For many, NBC News Anchor Kristen Welker has been a household name since moderating the Presidential Debate in 2020. Most recently, Kristen announced that she and her husband are expecting their first child, a girl, through surrogacy on the Today Show.
In the United States, approximately 1 in 8 couples have trouble getting pregnant and 1 in 4 women suffer pregnancy loss. Many of these couples, and LGBTQ+ couples, turn to gestational surrogacy to have a biological child.
Women who choose to become gestational carriers are caring, responsible women who have a strong desire to help others. Kristen Welker’s gestational surrogate said, “My calling to become a surrogate came long before I even had a child of my own. I first heard about it back when I was a teenager. My cousin told me about the many miscarriages she’d had over the years. I remember the hurt and pain in her eyes as she told me the story. She was given a few options to think about down the line and surrogacy was one of them. While it was not one of those topics that many talked or even knew about, it intrigued me. I did some research and it’s been a dream of mine ever since.”
Gestational surrogates earn a generous compensation package. A first time surrogate can expect to receive $55,000 in base compensation and additional fees.
Women who are surrogates are stay-at-home mothers, have full time careers and work part time. They are the soccer moms you stand next to on the field and the women you work with at the office.
Basic qualifications to become a gestational surrogate include:
- 21 to 40 years old
- No more than 5 previous pregnancies
- No more than 2 c-sections
- Uncomplicated, healthy pregnancies and deliveries
- Financially stable
- Not currently taking any anxiety or depression medications
- Live in a surrogacy friendly state
In Kristen Welker’s letter to her daughter, she calls her surrogate a hero. Her sentiments echo those of all of the Intended Parents before her. If you, or someone you know is interested in becoming a surrogate and a hero to another family, complete our application today.
