For intended parents, surrogacy can represent hope after a long and difficult road. For the women who become surrogates, it is a choice rooted in generosity, strength, and the powerful belief that helping another person become a parent can change a life forever.
While every surrogacy journey is personal, many gestational carriers describe a similar pull: they have experienced pregnancy themselves, understand how meaningful parenthood can be, and want to help create that possibility for another family. The process is often misunderstood from the outside. In reality, it is a carefully supported commitment that calls for empathy, communication, and a great deal of heart.
At Open Arms Surrogacy & Egg Donation, two-time surrogate and team member Sara brings both lived experience and a firsthand understanding of the care that makes these journeys possible. Now on her second journey with Open Arms, she sees the experience from both sides—as a surrogate and as someone supporting the families and women who place their trust in the agency.
“I had such an amazing, easy pregnancy with my daughter that I knew I genuinely loved being pregnant and would love to experience it again. After she was born, I kept thinking about how my late husband and I never had the chance to have children together before he passed away. That experience made me think about families who long to bring a child into the world and cannot. That is when I knew I wanted to become a surrogate.” — Sara
The choice to help another family
The women who choose to become surrogates do not make the decision casually. Before beginning a journey, prospective surrogates go through a detailed screening and preparation process. They consider the impact on their own families, their health, their time, and the responsibility of carrying a pregnancy for someone else.
For many, the decision is connected to gratitude for their own pregnancies and a desire to help someone who cannot carry a child themselves. They may be inspired by a friend’s infertility journey, moved by the experiences of LGBTQ+ families, or simply feel called to give a gift that is hard to put into words.
“Before deciding to become a surrogate, a woman does a great deal of self-reflection. She considers how the journey will affect her own family and makes sure her intentions are clear from the beginning—including understanding that the baby belongs to the intended parents.” — Sara
Souad Dreyfus, founder of Open Arms Surrogacy & Egg Donation, has spent more than two decades working alongside surrogates and intended parents. She believes a great journey begins by treating everyone involved with respect, care, and clear information.
“Surrogates deserve to be honored because what they give goes far beyond carrying a pregnancy—they are helping create a family. From the first conversation, they deserve honesty, education, respect, and the information they need to make empowered decisions. Supporting them means making sure they understand the journey ahead, feel valued as people, and know they have someone in their corner at every step.” — Souad Dreyfus
What the experience is really like
Surrogacy is sometimes portrayed as a single act of generosity, but the reality is a relationship-driven journey that unfolds over many months. A surrogate may meet the intended parents, build trust through conversations and shared expectations, attend medical appointments, navigate an embryo transfer and pregnancy, and prepare for the emotional milestone of delivery.
The experience is not identical for every surrogate. Some relationships with intended parents become deeply personal, while others remain warm and respectful with more defined boundaries. What matters most is that expectations are discussed openly and everyone feels supported throughout the process.
For Sara, being on a second journey offers a meaningful perspective on the experience: the logistics matter, but so do the human moments—the anticipation before milestones, the connection with intended parents, and the knowledge that a family is waiting with hope.
“One of the most meaningful moments of my first journey was in the delivery room, when the baby was born and the intended parents saw their child for the first time. We were all in tears. It was so moving that, in that moment, I knew I wanted to do another journey.” — Sara
Support is not optional
A positive surrogacy experience requires more than good intentions. Surrogates need a team that communicates clearly, respects their autonomy, and remains available when questions arise. They also need the right professionals around them, including medical providers, legal counsel, mental-health support, and experienced coordinators.
Open Arms works to ensure that both surrogates and intended parents understand the process, have their questions addressed, and feel guided through each stage. This support is especially important because pregnancy itself can be physically and emotionally demanding, even when it is welcomed and carefully planned.
“Supporting our surrogates does not begin with a match and end at delivery. At Open Arms, it starts with education, screening, preparation, and ensuring each woman feels comfortable with the journey ahead; throughout the pregnancy and after delivery, we stay closely connected so she feels heard, supported, and cared for.” — Souad Dreyfus
Sara’s role on the Open Arms team gives her an additional understanding of what women need during the journey. She knows the questions a prospective surrogate may be afraid to ask and the reassurance that can come from speaking with someone who has lived it.
“When women come to me curious about surrogacy, I tell them that even considering it may be a sign that it is a calling for them. Learning more can help them decide whether it is the right fit—and sometimes reveal a strength they did not know they had.” — Sara
Creating a lasting difference
At the heart of every surrogacy journey is a family hoping to welcome a child. The surrogate’s role is extraordinary because she is helping turn that hope into a real beginning. The impact reaches far beyond the day of delivery; it becomes part of a family’s story for years to come.
For intended parents who have faced infertility, loss, health challenges, or circumstances that prevent them from carrying a pregnancy, a surrogate can make parenthood possible. For same-sex couples and single parents, surrogacy can be an important path toward building the family they have dreamed of.
“It is hard to put into words what it feels like to help someone experience parenthood, but it is truly an amazing feeling. I feel that I have a purpose and have helped a family in a way no one else could.” — Sara
“Being a surrogate has shown me a strength I did not know I had. It has also given me a closer look at the toll infertility can take on families—and how impactful surrogacy can be.” — Sara
“Over the years, I’ve witnessed relationships between surrogates and intended parents that are incredibly powerful. They begin as strangers brought together by one shared hope, but often become a meaningful part of each other’s lives. A surrogate’s impact does not end when the baby is born; she becomes part of that family’s story forever.” — Souad Dreyfus
Women who become surrogates are not simply participating in a process. They are making a meaningful, informed choice to help another family grow. Their kindness is matched by resilience, commitment, and the willingness to show up for a journey that carries profound emotional significance for everyone involved.
As Sara begins her second journey with Open Arms, her story is a reminder that surrogacy is deeply human. It is about women supporting women, families finding hope, and the extraordinary difference one person can make in the life of another.
For women who may be considering surrogacy, the first step is learning, asking questions, and finding a team that will support them with honesty and care. For intended parents, it is an opportunity to meet women like Sara—women whose generosity helps make the dream of family possible.
This article is intended for general educational purposes only and is not medical or legal advice. Individual circumstances vary, and prospective surrogates and intended parents should consult qualified professionals regarding their own situation.
