Surrogacy
Frequently Asked Questions
Curious about our surrogacy process, our agency, or requirements to become a Genesis surrogate?
Below are the most common questions surrogates and intended parents ask our team.
Surrogacy Basics
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A surrogate, or gestational carrier, is a woman who agrees to carry a child (or children) for another person or couple, known as the intended parents.
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A gestational carrier is the most common type of surrogate and is not genetically related to the baby. The embryo is created using an intended mother’s or egg donor’s egg and the intended father’s or sperm donor’s sperm, then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. Every journey we facilitate is through gestational surrogacy.
A traditional surrogate uses her own egg and is biologically related to the child she carries. This process is much less common, and we do not facilitate journeys of this kind. -
Agencies like The Genesis Group guide you through the entire surrogacy process from initial application to delivery, coordinating all complexities of facilitating a safe, ethical, and positive journey.
Before you begin, we collect medical records to pre-approve you as a candidate for surrogacy. We also help build your profile, determine your desired compensation and journey preferences, and publish you to a private database of interested intended parents.
Once your match commences, we handle legal, medical, and financial details, coordinate appointments, ensure timely reimbursements, and support clear communication between all parties so you can focus on a healthy, positive pregnancy.
A reputable agency can leverage their expertise to handle any unforeseen situations, act as the support system between both you and your intended family, and set you up for a successful journey. We also have strict legal and financial safeguards, conduct thorough vetting of intended parents, and leverage decades of firsthand experience to assist you with care and professionalism. -
Surrogacy provides the gift of parenthood to loving and deserving individuals who cannot carry a pregnancy themselves. It’s both emotionally fulfilling and financially rewarding, offering a chance to make a lasting difference in someone’s life as well as your own.
While the decision to become a surrogate should always come from you, our staff of former surrogates and intended parents are happy to share more about their experiences if interested. -
There are many reasons why parents decide to move forward with surrogacy for building their family. Infertility affects one in six individuals of all genders worldwide, and many families come to us after struggling to conceive themselves. Some intended mothers may not be able to conceive or carry a safe pregnancy due to medical conditions, previous miscarriages, or lack of a functioning uterus.
Others may be single men or same-sex male couples who want to grow their families.
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You can apply to become a surrogate at The Genesis Group here.
Our ten-minute application covers basic information about you and your pregnancy history to ensure you are qualified to move forward as a potential surrogate. Once you apply, a team member will reach out via email and/or phone with next steps, including a one-on-one Zoom consultation so you can ask any questions you may have.
About The Genesis Group
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The Genesis Group is a surrogacy agency that facilitates journeys between intended parents and gestational carriers who join our program. Founded in 2003, we are one of the most experienced and trusted surrogacy agencies in the United States.
We work with surrogates and intended parents, as well as egg donors and sperm donors from a diverse background. We coordinate in-state, out-of-state, and international fertility journeys and take pride in offering all of our Genesis surrogates industry-leading care through a commitment to your personal needs, ethics, and expectations.
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We are a medium-sized agency with over 20 employees, including a dedicated surrogacy team of case managers, egg/sperm donation coordinators, and administrative staff. Each of our surrogates receives a personal case manager for their journey as a trusted, central point of contact whenever you need.
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As our president and former intended parent Lisa Chiya always says, what makes Genesis special is our team.
Intended parents, repeat surrogates, and lifelong fertility advocates make up our robust team of amazing women. With over two decades of experience, we have firsthand experience and expertise navigating this beautiful, but complex process. No two journeys are the same, so experience is crucial to ensuring a journey stays on track during unexpected situations.
Our focus is on ethical practices, transparency, and individualized care to facilitate safe, supported journeys for surrogates and intended parents alike. Meet our team here.
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Yes, around 25% of our intended parents come from countries such as Australia, the U.K., and across Asia.
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We typically manage upwards of 90 active cases, with an average of 3-5 births each month. Every journey receives personalized support through your own dedicated case manager.
We always have intended parents eagerly waiting to match with the right surrogate for them.
The Surrogacy Journey
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Once your profile and records are complete, matching can take anywhere from a couple days to a few weeks based on your needs and the preferences of our intended parents. Following a match, the medical and legal process takes an additional 1-2 months. After clearance, your IVF cycle typically lasts 3-4 weeks before an embryo transfer.
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Here’s a general timeline of what to expect from initial application to your embryo transfer:
Application: You will complete our ten-minute initial application, reviewed by our surrogacy intake team to ensure you are qualified to move forward.
