How much does surrogacy cost?
The process of surrogacy includes many costs, including the cost of the agency fee, the compensation paid to the surrogate, the surrogate’s medical expenses, attorney fees, possible travel fees, the cost for IVF treatments and more. Visit our Estimated Expenses page to learn more.
How do you match parents with surrogates?
Once we have good understanding of what you want and need from the surrogate relationship, we’ll provide you with detailed profiles of available surrogate candidates we feel would be a good fit for you. We make a recommendations based on a number of factors, including both the parents’ and surrogate’s personalities, preferences, and location. When you have selected one or more candidates, we will share your profile with the surrogate. If she is interested in working with you, we will arrange a meeting by phone, Skype or in person. Only once the parents and surrogate have agreed to the match will the process move forward.
How do you choose/qualify surrogates?
We seek out surrogates who are interested in more than just a financial gain. Oftentimes these women see surrogacy as a way to help a family in need. These are strong, caring, and reliable women! All of our surrogates and their spouses/partners must pass a criminal background check before we even consider them for surrogacy. Someone from our agency will also interview them and their partner/spouse to ensure that the surrogate has a stable and healthy home life. Our surrogates are also all mothers who have a proven ability to carry a healthy pregnancy to term. For more information on our surrogate requirements, please visit our Surrogates page.
Do you work with gay partners?
We proudly help all loving couples build loving families and are happy to work with gay, lesbian, and transgender couples, partners, and individuals.
Do you work with single or unmarried individuals?
Yes, we are happy to work with an individual regardless of their relationship status.
Do you work with international parents?
Yes, we are definitely willing to work with international parents. We understand that many countries around the world do not allow surrogacy or make it difficult for couples to safely pursue surrogacy. We can provide you with a culturally sensitive surrogacy experience. International parents face some specific challenges when working with a surrogacy agency overseas, but we are well-versed in overcoming these challenges.
Will I get to meet and choose my surrogate?
We prefer to make surrogate recommendations to parents based on our experience and our knowledge of the surrogates in our database. You will definitely get to meet and approve your surrogate before we move forward with the surrogacy process. We strongly encourage you to continue communicating with your surrogate throughout the pregnancy. If you live close to the surrogate or are willing to travel, you can even go to major appointments together and certainly be present at the birth. Many of our surrogates and parents become lifelong friends.
Can I use my eggs/sperm for implantation?
Yes, you can choose to harvest your own eggs or sperm for IVF treatment. We are happy to refer you to a state-of-the-art fertility treatment facility.
Will you help us find an egg/sperm donor?
At this time we do not offer services related to finding egg and sperm donors. However, we have many qualified contacts in this industry and are happy to refer you to a great agency that can assist you in this capacity.
Do you handle all of the legal paperwork related to the surrogacy process?
When you decide to move forward with the surrogacy process, we will require you to sign a legal contract with your surrogate and with our agency to protect yourself and the surrogate. Dakota Surrogacy’s legal team will ensure that you are properly matched with a surrogate in a state where you can accomplish the necessary legal work to finalize your parental rights. You will need to have wills finalized prior to the embryo transfer that ensure that a guardian is in place to care for your children in the event of your death. (If you live in the United States, Dakota Surrogacy’s legal team can draft these for you.) Once you are matched, we initiate contracts on your behalf with your surrogate. Depending on a variety of factors, your surrogacy legal work may include a pre-birth order, a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity, a judgment of paternity, a custody orders, or an adoption.
What is the chance of our surrogate successfully conceiving a pregnancy?
Fertility treatments continue to advance in sophistication and yield improved success rates. When you are working with a healthy surrogate under the care and supervision of an experienced fertility clinic, the chances of a successful pregnancy are quite high. However, every situation is different, and we cannot give you definitive numbers. Most fertility agencies can provide you with the percentages of successful implantation’s they achieved.
Can I use my own chosen surrogate?
Yes, if you have a sibling, close friend, or other pre-chosen individual whom you would like to serve as your surrogate (and who agrees to act as the surrogate), we are willing and able to accommodate your preference.