Dr. Sony Sherpa (MBBS)
In addition to her clinical experience, Dr. Sherpa is a published medical researcher and holistic health advocate. Her dual expertise in emergency care and alternative therapies brings a unique lens to medically reviewed content—ensuring it is both accurate and accessible.
If you are looking into surrogacy, there is usually a long story behind that search. You might have been through fertility treatments, pregnancy losses, or years of uncertainty, and now you are trying to work out whether surrogacy is the right next step. It can feel strange to compare agencies and fees when what you really want is to picture yourself holding your baby for the first time.
Surrogacy is not only emotional, it is also a serious medical and financial commitment. In many countries, a full surrogacy process can cost well over $150,000 once you add up agency fees, medical care, surrogate compensation, travel, and legal work. Some agencies report that most intended parents need more than one embryo transfer before they have a baby, so choosing a strong team from the start really matters.
Expert groups such as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) advise that gestational carriers should be carefully screened, supported, and protected by clear legal agreements. When you look at agencies, you are not just choosing a service, you are choosing who will match you with a surrogate, keep everyone safe, and guide you through the medical and legal rules that shape your family’s future.
The best surrogacy agencies in 2025 combine strict medical and psychological screening, clear legal frameworks, transparent fees, and strong support for both intended parents and surrogates. Expect a typical total cost between $80,000 and $225,000 per surrogacy process, with matching times from 2 to 12 months depending on the agency and your criteria.
Next step: Shortlist two or three agencies that fit your budget and values, then schedule consultations to compare how they screen surrogates, structure costs, and handle legal protection.
What Recent Research Shows About Gestational Surrogacy
Large studies from recent years give a more detailed picture of gestational carrier pregnancies. National data from the United States show that gestational carrier births are still rare, but have grown by more than 50% in a few years. These pregnancies often have higher rates of multiple gestation and postpartum hemorrhage than spontaneous conceptions, yet outcomes are generally similar to other IVF pregnancies when carriers are carefully selected.
Ethics and practice guidelines from organizations such as ASRM emphasize three pillars of safe surrogacy: strict medical and psychological screening, independent legal counsel for carriers, and strong limits on the number of embryos transferred. When an agency follows these standards, it lowers medical risks for the carrier and baby and gives you a clearer legal path home with your child.
In This Guide
$150,000–$225,000+ per surrogacy process, including agency, medical, and legal fees
About 2–12 months to match with a gestational carrier, depending on your criteria
Most leading agencies welcome single parents, heterosexual couples, and LGBTQIA+ families
How to Think About Surrogacy Agencies in 2025
When you compare surrogacy agencies, it can feel like comparing airlines without knowing what is in the ticket price. One agency lists a lower fee, another promises a guarantee, and a third highlights fast matching. Underneath the marketing, you want to know three things: how they protect the surrogate and baby, how clearly they explain money, and how they support you when things do not go as planned.
Recent research makes one point very clear. Gestational carriers are usually healthy women who have had uncomplicated pregnancies of their own, but they still face higher risks of multiple pregnancy and some obstetric complications than the general pregnant population. That is why strong screening, single-embryo transfer policies, and adherence to ASRM guidelines are not just nice extras, they are safety features you should expect from any serious agency.
Latest Research Insights
Finding #1 (2025): Gestational carrier pregnancies are still rare but rising fast. A United States inpatient study of more than 14 million deliveries found that gestational carrier births increased by over 50% in four years. These pregnancies had much higher odds of multiple gestation and postpartum hemorrhage than non carrier deliveries, but lower odds of cesarean birth in singleton pregnancies. A 2025 analysis in Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (PMID: 39565425) points out that carriers are usually healthier and more carefully selected than the general obstetric population, yet they still face risks related to IVF and multiple pregnancy.
Finding #2 (2024): When you compare gestational carrier pregnancies with other IVF pregnancies, outcomes are similar or better, but still higher risk than spontaneous conceptions. A 2024 systematic review and meta analysis in JAMA Network Open (PMID: 39042408) pooled tens of thousands of gestational carrier pregnancies and found that carriers had similar odds of preterm birth and low birth weight as other IVF patients, but higher odds of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy than the general obstetric population. Severe maternal morbidity and maternal death remained rare.