Preliminary screening: You will have a one-on-one consultation with our team, then complete background checks, a BMI review, a psychological evaluation, and a home visit while we collect your medical records. These steps ensure you will have a high chance of approval by our agency as well as an IVF clinic.
Profile Building: You will create a profile alongside our team complete with health information, personality questions, the compensation you determine, and any journey preferences.
Matching: Your complete profile will then be shared with intended parents who align with your preferences. Any interested parents will ask for a match meeting, where we will connect you via Zoom to get to know one another and decide if you would like to move forward with the match.
Medical screening: Conducted at your intended parents’ IVF clinic after a match, a doctor will review your health history and current benchmarks to approve you for a safe journey.
Legal contracts: Both parties will review and sign legal agreements, and we’ll help you through any questions or information you need.
IVF Medications: Once cleared, you will begin fertility medications and follow the transfer calendar prescribed by your IVF clinic.
Embryo Transfer: If the medications are determined by your clinic to be working, you will be scheduled for the embryo transfer, where the intended parents’ embryo is implanted under ultrasound guidance to initiate the pregnancy.
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Protocols vary based on clinic and method, but most typically involve:
Around 3 weeks of daily Lupron injections, into the abdomen
Around 3 months of twice-weekly estradiol injections, into the buttocks
Around 3 months of daily progesterone injections, into the buttocks
All instructions will be explained and demonstrated before starting medication.
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Medical screening takes place at the intended parents’ IVF clinic after matching with intended parents and before signing your legal contract.
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You will undergo an ultrasound, bloodwork, and a psychological evaluation.
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Yes, partners are required to complete blood tests for STD and drug screening, usually done locally.
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If using fresh eggs, a cycle typically take 6-8 weeks depending on the egg donor’s or intended mother’s cycle and your fertility specialist’s protocol. A cycle can sometimes be shorter if the intended family is using frozen embryos.
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During an embryo transfer, the embryo is gently placed into your uterus using a thin catheter under ultrasound guidance. The process is quick and generally painless, though mild discomfort is possible.
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You can typically see your current OB doctor if they are in-network with the insurance covering your pregnancy. If needed, we’ll recommend another provider in-network based on our experience. At the time of delivery, you will deliver at a local hospital approved by your insurance, which may be the same one where you delivered your own children.
These preferences will be determined beforehand through an agreed-upon birth plan.
Surrogacy Requirements
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To become a surrogate at The Genesis Group, you will typically need to meet the following basic criteria, determined by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the restrictions from IVF clinics with which we frequently partner:
Age & Citizenship: You are between 21-39 years old and are a U.S. citizen.
Pregnancy: You have had at least one healthy full-term pregnancy, no more than five deliveries, and no more than three C-sections
Health & BMI: You have a BMI under 34 (many clinics prefer under 32) to limit potential risk factors from using IVF medications.
Drug/Alcohol Use: You are a non-smoker and have no drug or substance abuse history
Stability & Environment: You have a stable home environment, reliable income without government assistance (per ASRM guidelines), and a strong support system. You can pass a medical and psychological screening as well as a background check.
Lifestyle & Restrictions: You are prepared to follow IVF protocols and attend appointments via reliable transportation. -
Absolutely. Since the embryo is transferred directly into your uterus using IVF (in vitro fertilization), your fallopian tubes are not involved.
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No. All Surrogates must have given birth to at least one healthy child through a successful, full term pregnancy. Before you can be approved to carry for someone else, we must know that you can and have carried a safe pregnancy.
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Yes, you do not need to be married to qualify for surrogacy. You should have a support system around you to ensure a fulfilling journey, whether that be friends or family.
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Yes. The Genesis Group will help you apply for a policy that covers surrogacy, and we can assist with start-up fees and monthly premiums until you are matched. Once matched with a family, the intended parent(s) will take over all costs associated with your policy.
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The health risks are generally similar to those of a normal pregnancy, but we always recommend discussing your individual medical history with your OB/GYN. Safe and ethical journeys are at the core of our mission, so all surrogates undergo psychological and medical screenings to ensure they are prepared to have as safe a pregnancy as possible.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) utilizes medications before and at times during pregnacy. These medications may be taken orally or self-injected, and bruising can occur at the injection site. The IVF clinic facilitating the medical aspects of your journey will conduct a thorough screening before you begin medication and throughout the process, so you will be closely monitored.
Ready to start your journey with Genesis?
Matching With Intended Parents
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Intended parents who have joined our program navigate our private database or are recommended profiles of qualified surrogates based on their own journey preferences. Once you complete your surrogate profile, it will be visible to these intended parents or recommended by the surrogacy team if we foresee a potential match.
