Real Answers to Hard Questions

For surrogacy, expect 14–20 months from your first consultation to bringing a baby home — not the 12 months you often see quoted. The realistic breakdown: 1–2 months for agency onboarding and legal setup, 2–4 months to match with a surrogate, 1–2 months for medical clearance and legal contracts, then a full-term pregnancy of 9 months. Egg donation alone is faster — typically 4–6 months from match to retrieval. If you need both a donor and a surrogate, the two tracks run simultaneously, so the combined timeline is closer to surrogacy alone, not the sum of both.

Neither. Our intended parents are based all over the US and internationally — the surrogacy and donation process itself takes place in California, not at your location. You will need to travel to California twice: once for the embryo transfer (optional — some intended parents skip this and have the clinic notify them) and once for the birth. Everything else — matching, legal signing, coordination, updates — is handled remotely. California legal protections apply regardless of where you live.

The fertility clinic is responsible for the medical work: IVF, embryo creation, transfer, and monitoring. The agency — Alpha Fidelis — coordinates everything that happens outside the clinic: recruiting and screening surrogates and donors, managing the match, overseeing the legal process, setting up and administering escrow, and supporting both parties throughout the pregnancy. You need both. Most intended parents choose their fertility clinic first, then their agency, though the order can be reversed. The agency and clinic operate independently but in close coordination throughout your journey.

Yes — and we strongly encourage it. After you review a surrogate's profile and express interest, we coordinate a video call between you and the surrogate before any commitments are made. This conversation is unscripted. You can ask her anything, and she can do the same. Many of our most successful matches are made or broken in this call, and both parties should feel genuinely comfortable before moving forward. You are never obligated to proceed after the initial meeting.

A surrogacy journey using your own embryos typically runs $90,000–$140,000 all-in. If you also need an egg donor, add $25,000–$45,000 on top, bringing the combined total to $120,000–$200,000. These figures include every line item: our agency fee, surrogate base compensation and monthly allowances, surrogate health insurance, legal fees for both parties, escrow administration, IVF transfer cycle, and medical costs not covered by insurance. The wide range exists because surrogate insurance coverage is the single most variable cost — an existing plan that covers surrogacy saves $15,000–$25,000 compared to purchasing a new policy.

Yes — three levers actually move the number. First, surrogate insurance: if your matched surrogate has existing health coverage that is surrogacy-friendly, you avoid purchasing a supplemental policy ($15,000–$25,000 savings). Second, embryo quality: having chromosomally normal (PGT-A tested) embryos before matching significantly reduces the risk of multiple failed transfers, each of which costs $4,000–$6,000. Third, frozen egg banks: choosing a frozen donor egg lot instead of a fresh donor cycle saves $10,000–$20,000, though you get fewer eggs. We walk through all of these trade-offs at your initial consultation.

No. Costs are staged across the journey. The agency coordination fee is due when you join the program. Surrogate compensation is funded into a third-party escrow account before the medical process begins — but this is not the same as paying it all out immediately; it is held and disbursed monthly as the pregnancy progresses. IVF and clinic fees are billed directly by the clinic on their own schedule. The largest single payment in the process is typically the escrow funding, which happens after matching and before the embryo transfer — usually 4–6 months into the process.

Surrogate compensation that has already been disbursed is not refundable — the surrogate is compensated for the pregnancy, not the outcome. Undisbursed escrow funds are returned to you. Agency fees covering coordination work already performed are also non-refundable, but fees covering future milestones are typically returned or credited toward a subsequent journey. If you have additional frozen embryos, a second transfer attempt costs significantly less than starting over — typically $4,000–$6,000 at the clinic, with no additional agency matching fee. We review these scenarios explicitly in your contract so there are no surprises.

Several lenders specialize in fertility financing: CapexMD, Future Family, and Prosper Healthcare Lending offer loans up to $75,000–$100,000. For many intended parents, these cover a significant portion of an egg donation cycle but only part of a full surrogacy journey. A more effective strategy for larger amounts is to combine a fertility loan with employer benefits — a growing number of large employers offer surrogacy reimbursement of $10,000–$50,000, which many employees do not know they have. Check your benefits documentation or ask HR directly before assuming it is not available.Full financing guide

In a gestational surrogacy — the only type we facilitate — the surrogate has no genetic connection to the child. In California, gestational surrogacy contracts are fully enforceable under Family Code §7960, and intended parents obtain a pre-birth order establishing legal parentage before the baby is born. This means that when the baby arrives, you are already the legal parent by court order. The surrogate has no legal claim to a child she is not genetically related to under California law. This is one of the primary reasons California is considered the safest state in the country for surrogacy.

Miscarriage during a surrogate pregnancy is handled the same medically as any other pregnancy loss, with the surrogate receiving full medical and psychological support. Financially, she retains the compensation already disbursed up to that point — typically one to two monthly payments — and the remainder stays in escrow. If you have additional frozen embryos, most intended parents proceed to a second transfer after a waiting period recommended by the physician, usually 2–3 months. The surrogate's willingness to attempt another transfer is discussed in the original contract, and most surrogates are open to trying again if medically cleared.

This is one of the most important conversations you will have before matching, and it is covered explicitly in the surrogacy agreement. The contract specifies under what medical circumstances selective reduction or termination may be pursued, and both parties must agree to these terms before signing. If you and a potential surrogate have fundamentally different views on this — for example, different positions on termination in the case of a severe fetal abnormality — that is a disqualifying mismatch, and we will not proceed with that pairing. Alignment on this issue is non-negotiable before a match is formalized.