Finding #3 (2018): In donor egg cycles, outcomes are better when embryos are transferred to a gestational carrier than to the intended mother. A study in Fertility and Sterility (PMID: 30316434) found lower rates of preterm birth and low birth weight when donor oocyte embryos were placed in carriers rather than intended recipients. This suggests that a healthy, proven uterus can significantly improve perinatal outcomes, even when embryo quality is the same.
Note: These findings come from recent peer-reviewed research. Individual outcomes depend on your health, the surrogate’s health, and your clinic’s protocols, so discuss them with your fertility specialist.
Surrogacy brings together intended parents, a gestational carrier, medical teams, and legal support. A strong agency helps coordinate every step.
Best Surrogacy Agencies Comparison
Before you look closely at individual agencies, it helps to see how they line up on the basics: where they are based, how much a typical process costs, how long matching usually takes, and what makes each one feel different in practice.
| Agency | Location | Approx. Fees | Match Time | Key Differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Surrogacy | Illinois (USA) | $150K–$225K+ | 4–12 months | 99% Clinic Approval Rate, Golden Guarantee |
| Surrogate First | California (USA) | $90K–$120K+ | 6–8 weeks | Match Guarantee, 100% Pre-Qualified Surros |
| Hatch Fertility | California (USA) | $160K–$225K+ | ~10 months | Top 5% Surrogates & Donors, Baby Guarantee |
| Conceive Abilities | Multiple (USA) | $164,900 (All-In) & up | ~6 months | Matching Matters® Approach, In-House Legal |
| Circle Surrogacy | Multiple (USA) | $157,750–$190,450 | ~6 months | 99.3% Success Rate, Journey Protection |
These cost ranges usually bundle agency fees, standard surrogate compensation, and baseline legal and coordination costs. IVF procedures, donor gametes, travel, and insurance can push totals higher, so you should always ask each agency for a detailed, itemized quote. Pay special attention to how many embryo transfers are included, what happens if a surrogate does not pass medical screening, and how they handle unexpected medical events during pregnancy.
Detailed Reviews of the Top Surrogacy Agencies
Once you have a sense of the overall landscape, the next step is to look at how specific agencies work. The summaries below focus on experience, screening, matching, support, and costs, because those are the areas that tend to matter most when you are the one signing the contracts.
Golden Surrogacy
Golden Surrogacy, based in Northbrook, Illinois, focuses on gestational surrogacy and works with intended parents in the United States and abroad. The agency was founded by Adam and Frank Golden, a married couple who built their own family through surrogacy, so they bring both personal and professional experience to their work.
Key facts about Golden Surrogacy:
- Location: Suburban Chicago, Illinois, with services available to intended parents in the United States and internationally.
- Who they work with: Golden welcomes single parents, heterosexual couples, and LGBTQIA+ intended parents.
- Matching and timing: Surrogates go through detailed screening, and the agency reports that nearly all matched surrogates pass clinic medical clearance. Most intended parents match with a surrogate in about 4 to 12 months, depending on preferences and availability.
- Support: Each case has a dedicated program coordinator, and the team connects you with mental health providers and fertility lawyers as needed.
- Fees and transparency: Agency fees start around $35,000. The typical total cost of a full surrogacy process with Golden is usually between $150,000 and $225,000 or more, depending on your medical situation, insurance, and the number of embryo transfers.
- Guaranteed program: Golden offers a higher priced plan with a form of guarantee that continues attempts or refunds some fees if you do not take a baby home, subject to program terms.
Why Golden Surrogacy stands out: If you want a mid sized agency where you can still get to know the founders and staff, Golden is worth considering. Their focus on pre screening reduces the risk of failed medical clearance, and their willingness to rematch without extra agency fees can protect your budget if the first plan does not go as expected.
SurrogateFirst
SurrogateFirst is based in Los Angeles, California, and works with both domestic and international intended parents. Many members of their team have been surrogates or intended parents themselves, which often shapes how they talk about the process and respond to questions.
Key facts about SurrogateFirst:
- Location: Los Angeles, California, with services for US based and international intended parents.
- Team background: The agency is staffed by people with direct surrogacy experience, which can make their guidance feel practical and grounded.