If a parent expresses interest and approves your benefits package, we then share their profile with you. If both parties agree, we schedule a virtual “match meeting” alongside a case manager to facilitate. Following the meeting, a match will commence if you and the parents agree to move forward.
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Of course. You’ll meet via a guided Zoom or in-person meeting to ensure compatibility before proceeding. These meetings will be guided by your case manager to ensure you are both comfortable while getting to know one another and confident to ask questions that are important to you.
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Yes, you always decide whether or not to move forward with a match. Both you and the intended parents will review each other’s profiles and only move forward if it’s a mutual fit. The final decision to match is in both of your hands.
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After legal clearance, you can communicate directly and freely with your intended parents if you would like. Our case managers are always there to facilitate communication and assist in important conversations alongside their coordination work.
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Yes, but only under specific conditions. They must disclose this to all parties and allow at least a three-month gap between embryo transfers.
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This depends entirely on mutual preference. Some surrogates maintain lifelong friendships, while others choose minimal or no contact after delivery. We will help you talk through and determine your preferences before you build your profile, and expectations will be mutually discussed before matching.
Compensation & Financial Questions
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Compensation can typically range from $65,000-$100,000+ depending on experience, location, and various other factors.
For example, repeat surrogates can often receive higher compensation due to proven success, and California-based surrogates may receive higher compensation due to their proximity to intended parents and reputable IVF clinics.
Ultimately, you set your desired compensation at a rate you are comfortable and happy with. We are happy to provide guidance if needed throughout your consultation and the profile-building process.
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First-time surrogates also set their own preferred compensation. We value empowerment at every step, and we want to ensure you set your terms confidently based on your level of comfort.
Higher requests may affect your chances of matching quickly, but our agency typically has a baseline compensation of $60,000 before your additional benefits package, covered travel, and other funds.
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We provide a comprehensive benefits package including base pay and additional allowances for milestones, medical procedures, and experiences. We offer assistance such as housekeeping, acupuncture, childcare, and more to provide full support for your own life and wellbeing alongside your journey. This package is fully customizable based on your preferences and needs.
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For all of our surrogacy journeys, we ensure that a fully funded, third-party escrow account is held to independently manage and disperse funds as required.
We will never hold, and we do not recommend working with anyone that holds in-house escrow.
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Yes. We provide all approved applicants with a sample benefits breakdown outlining inclusions.
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No. All standard costs including travel, medical procedures, insurance, and legal fees are covered by the intended parents you match with.
If additional personal testing is needed unrelated to surrogacy clearance, such as an updated pap smear, you may be responsible for those specific costs. Any such cost would be clearly communicated beforehand.
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All costs related to the process and pregnancy are covered. This includes travel, childcare, lost wages, insurance, and housekeeping allowances. These details will be clearly outlined in your legal contract.
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Base compensation is paid in monthly installments following heartbeat confirmation, with any remaining balance paid within 10 days of delivery.
Support & Care
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As a Genesis surrogate, you will receive ongoing support through monthly therapy sessions, access to our private surrogate Facebook group, and consistent communication with your case manager. We also invite surrogates in active journeys to our biannual Surrogacy Retreat, an all-expenses-paid weekend experience to connect and relax with fellow surrogates, your case manager, and our team.
This support is of course on top of our journey support and coordination efforts.
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Yes, each Genesis surrogate is paired with a case manager overseeing no more than 30 cases at once to ensure personalized attention and consistent communication.
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Each of our case managers are available by work cell for urgent after-hours concerns.
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You will have regular communication throughout your journey, from application through postpartum support. Your communication cadence and preferences will be discussed and tailored to your needs.
Rest assured, our team is always available for advice, guidance, and reassurance.
Legal & Ethical Safeguards
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Yes. You may select your own AAARTA-certified attorney (Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction), or we can refer trusted professionals experienced in surrogacy law.
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Yes. Intended parents choose from reputable escrow firms such as SeedTrust or Clarity. We do not hold funds in-house, nor do we allow unverified or newly established escrow companies to ensure your compensation and the parents’ funds are protected.
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In California and many other states, a pre-birth order gives intended parents full legal rights to the child. Their names appear on the birth certificate, not the surrogate’s.
Laws may vary by state, but our team and your attorney are expertly trained to communicate and coordinate the pre- and post-birth process.
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No. Gestational surrogates have no genetic link to the child, since the embryo comes from the intended parents’ and/or donors’ genetic material.
