Is Surrogacy Legal in California?

Beginning Your Surrogacy Journey in California

Eggceptional Fertility understands the hopes and dreams you have for your family, and we strive to make this journey as easy as possible for you. Choosing the right surrogate is a big decision, and we are honored to assist you on this journey. Our thorough screening process finds exceptional and dedicated surrogates who are prepared to make your family’s dreams a reality. Our staff of experienced and compassionate professionals will help guide you through your surrogacy journey.

We provide in person, phone, video conference, and email communication options to make our services more accessible. There is never a charge for a consultation with Eggceptional Fertility. We are excited to get to know you and help you on your journey!

Find a California Surrogacy Agency Near You

Surrogacy requires a significant emotional, physical, and financial investment. Naturally, you want a quality and caring agency with you as you navigate this life-changing experience. A great California surrogacy agency will:

• Have Experience: Every surrogacy journey is unique and has its own special considerations. Your surrogacy agency needs the experience and knowledge to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected situations. An experienced surrogacy agency can answer your questions and leave you feeling confident and secure in their abilities.
• Communicate Clearly and Openly: Surrogacy is a complex process. Your agency will handle the details, but you should fully understand the process, payment details, and expectations along the way. Quality surrogacy agencies clearly present the financial aspects, including agency fees, with no hidden costs or vague promises.
• Treat You with Compassion: The path to parenthood through surrogacy involves an incredible mix of emotions – excitement, anxiety, joy, frustration, anticipation – sometimes all at the same time! The best surrogacy agencies understand that even if they’ve helped hundreds of couples through the process, you are experiencing it for the first time. You deserve individualized support, care, and should never feel like just another patient.

If you keep these key factors of experience, transparency, and compassion in mind, you can find an excellent surrogacy agency in California near you.

Who Uses Surrogacy in California?

Surrogacy provides a wonderful option for intended parents who cannot carry and deliver a baby on their own. In surrogacy, an embryo is developed in a fertility clinic and then transferred to the uterus of a surrogate (or “gestational carrier”). The surrogate then carries the pregnancy and delivers the baby. In return for the surrogate’s time, energy, and physical effort, the intended parent(s) provide compensation and benefits.

There are many reasons an individual or couple in California might choose to find a surrogate on their path to parenthood. For instance, a woman might have healthy eggs, but not be able to carry a pregnancy for medical reasons. In this case, she could have her eggs retrieved, fertilized with her partner’s sperm, and then transferred to a surrogate who can safely carry and deliver a baby. In this way, both intended parents can still have a biological child. On the other hand, surrogacy also provides a path to fatherhood for single intended fathers and same-sex male couples, who can fertilize donor eggs with their sperm and transfer the resulting embryo to a surrogate.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in California?

Intended parents who pursue surrogacy in California tend to have three large categories of expenses: surrogate compensation, medical costs, and agency fees. These costs can be further broken down as:

• Surrogate Compensation
• Medical & Mental Health Screenings
• IVF & Embryo Transfer
• Travel & Miscellaneous Expenses
• Agency Fees
• Legal Fees
• Surrogate Medical Insurance
• Surrogate Medical Care (including prenatal, delivery, and postpartum)

The exact cost of surrogacy varies based on location, specific needs, surrogate experience, and other details. For instance, surrogates often receive additional compensation if they carry twins or if they need to have a C-section during delivery.

Your surrogacy agency should provide a clear estimate of costs for your specific surrogacy journey. This should include both the agency’s fees and a typical breakdown of overall expenses and costs. Eggceptional Fertility has a mission to provide clear and transparent information on fees and expenses. For a more detailed look at our current surrogacy fees, click here.

How to Get Started Finding a Surrogate in California

The surrogacy process begins with finding an experienced surrogate agency and discussing your family-building goals with them. From there, your agency will guide you through the matching process of selecting a surrogate and creating a surrogacy agreement. Once the legal and financial arrangements are complete, your fertility clinic will start the IVF and embryo transfer process. Next comes pregnancy, delivery, and bringing home your new baby!

Of course, there are many more steps and details throughout the surrogacy process. We will help you navigate the entire process with confidence and care. To start your surrogacy journey, schedule an initial consultation. At this appointment, we’ll get to know you and your family goals, and you’ll get to know us and ask any and all questions you have. The path to parenthood is only a click away – schedule your initial consultation today.