- Matching speed: SurrogateFirst is known for fast matches. Many intended parents match with a surrogate in about 6 to 8 weeks, thanks to a pool of prequalified carriers who have already passed initial medical and psychological checks.
- Services: Full service gestational surrogacy and an in house egg donation program, with legal needs handled through partner fertility attorneys.
- Costs: Agency fees start around $45,000. Most intended parents should plan for a total cost in the range of $160,000 to $190,000 or more, depending on surrogate compensation, legal needs, and medical care at their IVF clinic.
- Support and inclusivity: Each intended parent works with a dedicated case manager. The agency welcomes single parents, couples, and LGBTQIA+ families.
What sets SurrogateFirst apart: SurrogateFirst leans into speed and pre screening. Their Match Guarantee, which promises a qualified surrogate before you pay agency fees, can reduce the fear of paying a large sum without clear progress. For intended parents who feel impatient after years of treatment, this combination of speed and structure can be very appealing.
ConceiveAbilities
ConceiveAbilities is a large surrogacy and egg donation agency that has operated for more than 25 years. Founded in 1996, the agency now works in many major US cities and has built a reputation for structured matching, strong legal support, and clear financial planning.
Key facts about ConceiveAbilities:
- Locations: Offices and teams in several US cities, including New York, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami.
- Experience: Thousands of matches since the mid 1990s, with a long track record of working alongside leading fertility clinics.
- Services: Full service gestational surrogacy and an in house egg donor program, plus an internal legal team focused on fertility law.
- Matching process: The Matching Matters system looks at personality, communication style, values, and expectations, not just medical criteria and location. Many matches are successful on the first introduction.
- Surrogate screening: A very high share of surrogates pass medical clearance on the first try, which can reduce canceled cycles and delays.
- Costs: ConceiveAbilities offers an All In Program with a fixed fee of about $197,500, plus external medical costs. Most major agency-managed expenses are included in that figure, making budgeting more straightforward.
- Support: Intended parents receive ongoing support from a dedicated team and benefit from the agency’s relationships with many IVF clinics. The agency works with single parents, couples, and LGBTQ+ families.
Why ConceiveAbilities stands out: If you prefer predictability and structure, ConceiveAbilities offers both. The All In program gives you a clear base price, and the matching system aims to prevent mismatches that can cause emotional and financial strain. Many intended parents describe the experience as organized and steady, which can feel reassuring if you already feel stretched thin.
Circle Surrogacy
Circle Surrogacy is one of the longest running surrogacy agencies and has helped create families for almost 30 years. Headquartered in Boston, with staff across the United States and in the United Kingdom, Circle works with intended parents from more than 70 countries. They are particularly known for legal expertise and support for international families.
Key facts about Circle Surrogacy:
- Locations: Boston, Massachusetts, with staff or offices in New York, California, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and London.
- Experience: Thousands of babies born through Circle programs, and many staff members with firsthand surrogacy or egg donation experience.
- Services: Full service gestational surrogacy with in house legal services and a partner egg donation program called Everie.
- Matching and timeline: Circle uses an unlimited match policy and keeps working with you until you are matched with a surrogate. The average wait for a match is about 6 months, and most processes take 15 to 18 months from match to birth.
- Costs: Expected total costs are usually between $179,500 and $199,500, depending on the program. Their Journey Protection Guarantee packages are fixed fee plans that cover most agency managed costs and multiple embryo transfer attempts.
- Support: Intended parents work with a dedicated team, and surrogates receive strong benefits and mentorship. Circle is especially experienced with cross border legal issues and citizenship planning.
Why Circle Surrogacy stands out: Circle brings together a large legal team, deep international experience, and a community feel. They are often chosen by intended parents who live outside the United States or who need more complex legal planning. If your situation involves multiple countries or complicated legal questions, this level of structure can be a real advantage.
Supporting Evidence and Guidelines
Finding #1 (2021): A population based study from Utah in Obstetrics and Gynecology (PMID: 32649497) found that gestational carriers who did not meet recommended criteria for age, health, or obstetric history had higher cesarean rates and more neonatal complications than guideline compliant carriers. In other words, careful screening following ASRM style criteria is not just paperwork, it measurably reduces risk.
