What Makes a State Surrogacy-Friendly?
When exploring where to become a surrogate or where to grow your family through surrogacy, it’s natural to ask: what makes one state more “surrogacy-friendly” than another? When people think about surrogacy, they often focus on the matching process, medical care, or the emotional aspects of the journey — but where a surrogate lives is such an important piece of the puzzle. Some states make the process smoother and more secure for both surrogates and intended parents. The right environment balances legal clarity with strong healthcare systems, reliable infrastructure, and strong, welcoming community support. Here’s what we mean when we say a state is “surrogacy-friendly.”
Clear, Inclusive Legal Pathways
While every state handles surrogacy differently, a surrogacy-friendly state generally has established straightforward processes to recognize intended parents before birth. The availability of pre-birth parentage orders, especially for a range of family types, helps ensure everyone feels protected and recognized from the start.
Learn more about surrogacy in Michigan, where these frameworks are new, or surrogacy in New Jersey, where they are well-established.
Access to Comprehensive Reproductive Healthcare
A truly surrogacy-friendly state ensures that all aspects of reproductive care remain available and accessible. This includes the ability to make informed choices about pregnancy, access to termination when medically necessary, and the presence of providers who respect and support those decisions with compassion. These protections matter because they allow surrogates and intended parents to make thoughtful, informed decisions in complex situations. The best states for surrogacy, like Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and Michigan, are those that prioritize reproductive rights to help create a safer, more respectful surrogacy experience.
Discover surrogacy in Vermont. Surprised to see Ohio here? Learn about surrogacy in Ohio, too.
Quality Medical Care and NICU Access
Top-tier fertility clinics, hospitals, and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are essential for any surrogacy journey. The best states for surrogacy have strong healthcare infrastructure. The quality of local healthcare is essential, not just for labor and delivery, but for ongoing journey wellness and postpartum care.
Thinking about becoming a surrogate in Pennsylvania? We’d love to hear from you!
Reliable Transportation and Travel Access
Smooth logistics matter, and accessibility can make a big difference in the surrogacy journey. States with well-connected airports, strong regional transportation, and reasonable proximity to major cities make coordination easier for surrogates, intended parents, and care teams. Accessibility reduces stress and supports better continuity of care throughout the process.
Are you interested in becoming a surrogate in Maine, where you have quick access to both Boston and New York? Check in!
Supportive Communities and Quality of Life
Surrogacy is an emotional, relational experience, and environment matters. Being in a community that values family building makes a difference. States with strong community networks, access to fresh food, outdoor recreation, and family-focused culture provide the kind of grounding that supports both physical and emotional wellbeing. Surrogates who feel connected and cared for often describe their journeys as more positive and empowering.
We’d love to hear from well-supported candidates in New Hampshire.
In short: A surrogacy-friendly state isn’t just one where the paperwork is easy. It’s about creating a setting where surrogates are supported, intended parents feel at ease, and families can grow with confidence, even joy.
If you’re thinking about becoming a surrogate in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, or New Jersey, or beyond, we want to hear from you.
