Carrying a pregnancy for a family who cannot is one of the most significant things a person can do for someone else. It is also a serious medical and emotional commitment, and it should never be entered into on a vague promise.
This guide sets out who qualifies, what actually happens after you apply, how payment works, and the protections you should insist on from any agency, ours included.
Who can apply
Requirements exist to protect you first and the pregnancy second. Most programmes, including ours, look for:
- Aged 21 to 38
- You have given birth to at least one child of your own
- Your previous pregnancies were free of major complications
- You are a non-smoker and in good general health
- You have a supportive partner or family around you
- You can reach appointments in Accra
Why those requirements exist
Having already carried a child matters because it tells the medical team how your body handles pregnancy. It also means you understand, from the inside, what you are agreeing to. That is why no reputable programme accepts a first-time pregnancy as a surrogacy.
The support requirement is not a formality either. A surrogacy pregnancy is easier when the people you live with understand and back the decision. Where that support is not there, the journey is much harder on you, and we would rather find that out at the start than in month six.
If you are unsure whether you qualify, apply anyway. Our coordinator will tell you honestly rather than leave you guessing.
You are not the baby's mother
We facilitate gestational surrogacy only. The embryo is created through IVF using the intended parents' or donors' eggs and sperm, then transferred to you. There is no genetic link between you and the baby you carry.
This is the most common form of surrogacy worldwide and the most protected for everyone involved, which is why it is the only kind we do.
What happens after you apply
- You complete a short application, about three minutes, no documents needed yet
- A coordinator calls you within two working days to talk it through and answer your questions
- Free medical and wellbeing screening at a partner clinic, with every step explained to you first
- Independent counselling, so you understand fully what you are agreeing to before anything is signed
- Matching with intended parents whose values fit yours, then the agreement, then the journey
You can stop at any point in that sequence. Nobody is committed to anything until you sign, and you should never feel rushed into signing.
How payment works
Your compensation is agreed clearly and in writing before the journey begins, and paid on an agreed schedule. Not on a promise, not at the end, not at somebody's discretion.
Medical costs are covered separately and never come out of your compensation. That includes screening, the transfer, antenatal care, the delivery itself, and care for any complication.
If an agency cannot tell you, in writing, how much you will receive and on what dates, that is a serious warning sign. Walk away.
Protections you should insist on
- A written agreement you have read with a lawyer of your own, not just the agency's
- Independent counselling before signing, arranged and paid for by the agency
- All medical care at a reputable clinic, at no cost to you
- A named coordinator you can reach directly, not a general line
- Confidentiality over your identity and your details, under Ghana's Data Protection Act
- A clear answer on what happens if the pregnancy ends early, or if a medical complication arises
The honest part
Surrogacy carries the normal medical considerations of IVF and pregnancy. It is time-consuming, it involves clinic visits and medication, and it is emotionally significant even when everything goes smoothly.
It is also, for many of the women who do it, deeply meaningful and fairly rewarded. Both things are true at once, and you should hear both before you decide.
Apply to become a surrogate
About three minutes. A coordinator reads every application personally and replies within two working days.
Apply to become a surrogate