Finding #2 (2021): A retrospective analysis in Fertility and Sterility (PMID: 33691932) showed that transferring a single embryo in gestational carrier frozen embryo transfer cycles sharply reduced twin pregnancies without lowering live birth rates. This supports the modern practice of single embryo transfer to protect carriers and babies.
Guideline (2023): An Ethics Committee opinion from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Fertility and Sterility (PMID: 36863967) states that gestational carrier arrangements are ethically acceptable when carriers are fully informed, medically and psychologically screened, and supported by independent legal counsel. The opinion endorses single embryo transfer as the safer default approach.
Guideline (2022): ASRM’s Practice Committee recommendations on gestational carriers in Fertility and Sterility (PMID: 35725121) advise that carriers should usually be between 21 and 45 years old, have at least one prior uncomplicated term birth, and have a limited number of total pregnancies and cesarean deliveries. These criteria help agencies and clinics filter for safer, more predictable pregnancies.
Note: These findings and guidelines give you a framework to question agencies about their screening standards, embryo transfer policies, and support systems for carriers.
Medical and Legal Considerations When Choosing an Agency
Beyond warm websites and friendly phone calls, you need to understand how an agency handles medical risk and legal protection. This is where research and guidelines really matter, because they turn vague promises into concrete standards you can check.
Medical safety. Ask each agency how they select and screen gestational carriers. Do they follow ASRM style criteria for age, prior pregnancies, and medical history. Who reviews medical records, and how many surrogates fail clinic screening after an initial match. What is their default policy on number of embryos transferred. Agencies that support routine single embryo transfer are actively working to lower the risk of twins, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care stays.
Legal protection. Surrogacy law varies widely by state and country. Strong agencies work only with surrogacy friendly jurisdictions and partner with lawyers who handle parentage orders regularly. Ask who represents you and who represents the surrogate, how contracts handle worst case scenarios, and how they manage citizenship if you live outside the country where the baby will be born.
How OVU.com Helps You Compare Surrogacy Agencies
OVU Expert Guidance for Agency Selection
When you try to compare agencies on your own, it can feel like learning a new language while you are already exhausted. OVU.com gathers information on success rates, fees, screening standards, and client experiences, then helps you see how different agencies line up for your specific situation. Instead of starting from a blank search bar, you start with a short list that fits your budget, timeline, and comfort level with travel and legal complexity.
After reading through the agency summaries above, you might already have one or two that feel like a possible fit. You might also feel more aware of how many moving pieces there are, from medical safety to legal steps and finances. That mix of clarity and overwhelm is normal.
OVU.com is designed to ease that load. Rather than spending weeks sending the same life story to different agencies, you can share your situation once with the OVU team and get structured comparisons back.
Here is how OVU.com supports you:
- Expert comparisons: OVU reviews agencies based on success data, services, transparency, and real client feedback, then narrows options that match your priorities.
- Personalized guidance: You can share your budget, medical history, preferred locations, and comfort level with international surrogacy. OVU uses that information to point you to programs that fit, instead of leaving you with a generic list.
- Time and stress savings: OVU can help coordinate initial calls, interpret fee schedules, and highlight what is and is not included in each quote.
- Trusted standards: Agencies that partner with OVU agree to certain transparency and quality benchmarks, so you are not starting from zero when you evaluate them.
- Ongoing support: You can come back with new questions as your process unfolds, whether you are still comparing agencies or already in a pregnancy.
Want help comparing surrogacy agencies and costs?
If this already feels like a full time job, you are not imagining it. Our advisors can collect clear, itemized quotes from vetted surrogacy programs, explain how the fees break down, and help you map a realistic timeline at no cost to you.
Why trust this guide? The OVU commitment
You are probably juggling hope, timelines, and a lot of tabs open in your browser. And you deserve clear, current, human advice. At OVU, we review clinic protocols, compare real quotes, and talk to people who have done this - intended parents and gestational carriers - so we can give you practical steps, not just theory. If you want help comparing options without sales pressure, we will gather itemized quotes and success data that match your exact situation. You decide, we will bring the info to your table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a surrogacy process usually take from start to finish?
For many intended parents, a surrogacy process takes about 15 to 24 months from the time they choose an agency to the time they bring a baby home. This timeline includes matching with a surrogate, medical and psychological screening, legal contracts, embryo transfer, pregnancy, and post birth paperwork. The exact pace depends on how quickly you match, how many embryo transfers you need, and the legal steps in your state or country.
