When you are beginning your surrogacy journey, you are not just planning for a baby; you are preparing for one of the most meaningful experiences of your life. Alongside the excitement comes a maze of logistics, and for many intended parents, insurance is one of the most confusing and overlooked parts of the process.

Understanding what’s covered, what isn’t, and how to fill in the gaps is essential to ensuring a smooth, stress-free journey to parenthood. Medical costs can vary widely, and without the right coverage, unexpected bills can quickly add up. But with careful planning, you can navigate through this process with peace of mind.

At Growing Generations, we can help you navigate the insurance process of your parenthood journey. When you understand how surrogacy insurance works and how to make it work for you, you can focus on what truly matters: building the family you’ve dreamed of.

WHAT IS SURROGACY INSURANCE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER

Surrogacy insurance refers to a combination of policies designed to cover medical care and related expenses during the surrogacy process. This includes the surrogate’s prenatal care, delivery, and sometimes postpartum recovery, and coverage for the newborn if complications arise.

Without proper coverage, medical costs for a surrogate pregnancy can exceed tens of thousands of dollars, especially if the policy excludes surrogacy-related care. Insurance ensures both the surrogate and intended parents are protected from unexpected financial strain while maintaining the highest standard of care throughout the journey.

Beyond the numbers, comprehensive insurance provides something invaluable: peace of mind. Knowing your surrogate’s medical needs are fully covered allows everyone to focus on the experience, not the paperwork.

TYPES OF SURROGACY INSURANCE

There’s no one-size-fits-all policy for surrogacy. Instead, most journeys combine several types of insurance to provide complete protection:

HEALTH INSURANCE

This covers the surrogate’s medical care, including doctor visits, prenatal testing, hospital delivery, and postpartum recovery. In some cases, the surrogate’s existing policy already includes maternity benefits that apply to surrogacy. In others, a separate plan must be purchased. Premiums for supplemental coverage typically range from $400 to $700 per month, depending on the state and provider.

LIFE INSURANCE

Every surrogate should have life insurance coverage to provide security for her family in the rare event of a medical emergency. At Growing Generations, we make sure to work with our surrogates to set up proper life insurance coverage at the beginning of their journey.

NEWBORN INSURANCE

Newborn or “baby” insurance covers the infant from the moment of birth until the intended parents can add their child to their personal policy. It’s essential for international and domestic intended parents alike, especially in cases where NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) may be needed.

While some forms of coverage are optional, health and life insurance are non-negotiable. They safeguard both your surrogate and your family’s financial well-being.

COMMON COVERAGE GAPS TO WATCH FOR

Surrogacy insurance can feel like a maze of fine print and unfamiliar terms. All of these details may seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. At Growing Generations, we will be there to guide you through every step.

Understanding the most common coverage can prevent stressful surprises in the journey. Even the most comprehensive insurance plans can include hidden exclusions that impact surrogacy coverage. Because every policy is written differently, it is critical to read the fine print before assuming your surrogate’s care or your baby’s birth will be covered. Below are some of the most common gaps and how to spot them early.

1. Maternity Surrogacy Exclusions

Some insurance policies contain specific language excluding any pregnancy carried for another individual or couple. These are known as “surrogacy exclusions.” If this clause exists, the surrogate’s plan will not cover prenatal appointments, ultrasounds, delivery, or hospital stays.

In those cases, intended parents must purchase a new policy designed for surrogacy or arrange a cash-pay agreement with the hospital. The cost of uncovered maternity care can be expensive, depending on the state and hospital system.

2. IVF or Fertility Treatment Exclusions

Many standard health insurance policies do not cover fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, egg retrievals, or embryo transfers. Since these steps occur before pregnancy, they often fall under separate fertility or clinic-specific financial arrangements.

Intended parents should verify whether their clinic’s IVF fees are covered under any existing medical plan or whether these will be paid out-of-pocket.

