You’ve already been through so much to get here: IVF, choosing embryos, matching with your surrogate, and finally celebrating transfer day. Maybe you even purposefully chose the embryo’s sex through genetic testing. So when you get a phone call or see an ultrasound picture and hear the words: “It’s a boy,” your heart may sink. Wait a second… we transferred a girl embryo. Did the clinic make a mistake? Should we panic? Take a deep breath. This situation is more common than you might think, and in most cases, it’s not the result of your clinic messing up.

Preparing to become parents through surrogacy involves more than medical and legal steps. This guide helps intended parents understand how to prepare emotionally, financially, and practically for surrogacy—covering education, building relationships with a surrogate, managing expectations, and preparing for life after birth.

Choosing the right surrogate match is one of the most important steps in the surrogacy journey. This guide covers five key factors intended parents should consider, including surrogacy laws, medical and psychological screening, shared values and communication, agency vs. independent matches, and the true financial costs of surrogacy.

Matching in surrogacy is about more than availability—it’s about shared values, communication, and trust. This blog explores what makes a strong match between a gestational carrier and intended parents, including important conversations about termination, vaccines, relationship expectations, and medical decision-making before pregnancy begins.

Surrogacy is often shown as a highlight reel—but there’s so much more behind the scenes. From the long waiting periods and emotional highs and lows to the physical demands, changing relationships, and post-birth transition, this blog shares the real, human parts of surrogacy that people don’t always talk about.

Families choose surrogacy and other paths to parenthood for many personal reasons—including medical need, LGBTQ+ family building, and the desire for a biological connection. This blog explores surrogacy, adoption, IVF, IUI, and reciprocal IVF, and why every family deserves the freedom to grow in the way that feels right for them.

Matching with a Gestational Carrier (GC) in a state with abortion restrictions can add legal, medical, and ethical complexity—but it doesn’t automatically prevent surrogacy. This guide helps intended parents understand what abortion bans may impact during a surrogacy journey, including how pregnancy management decisions (such as medical complications, selective reduction, or termination) are typically addressed through early communication, detailed contracts, and coordinated care planning. Intended parents will learn what questions to ask before matching, how legal protections like conflict-of-law clauses and parental rights safeguards may be handled, and why alignment, transparency, and experienced agency and legal support are essential when navigating surrogacy in restrictive states.

OB care during a surrogacy journey follows standard pregnancy care while honoring clear medical, legal, and privacy boundaries. This guide helps intended parents understand how obstetric care works in surrogacy, including patient roles, appointment structure, communication, delivery planning, and hospital protocols.

The journey of growing a family through surrogacy is complex, emotional, and full of moving pieces. Each story is unique, shaped by countless variables that bring both challenges and rewards. What is consistent, however, is that surrogacy is a group effort — truly, it takes a village.

Becoming a gestational carrier is an incredible gift - one that comes with unique medical care tailored to support both you and the baby you’re carrying. While much of the pregnancy experience is similar to carrying your own child, there are a few differences in the type of care and attention you’ll receive.

Your profile is an excellent tool to get your journey started and attract a gestational carrier who will want to schedule a match meeting with you and hopefully lead to your perfect match.

When embarking on the journey to parenthood through surrogacy, prospective parents often encounter two key players: surrogacy agencies and IVF clinics. Both entities play crucial roles, but their functions and responsibilities differ significantly. Understanding who does what can help intended parents navigate the process more effectively.

All gestational carriers that want to pursue a surrogacy journey undergo extensive screening. Find out what it entails!

These grants and programs remind us that no one should have to face the emotional and financial struggles of infertility alone. If you're an intended parent considering surrogacy, exploring these resources could bring you one step closer to realizing your dream of having a child.

Here’s an insight into the IVF clinic’s perspective on surrogates and the vital part they play in the fertility journey.

Surrogacy vs. Foster to Adopt - How to Understand What Your Family is Ready For