation, too.

Typically, first-time surrogates receive $45,000-50,000 for their time and energy. Repeat surrogates can often receive more — up to $75,000.

How to Become Intended Parents in Arkansas

Intended parents can start the surrogacy journey by reaching out to a surrogacy professional at an agency. When an intended parent reaches out to American Surrogacy, they can expect to go through the following steps:

• Step 1: Decide that surrogacy is the right family-building option
• Step 2: Prepare for the surrogacy journey
• Step 3: Find a surrogate to carry your child
• Step 4: Create a surrogacy contract
• Step 5: Start the medical surrogacy process
• Step 6: Welcome the child and enjoy parenthood

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in Arkansas for Intended Parents?

Generally, surrogacy in Arkansas costs between $120,000 and $250,000. Several factors will determine your total cost:

• Your surrogacy agency’s fees
• The surrogate compensation for your gestational carrier
• Unexpected costs outside of a fixed fee structure, such as extra fees for a new match or multiple attempts of the embryo transfer

One way you can protect your finances during this journey is working with an agency that uses a fixed fee structure that includes unlimited matching and unlimited embryo transfer attempts.

Next Steps Toward Surrogacy in Arkansas