Is it safer to transfer one embryo or two to a gestational carrier?
Most modern programs and guidelines recommend single embryo transfer for gestational carriers, especially when using good quality or genetically tested embryos. Research shows that twin pregnancies carry higher risks for the carrier and babies, including preterm birth and neonatal intensive care stays, while single embryo transfer can keep live birth rates high with fewer complications. You can ask each agency and clinic what their default policy is and why.
How should I compare surrogacy agency fees?
Instead of focusing only on the headline fee, ask for a line by line breakdown. You will want to see what is included in the agency fee, how surrogate compensation is structured, how many embryo transfers the program covers, what happens if a surrogate does not pass medical screening, and which costs are estimates versus fixed. This kind of detail makes it easier to compare offers and avoid surprise expenses later.
Reference List 10 sources
Journal Article (Research): Masjedi AD, Mandelbaum RS, Erickson KV, et al. National level assessment of gestational carrier pregnancies in the United States. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2025;42(1):201–211. PMID: 39565425. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39565425/
Journal Article (Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis): Matsuzaki S, Masjedi AD, Matsuzaki S, et al. Obstetric characteristics and outcomes of gestational carrier pregnancies: a systematic review and meta analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2422634. PMID: 39042408. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39042408/
Journal Article (Research): Shandley LM, DeSantis CE, Lee JC, Kawwass JF, Hipp HS. Trends and outcomes of assisted reproductive technology cycles using a gestational carrier between 2014 and 2020. JAMA. 2023;330(17):1691–1694. PMID: 37851614. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37851614/
Journal Article (Research): Swanson K, Letourneau JM, Kuppermann M, Einerson BD. Obstetric morbidity in gestational carrier pregnancies: a population based study. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2021;38(1):177–183. PMID: 33145724. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33145724/
Journal Article (Comparative Study): Swanson K, Letourneau JM, Kuppermann M, Einerson BD. Association of obstetric and neonatal outcomes with deviation from guidelines for gestational carriers. Obstet Gynecol. 2020;136(2):387–393. PMID: 32649497. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32649497/
Journal Article (Research): Namath A, Jahandideh S, Devine K, O’Brien JE, Stillman RJ. Gestational carrier pregnancy outcomes from frozen embryo transfer depending on the number of embryos transferred and preimplantation genetic testing: a retrospective analysis. Fertil Steril. 2021;115(6):1471–1477. PMID: 33691932. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33691932/
Journal Article (Comparative Study): Segal TR, Kim K, Mumford SL, Goldfarb JM, Weinerman RS. How much does the uterus matter? Perinatal outcomes are improved when donor oocyte embryos are transferred to gestational carriers compared to intended parent recipients. Fertil Steril. 2018;110(5):888–895. PMID: 30316434. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30316434/
Journal Article (Comparative Study): Sunkara SK, Antonisamy B, Selliah HY, Kamath MS. Perinatal outcomes after gestational surrogacy versus autologous IVF: analysis of national data. Reprod Biomed Online. 2017;35(6):708–714. PMID: 28951002. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28951002/
Ethics Committee Opinion: Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Consideration of the gestational carrier: an Ethics Committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2023;119(4):583–588. PMID: 36863967. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863967/
Committee Opinion (Guidance): Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine; Practice Committee of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. Recommendations for practices using gestational carriers: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2022;118(1):65–74. PMID: 35725121. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35725121/
Final Thoughts
Choosing a surrogacy agency is not just a business decision, it is a deeply personal choice that will shape how you remember this chapter of your life. The agencies in this guide offer different strengths, from fast matching to fixed fee plans and deep legal expertise. The best fit is the one that feels safe, transparent, and respectful to you and to the woman who will carry your child.
You are allowed to ask hard questions, take your time, and walk away from any agency that does not feel right. With clear information, thoughtful questions, and the right support, you can move from reading about options on a screen to planning a path that feels realistic and hopeful for your family.
Ready to narrow your surrogacy options?
You do not have to compare every agency on your own. Talk with an OVU advisor about your budget, timeline, and priorities, and get a short list of programs that fit, along with practical next steps.
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