Being a Surrogate in Colorado
What does it mean to be a surrogate in Colorado? Although there are various requirements from state to state for becoming a gestational surrogate, there are also some underlying similarities amongst all gestational surrogates. Two things are certain with all surrogates: she must have a desire to help another family and she must be extremely selfless.
However, understanding what the surrogacy process looks like in your home state is valuable to seeing what being a surrogate is actually like. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to outline what it’s like to be a surrogate in the state of Colorado.
Being a Surrogate in Colorado
There are some key characteristics that every surrogate may experience, as well as some that are specific to being a surrogate in Colorado. Here is what being a surrogate in Colorado looks like:
- Understanding if Becoming a Surrogate is a Good Fit
Becoming a gestational surrogate can be an extremely rewarding life experience. You have the opportunity to help another family achieve their dreams of having children. If you are a woman interested in this role, deciding whether or not being a surrogate in Colorado is a good fit for you is the first step. Surrogates are typically very kindhearted, selfless women who are motivated by their love for children. Because pregnancy takes a large toll on the body, those who are interested in being a surrogate must consider if they are in the right place in their lives to take on another pregnancy. If so, and you are motivated by wanting another family to experience the love and joy of a child, it’s a great idea to consider the decision further.
- Meeting Colorado’s State Requirements
If you are a woman interested in becoming a gestational surrogate, the state of Colorado has some requirements that must be followed. These guidelines are in place to help increase the gestational carrier’s likelihood of a safe, unproblematic, and successful pregnancy to help out intended parents. These requirements include, but are not limited to:
- Status as a United States citizen and living in the U.S.
- Being between 21 to 41 years old
- Demonstrating physical fitness through a Body Mass Index (BMI) of about 33 or lower
- Presenting medical records that show at least one complication-free pregnancy and delivery to help ensure increased chances for a safe pregnancy
- Being in the parenting process for at least one child
- Not receiving certain kinds of government aid including welfare, cash assistance, and public housing. Other forms of government aid should be discussed with us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado
- Living a stable lifestyle with reliable transportation and a trustworthy support system
- Emotional screening for intended gestational carriers to ensure stability for pregnancies
- Working Closely with Intended Parents
As a gestational surrogate, you will be working very closely with the intended parents that you are matched with. These intended parents will be involved in creating the surrogacy contract, discussing expectations for the entire surrogacy process, and also may attend health check ups and the actual delivery with you. For this reason, gestational surrogates should expect to collaborate with the intended parents they are matched with, as the surrogacy process in Colorado can last up to around a year.
At Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado, we can aid in finding a perfect match between surrogates and intended parents. We will consider various different aspects of compatibility when matching gestational surrogates and intended parents to ensure a smooth, positive experience for both parties and the child that is born.
- Finding a Surrogacy Agency to Help
Truth be told, the gestational surrogacy process can be confusing from time to time. With a number of legalities and timelines that must be kept in mind, it can feel overwhelming for gestational surrogates who might not have had experience with this situation before. Finding a surrogacy agency that can help alleviate these stresses and answer any questions that may arise during the surrogacy is extremely valuable. Surrogacy agencies can also help facilitate relationships between the gestational surrogates and intended parents, therefore preventing any conflicts that may arise.
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to help any women who are interested in becoming gestational surrogates in the state of Colorado. We offer resources that may benefit you at any stage of being a surrogate, so please feel free to reach out and learn more.
Interested in Gestational Surrogacy?
If you are interested in or have questions about becoming a gestational surrogate in the state of Colorado, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado. We will help to make sure you have legal representation, medical care, and hands-on support throughout the entire surrogacy process.
Becoming a surrogate is a life-changing and super rewarding experience. We would love to support you through the journey and match you with possible intended parents! If you are interested in surrogacy and want to learn more about your options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Ashley Nies is an undergraduate student at Stanford University who is studying Human Biology and Political Science. Ashley is largely interested in various aspects of health and healthcare, and writes about these topics. She has taken classes on rhetoric, ethics and social media in health, as well as other creative writing classes during her freshman year at Stanford.
Ashley is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and considers herself to be fun-loving and adventurous. She values the importance of combining STEM with liberal arts education and hopes to integrate these in her writing.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!