Waiting for a lifelong partner to start a family isn’t a necessity for all men. Some bachelors deciding to settle down solo and have their children via surrogacy, with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo becoming the latest example to catch media attention.

Stephanie Caballero, Esq., the founder of The Surrogacy Law Center, wants single men pursuing surrogacy to do their due diligence.

Caballero warns intended fathers with the financial means to utilize a surrogacy agency to take their time selecting both an egg donor and a gestational surrogate.

“Just keep in mind that your egg donor is going to help you create your child. Don’t rush into this and be very selective,” Caballero said.

The same holds true when choosing a surrogate.

On the other hand, if a future father cannot afford the agency route, he may consider asking a woman he knows and who has given birth before to be a traditional surrogate (who will use her own egg and carry the baby).

“A lot of times these men will work with a friend, and you have to be careful with this,” said Caballero, noting that legal safeguards must be in place. “I do about one traditional surrogacy case a year. It’s not very common because at the end of the day, the woman can get custody and/or visitation with the baby.”

Caballero explained that working with reputable professionals, including assisted reproduction attorneys and psychologists, is mandatory in all cases, but it’s particularly important for traditional surrogacy cases. Comprehensive contracts and psychological screenings must be in place.

Caballero recognizes that there are different ways to build a family, and marital status should not define who is allowed to become a parent.

“Love is love,” she said. “And really, who’s to say that this person isn’t going to find somebody after the surrogacy to spend the rest of their life with.”