3. Multiple Birth Limitations

If your surrogate becomes pregnant with twins or triplets, some plans categorize this as “high-risk” and reduce or deny certain benefits. This can include higher deductibles, limits on hospital days, or reduced coverage for NICU care.

It’s wise to confirm early whether the policy includes specific language regarding multiple births and whether supplemental coverage might be needed in case of multiples.

4. Out-of-Network Hospitals or Providers

Some surrogacy arrangements involve hospitals or specialists outside a policy’s network, especially if the surrogate lives in a different region or state. Out-of-network care often comes with significantly higher costs or limited reimbursement.

Always confirm that your surrogate’s preferred hospital and OB-GYN are considered in-network, and, if not, explore PPO plans that offer broader flexibility.

5. Newborn Care Gaps

Coverage for the baby does not automatically extend from the surrogate’s plan. Once the baby is born, that policy usually terminates coverage. Without a separate newborn or short-term baby insurance plan, intended parents could be responsible for all hospital and NICU costs. It is important to arrange this coverage at least several months before delivery.

Always request a copy of the complete plan document (also known as the Summary Plan Description or SPD), not just the summary of benefits. The SPD includes the exact language that determines whether surrogacy, fertility treatments, or newborn care are covered. A surrogacy insurance specialist can interpret that language and flag exclusions before you proceed.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INSURANCE

At Growing Generations, we offer a flat fixed fee insurance coverage to our intended parents. This is finalized at the time of your surrogate match, our insurance facilitation team will work with your surrogate to enroll her in and pay for the associated cost of her insurance for your surrogacy journey. This cost covers in-network, preferred provider, and/or normal and customary insurance rates for the surrogacy journey. Our team will:

• Liaise with brokers to enroll your surrogate in insurance that may be needed for the surrogacy process, including cycle insurance, surrogate accidental death insurance, and maternity insurance.

• Pay using the Client Expense Account for premiums, co-pays, deductibles, liens, and other non-elective medical care expenses that are not covered by your surrogate's insurance.

• Review newborn insurance options and liaise with brokers if coverage needs to be purchased; you will be responsible for insurance expenses related to your newborn's medical care.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR JOURNEY

Financial clarity begins long before the embryo transfer. By taking early, thoughtful steps, you can protect both your peace of mind and your family-building journey. Here’s how:

1. Review policies early, ideally before matching with a surrogate

Start your insurance review at the very beginning of your surrogacy journey. Once you’ve begun exploring agencies or fertility clinics, request copies of any existing or potential policies for review. This includes both your own health insurance and your surrogate’s plan.

Some policies include language that excludes surrogacy-related care altogether, while others might require additional riders or secondary plans. Reviewing coverage early prevents last-minute surprises and helps you understand what expenses you’ll be responsible for before contracts are signed.

2. Work with a surrogacy insurance specialist

Surrogacy insurance can be uniquely complex. Standard health insurance brokers often don’t understand the nuances of assisted reproduction. Partnering with a surrogacy-specific insurance specialist ensures that every policy is vetted for surrogacy compatibility.

These professionals can identify exclusionary language, recommend supplemental or “gap” plans, and coordinate with your agency and attorney to confirm compliance with both medical and legal standards. Many intended parents find that this guidance saves both money and stress.

3. Confirm coverage after embryo transfer

Once your surrogate becomes pregnant, it is important to verify that the insurance remains active and that maternity care continues to be covered. Policy changes, employment transitions, or updates to insurance providers can sometimes alter coverage unexpectedly.

A quick confirmation post-transfer, usually coordinated by your agency or insurance specialist, ensures that prenatal visits, ultrasounds, and delivery will proceed smoothly without interruption or financial dispute.

4. Establish newborn coverage well before delivery

Hospitals typically require proof of newborn insurance immediately after birth. Without it, intended parents could face large out-of-pocket charges for NICU care or postnatal services.

Whether your baby will be added to an existing family policy, an international plan, or a short-term newborn policy, confirm this coverage no later than the third trimester. Your surrogacy agency can help you determine the right timing and documentation.

