Become a parent through surrogacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much does a surrogate cost?

  The average cost of surrogacy for intended parents can range from $190,000 to $240,000 depending on the individual arrangements. The surrogate process is time-consuming and relies on many moving parts, including the matching process, legal matters, the surrogate’s time and effort, and various medical procedures. All of these factors contribute to the overall cost of working with a surrogate. Learn more about surrogate mother costs here.

• Can we use the surrogate’s health insurance for the pregnancy?

  Provided the surrogate’s health insurance policy clearly and specifically states coverage for a surrogate pregnancy, you may utilize the surrogate’s personal health insurance plan with her consent. Our insurance specialist will review the policy to investigate what coverage is available. This information will be provided to your attorney for review.

• How do you screen your surrogates?

  Our initial contact with a potential surrogate is a phone interview. If she meets all of the criteria she then completes an extensive application, as well as multiple staff interviews, that allow us to assess her motivation and willingness to participate in our program. We will review her medical records from previous pregnancies and forward these records to your IVF physician. We do a city, county and statewide criminal background investigation on the surrogate candidate and her spouse, as well as a quasi criminal history search that includes domestic violence writs, juvenile in need of supervision and personal restraining orders filed. West Coast Surrogacy follows the guidelines set by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine for psychological testing and screening. The surrogate will not only undergo psychological testing, she and her spouse will also be interviewed extensively by one of the licensed mental health professionals that work with us, exploring her background, motivation and suitability. Finally, your IVF physician will screen both the surrogate and her spouse/partner for infectious diseases and will evaluate your surrogate’s ability to conceive and carry a pregnancy.

• How soon will we be matched with a surrogate?

  The surrogate matching process can take a matter of weeks or it may take several months to be matched with a surrogate. It is our priority to match parents with surrogates based on their needs and desires, rather than matching you with whomever may be available. You will always be kept informed of any new surrogates who join our program and have access to their profiles.

• What is our relationship with our surrogate during and after the journey?

  During your journey to parenthood through surrogacy, you may encounter many obstacles and experience many joys. Your surrogate will experience these emotions with you. Your relationship will develop and unfold as you share in the experience together. We believe that all surrogates need to know that they have made a difference in your life and that your dream of being a parent has been fulfilled. By staying in touch with her after the birth of your baby and sending her photos from time to time, she can see that she did, indeed, achieve her goal.