This is one of the most common complications in surrogacy, and it is one of the first things we evaluate after a match. Most standard health insurance plans contain exclusions for surrogate pregnancies. If the surrogate's existing plan does not cover it, a supplemental surrogacy-specific policy is purchased — typically costing $15,000–$25,000 for the duration of the pregnancy. We work with insurance specialists who review every surrogate's existing coverage before the medical process begins, so you know the insurance cost before you commit to the match.

Most intended parents are present for the birth, and we strongly recommend it — but it is not legally required. What matters legally is that the pre-birth order is obtained before delivery, which your attorney handles. Practically, the birth is often a significant emotional milestone and the first meeting between you and your child. We coordinate with the delivery hospital in advance so staff are aware of the family arrangement and your presence and access rights are clearly documented. If travel is a genuine obstacle, we work with local doulas and birth support professionals to be present on your behalf.

This is entirely your decision, and you should think through it before starting IVF. Options include: continuing to store them (at annual clinic fees of $500–$1,200), using them for a sibling journey, donating them to another family through embryo donation, donating them to medical research, or discarding them. Some families delay this decision for years. The important thing is that your IVF clinic discusses this with you before your retrieval cycle, and that your decision is documented. We flag this early in the process because it is a decision that carries significant emotional weight for many intended parents.

Neither is universally better; they involve real trade-offs. A fresh donor cycle is coordinated specifically for you: the donor undergoes stimulation, and all retrieved eggs are yours. You typically get 10–20 eggs, giving you more embryos to work with — important if you want more than one child from the same donor. A frozen egg bank purchase is faster (no waiting for a match or cycle coordination), lower cost by $10,000–$20,000, and the donor has already been screened and retrieved. The downside: you purchase a fixed lot of typically 6–8 eggs, which may yield fewer viable embryos. If you only need one transfer attempt and cost efficiency matters, frozen can be the right choice. If you want a sibling option or prefer more embryos, fresh is usually worth the added cost and time.

Yes. Known donation — using someone you already know — is fully supported and legal in California. The donor still goes through our complete medical and psychological screening process, and a formal legal egg donor agreement is required before any procedures begin. Many intended parents consider this route for genetic reasons, cost (known donors are often compensated less than anonymous donors), or because they want an ongoing relationship between the donor and the child. One thing to prepare for: the psychological evaluation specifically explores the relational dynamics between you and the donor to ensure both parties have realistic expectations about the future.

The average retrieval yields 10–18 eggs, but this varies significantly based on the donor's ovarian reserve (AMH level) and response to stimulation. Not all retrieved eggs are mature; typically 80% are. Of mature eggs, roughly 70–80% fertilize successfully. Of those, 50–60% develop to the blastocyst stage suitable for transfer or freezing. PGT-A testing (chromosomal screening) then typically shows 40–60% of blastocysts as chromosomally normal, depending on the donor's age. A retrieval of 15 eggs might ultimately yield 4–6 chromosomally normal embryos — which is a good outcome. Your IVF clinic will model this for your specific situation.

Yes — this is called reciprocal IVF (also called partner IVF or co-IVF). One partner provides the eggs, which are fertilized and transferred to the other partner to carry the pregnancy. Both partners are biologically involved: one genetically, one gestationaly. California law supports this arrangement fully, and both partners can be named on the birth certificate. It is one of the most meaningful options available to same-sex female couples and is increasingly common. We coordinate reciprocal IVF arrangements regularly.

The hard disqualifiers are: never having given birth (prior live birth is required), being outside the 21–39 age range, BMI above 32, more than two prior cesarean sections, active use of tobacco or recreational drugs, current receipt of government financial assistance, and a felony conviction. Beyond these, the most common reasons women are declined after initial application are: uterine abnormalities found during medical evaluation, mental health history that the evaluating psychologist determines is not suitable for the demands of a surrogate pregnancy, or household instability that the home study identifies as a risk factor. Being borderline on any single factor is not automatically disqualifying — the clinical team reviews each case individually.Full surrogate requirements

Surrogate base compensation is disbursed monthly from a third-party escrow account throughout the pregnancy — not as a lump sum. This protects both parties: the surrogate has certainty that funds are available, and you have certainty that payments follow the legal agreement rather than being made directly. On taxes: the IRS has not issued a definitive ruling on surrogate income, and tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances. Many tax professionals apply an analogy to personal injury damages, which are generally not taxable, but this is not universal. Surrogates should consult a tax professional with experience in this area before assuming the income is tax-free.Surrogate compensation guide

Yes. Prior pregnancy is not required for egg donation — it is one of the key differences from surrogate requirements. What matters is your ovarian reserve (measured by AMH blood test and antral follicle count ultrasound) and your overall reproductive health. Many first-time donors have never been pregnant and donate successfully. The medical evaluation will determine whether your ovarian response is likely to be adequate for stimulation. If your AMH is below a certain threshold, the clinic may decline to proceed even if you otherwise qualify.Full egg donor requirements

It depends on the type of donation arrangement you choose. In a standard anonymous program, you do not receive information about the outcome. In an open-identity (ID-release) arrangement, you agree that any child resulting from your donation may contact you after they turn 18 — but you still do not receive updates about whether a pregnancy occurred or a child was born. Some donors and recipients enter into a known or semi-known arrangement where they stay in contact and the donor receives updates — but this requires both parties to agree and is structured in the legal contract. We discuss all three models during your initial consultation.