If you’re considering becoming a gestational surrogate, one of the first questions on your mind is probably, “How long will it take before I’m matched with intended parents?” It’s a completely valid question, and the answer is encouraging. At ABC Surrogacy, most surrogates are matched within one to three months of completing their screening. The surrogacy timeline can vary depending on a few key factors, but the important thing to know upfront is that you are not just waiting to be chosen. You have a voice in this process, and the right match is worth the time it takes to find.
What Does the Surrogate Matching Process Look Like?
The surrogacy process begins long before a match is made. After you submit your application, you’ll move through an initial screening that includes a review of your medical history, a background check, and an interview with our team. Once you’re approved, you’ll complete a comprehensive medical screening and a psychological evaluation, both of which are standard steps in gestational surrogacy and are fully covered by the intended parents.
From there, your profile is created. This is where you share your story, your motivations for becoming a surrogate, and your preferences for the type of intended parents you’d like to work with. At ABC Surrogacy, we share surrogate profiles with intended parents at no upfront cost to them, which means your profile gets visibility quickly and matching isn’t delayed by financial barriers on the other side.
When a potential match is identified and your records are approved by the Intended Parents clinic, you’ll have a pre-match meeting via Zoom with the Intended Parent(s) and one of the Owners of the agency to get to know one another before anything is formalized. This is one of the surrogacy steps that makes ABC Surrogacy’s approach different. You choose your intended parents just as much as they choose you. If both sides feel it’s the right fit, the match is confirmed and the journey moves forward.
What Factors Affect How Quickly You’re Matched?
While the average surrogacy timeline for matching falls within a few weeks to a month, several factors influence where you land within that range.
Openness to helping anyone is one of the most significant factors. Surrogates who are open to working with LGBTQ+ couples, single intended parents, or people that might have a child already tend to match more quickly because the pool of potential matches is larger. During the interview process, the surrogate will be asked about her preferences and what type of relationship she is hoping for during the journey. We take all of that into consideration when we share profiles, as we want you to feel 100% comfortable with your choice of IPs. At ABC Surrogacy, we support all family structures, and our intended parent community is both national and international.
Your location also plays a role. Surrogates living in surrogacy-friendly states such as California, Colorado, Illinois, Connecticut, and Nevada often move through the matching process faster because the legal environment is well established and intended parents frequently prefer those jurisdictions. At ABC Surrogacy, we welcome surrogates in all surrogacy friendly states, and have great success with matching in a timely manner.
Experience level matters as well. Experienced surrogates who have completed a previous surrogacy journey are in high demand and tend to match very quickly, sometimes within days. First-time surrogates should not be discouraged by this, however. The majority of intended parents are happy to work with a first-time surrogate who meets the medical and personal qualifications.
Flexibility on preferences is another accelerator. This includes preferences around communication frequency with intended parents, delivery logistics, and post-journey contact expectations. The more open you are, the more matching opportunities become available.
Finally, promptly completing your screening keeps things moving. Surrogates who respond quickly to requests for medical records, schedule their evaluations without delay, and stay in close communication with their case manager move through the pipeline faster. Your dedicated case manager at ABC Surrogacy will guide you through every step so nothing falls through the cracks.
Why ABC Surrogacy’s Matching Process Is Different
Not all surrogacy agencies operate the same way, and the agency you choose has a direct impact on how quickly and comfortably you’re matched. ABC Surrogacy is privately and independently owned, which means you receive personalized attention rather than a corporate experience. You’re not a number in a queue. Our co-founders, Julie Allgood and Nicole Lawson, bring over 30 years of combined professional and personal surrogacy experience, and that depth of understanding shapes every part of the journey.
From the moment you’re accepted into the program, you’re assigned a dedicated case manager who stays with you from application through postpartum, not a rotating team. Our no-fee profile sharing model means intended parents can view your profile immediately without financial hurdles slowing down the process. And because we serve intended parents both nationally and internationally, the matching pool is broad and diverse. Learn more about why surrogates choose Abundant Beginnings.
Beyond the logistics, ABC Surrogacy offers something harder to quantify but deeply felt: a supportive community. Our surrogates become part of a sisterhood of women who share their experiences, offer advice, and celebrate each milestone together. That sense of connection doesn’t just make the surrogacy journey more meaningful; it makes you feel supported from the very first step.
What Happens After You’re Matched?
Once your match is confirmed, the surrogacy process moves into its next stages. After you are medically cleared, you and your intended parents will each work with independent attorneys to finalize a legal contract that protects everyone involved. This typically takes two to six weeks. From there, you’ll begin fertility medications as prescribed, and proceed to embryo transfer.
Including the 40-week pregnancy, the full surrogacy journey from application to delivery generally spans 12 to 18 months. Matching is just one step in a well-structured, well-supported process, and at ABC Surrogacy, you’ll have guidance and care at every stage. Have more questions? Visit our Surrogate FAQ for additional details.
Ready to Start Your Surrogacy Journey?
If you’ve been thinking about becoming a surrogate, the first step is simply finding out if you’re eligible. At ABC Surrogacy, we welcome women between the ages of 22 and 39 who have given birth to at least one child and are ready to give a family the greatest gift imaginable.
With competitive compensation starting at $60,000 to $70,000+, a $4,000 incentive, zero out-of-pocket costs, and the backing of an agency with more than a decade of experience, your surrogacy journey starts with confidence. Apply today and discover what it means to be part of a team that is privately owned, personally invested, and fully committed to you.