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A gestational carrier, also known as a surrogate, is someone who helps another person or couple by carrying and giving birth to a baby for them. This happens when an embryo is created using the eggs and sperm of the parents who want the baby, or from donors. The embryo is then placed in the surrogate's body so she can carry the pregnancy until birth.
Surrogacy can be a meaningful path to parenthood for people who cannot safely carry a pregnancy.
At HRC Fertility, we offer a structured surrogacy program that combines advanced reproductive care with close emotional and practical support. Our team works with intended parents and gestational carriers, guiding everyone through medical, legal, and ethical steps with clear information and careful planning.
Our surrogacy program is designed to be flexible and respectful of each family’s needs. We coordinate with surrogacy agencies and attorneys, help organize screening and treatment, and stay involved throughout pregnancy and delivery. To learn more about how HRC Fertility supports surrogacy, you can explore our services pages or contact our team for more details.
Surrogacy may be an option for people who want a biological child but cannot carry a pregnancy themselves. Some have medical conditions that make pregnancy unsafe, while others may have tried fertility treatments without success. Surrogacy can also support single parents and LGBTQ+ families who need a gestational carrier to help build their family.
People may consider surrogacy if they:
Our team can review your medical history and goals to help you decide whether surrogacy is a reasonable path to explore.
The surrogacy process includes several steps, from early planning to delivery. Intended parents first meet with a fertility specialist to review medical history, discuss goals, and learn about timelines and options. Next, both intended parents and the potential gestational carrier complete medical and psychological screening to help support safety and readiness for everyone involved.
Once screening is complete and legal agreements are in place, IVF is used to create embryos, which are then transferred to the gestational carrier. During pregnancy, the carrier receives regular prenatal care and monitoring. Throughout this time, our team stays in close contact with all parties, helping coordinate care, answer questions, and prepare for delivery and the transition after birth.
HRC Fertility follows a clear, step-by-step approach to surrogacy so you know what to expect. Our team guides you from the first meeting through embryo transfer, pregnancy care coordination, and delivery planning. While each case is unique, the main stages of our program are similar for most intended parents and gestational carriers.
The process often begins with a consultation at HRC Fertility. During this visit, we review your medical history, talk about your goals, and explain how surrogacy works. We may order tests or review past records to understand your fertility background. This is also a time to ask questions about timelines, costs, and what support is available.
Next, intended parents are matched with a gestational carrier, often through a surrogacy agency. Both the intended parents and the carrier complete medical and psychological screening to help support safety and readiness. Our team reviews test results, explains any findings, and confirms that everyone meets the medical criteria for treatment.
Before treatment begins, legal agreements are put in place between the intended parents and the gestational carrier. These contracts are handled by attorneys who focus on reproductive law. The agreements outline rights, responsibilities, and plans for pregnancy, birth, and after delivery. Our role is to coordinate with your legal team so that medical care lines up with the agreed plan.
Once screening and legal steps are complete, IVF is used to create embryos, usually using the intended parents’ or donors’ eggs and sperm. Our laboratory team carefully monitors embryo development. When the time is right, an embryo is transferred to the gestational carrier’s uterus during a short procedure. The carrier then takes medications as prescribed to support implantation.
After a positive pregnancy test, the gestational carrier receives regular prenatal care and monitoring. HRC Fertility stays in close contact with the carrier’s obstetric provider to help coordinate care.
HRC Fertility focuses on gestational surrogacy because it clearly separates the genetic and carrying roles. This approach is widely used in modern fertility care and is supported by established medical and legal guidelines.
Gestational surrogacy means the gestational carrier is not genetically related to the baby. Embryos are created through IVF using eggs and sperm from the intended parents or donors, and then transferred to the carrier’s uterus. Traditional surrogacy uses the carrier’s own egg, so the carrier is genetically related to the child. In that case, pregnancy is usually achieved through insemination rather than IVF.
Our surrogacy services are designed to support both intended parents and gestational carriers from start to finish. At HRC Fertility, you have access to experienced fertility specialists, advanced IVF technology, and a coordinated care team. We help organize testing, treatment, and follow-up so that medical steps are clear and well-planned.
We also understand that surrogacy involves emotional, legal, and financial questions. Our staff can connect you with trusted surrogacy agencies, legal professionals, and financial counselors. We offer structured care packages to help simplify planning and provide clear information about what is included at each stage.
Our team stays involved throughout treatment and pregnancy. We coordinate with outside providers, share updates when appropriate, and are available to answer questions as they come up. This ongoing support helps intended parents and gestational carriers feel informed and prepared at each step.
The timeline for surrogacy varies. Matching with a gestational carrier, completing screening, finalizing legal agreements, and going through IVF and pregnancy can take many months or longer. Your exact timing depends on factors like how quickly a match is made, medical test results, how many IVF cycles are needed, and how the pregnancy progresses. Our team can give you a more specific estimate after reviewing your situation.
Surrogacy includes several types of costs. These may involve:
Because each case is different, we provide individual cost estimates and can explain available package options and payment plans.
Legal rights in surrogacy are handled through formal agreements and court processes that follow local laws. Intended parents and gestational carriers each work with their own attorneys who focus on reproductive law. Contracts are completed before treatment starts and cover issues such as decision-making in pregnancy, parentage, and plans after birth. In many cases, court orders or other legal steps are used to confirm the intended parents’ legal rights to the child.
Gestational carriers complete thorough medical and psychological screening before being approved. Medical tests check overall health, past pregnancy history, and the ability to safely carry a pregnancy. Psychological evaluations help confirm that the carrier understands the process and has support in place. These screenings follow established guidelines for third-party reproduction.
Many intended parents use their own eggs and sperm, but this is not always possible or recommended. Some people may need donor eggs, donor sperm, or both, depending on their medical history and test results. During your consultation, we review your options and explain how different choices may affect treatment planning.
Not every embryo transfer leads to a pregnancy. If a transfer is not successful, your doctor will review the cycle, test results, and embryo information with you. Together, you can decide whether to try another transfer with existing embryos, create new embryos, or adjust the treatment plan. Our goal is to give you clear information so you can make informed choices about next steps.
Once pregnancy is confirmed, the gestational carrier receives routine prenatal care with an obstetric provider. HRC Fertility shares relevant medical information with that provider, with proper permissions, and remains available for questions about the IVF portion of care. Intended parents and carriers can discuss how often they will communicate and how updates will be shared during pregnancy.
Delivery plans are discussed ahead of time with the gestational carrier, intended parents, and the hospital or birth center. Legal documents and hospital paperwork are prepared so staff know who the intended parents are and what the plan is for the baby after birth. Our team works with you and your obstetric provider to support a clear, respectful process at delivery.
Yes, many international intended parents work with HRC Fertility for surrogacy care. While some visits must be done in person, we use remote communication and careful scheduling to limit travel when possible. We also help you understand what documents and legal steps are needed in both the country where the baby is born and your home country.
To begin, you can contact HRC Fertility to schedule a visit or remote meeting with a fertility specialist. During this first conversation, we review your history, answer questions, and outline possible next steps. From there, we help you move into evaluation, matching, and planning at a pace that feels manageable for you.
