Overlake Reproductive Health is excited to start working with women from Washington on surrogacy journeys! Compensated surrogacy in Washington will be allowed starting in January 2019.
For years, compensated surrogacy in Washington was not allowed. What we call compassionate or altruistic surrogacy was allowed and has worked when friends or family were able and willing to carry a baby to term with no compensation. However, many of our patients did not have this option. Now that Governor Inslee just signed Senate Bill 6037 into law, allowing for compensated surrogacy in the state of Washington, we expect to see more local surrogates.
It is our hope that this new law will help reduce costs for our patients. With our high success rates in IVF, we can now keep the whole process in Washington State and legally protect all parties involved.
Washington’s new statue recognizes contracts for gestational and genetic surrogacy arrangements. The state’s comprehensive law protects the rights of the surrogate, the intended parents, the baby, and the donor (if one is needed).
In order to qualify in Washington, surrogates need to:
• Have delivered a child of their own, and be currently parenting at least one child.
• Have had uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries, as documented by medical records.
• Be a surrogate no more than twice.
• Be between 21-41 years of age.
• Be willing to abstain from alcohol and drugs.
• Be less than 32.0 on the BMI scale and at least 5 ft tall (Check your BMI).
• Be physically and mentally healthy.
• Be willing to take medication by injection for several months.
• Be a citizen, legal resident or legal immigrant of the United States. If a surrogate is a legal resident or legal immigrant of the United States, the surrogate must be able to provide documentation that is valid for at least 2 years.
• Must have legal representation and a signed agreement in place.
Benefits to being a surrogate from Washington.
Becoming a surrogate is an incredible gift and also a serious responsibility. You must be stable and mature, and willing to commit time and energy to the surrogacy process. You must be willing to accept the risks of pregnancy as well as the emotional and psychological challenges associated with surrogacy. If you are married or in a relationship, your partner will have to be supportive of the process and willing to undergo medical tests and sign legal documents.
We appreciate that Washington has taken this step forward in making it easier and more affordable for our patients requiring surrogacy and we look forward to working with all parties involved for continuing success in helping our patients make their dreams of building a family come true.