Always confirm newborn coverage before delivery. If your baby requires specialized care or an extended hospital stay, prearranged insurance will ensure immediate protection and eliminate administrative delays during an already emotional moment.

FINAL THOUGHTS

At Growing Generations, we believe insurance should be a foundation of confidence, not a source of anxiety. Our dedicated insurance coordination team partners with vetted providers and expert brokers who understand the nuances of surrogacy coverage. Together, we help intended parents make informed choices, eliminate surprises, and protect what truly matters: the well-being of everyone involved.

Your journey deserves the highest level of care, transparency, and protection. With Growing Generations, you can take each step forward knowing your family’s story is backed by decades of expertise.

Contact Growing Generations today to connect with an insurance specialist who can help you review your coverage options and ensure every part of your journey is protected, from the first consultation to the moment you bring your baby home.

One of the first questions many first-time intended parents ask is “whose eggs are used in surrogacy?”. It is a common point of confusion, as the general assumption is that the surrogate uses her own eggs. This often leads to misunderstandings about genetics and parentage.

In gestational surrogacy, the most common type of surrogacy today, the surrogate has no genetic link to the baby. Instead, the embryo is created using eggs from the intended mother or an egg donor, and the sperm from the intended father or a donor. The surrogate, in turn, carries and cares for the pregnancy. Though she plays a significant role, she is not genetically related to the baby.

Understanding this distinction helps you, as an intended parent, make informed decisions about your family-building journey and feel confident in the science and care behind the process.

THE ROLE OF EGGS IN THE SURROGACY PROCESS

In gestational surrogacy, the journey begins with the creation of embryos through in vitro fertilization (IVF). This process involves retrieving eggs from either the intended mother or an egg donor. These are then fertilized with sperm from the intended father or a donor in a specialized laboratory setting.

It is important to understand that the surrogate does not use her own eggs in gestational surrogacy. She has no relationship with the baby she carries. Her role is to provide a healthy and nurturing environment for the pregnancy. The donors provide the genetic material and, when applicable, intended parents.

Understanding how embryos are created in gestational surrogacy can also help intended parents feel more informed and empowered as they explore their fertility options. Whether you are using your own eggs, sperm, or working with a donor, each path offers an opportunity to build your family.

At Growing Generations, our team guides you through every step of this process with clarity, compassion, and respect for your unique journey to parenthood.

USING THE INTENDED MOTHER'S EGGS

For intended parents who plan to use their own eggs to have a child, the process includes the following steps:

1. Ovarian stimulation: The intended mother takes a series of hormone-based medications (usually over 10–14 days) to stimulate the ovaries and encourage the production of multiple mature eggs in a single cycle. Producing more eggs increases the likelihood of creating high-quality embryos. Throughout stimulation, their doctors perform frequent ultrasounds and blood tests to monitor follicle growth and hormone levels. When the eggs reach optimal maturity, a “trigger shot” is administered to prepare for retrieval at precisely the right time.

2. Egg retrieval: About 36 hours after the shot, the eggs are collected through a brief, minimally invasive outpatient procedure. Using ultrasound guidance, the doctor retrieves the eggs from the ovaries under light sedation. Most patients return to normal activities within a day or two.

3. Fertilization: The retrieved eggs are combined with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor in the IVF lab. Fertilization occurs either naturally in a dish or through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is injected directly into each egg to improve success rates. Over the next few days, embryologists monitor the fertilized eggs as they grow into embryos. The healthiest embryos are selected for potential transfer, and additional viable embryos can be frozen for future use.

4. Embryo transfer: A carefully selected embryo is transferred into the surrogate’s uterus in a simple, non-surgical procedure. The surrogate then carries the pregnancy and delivers the baby on behalf of the intended parents.

For many intended mothers, using a surrogate allows them to have a child that carries their own genetic legacy while navigating the journey to parenthood safely. It offers the opportunity to experience the profound connection of sharing their DNA with their child, while entrusting the pregnancy to someone who can carry it to term.

For many, this approach combines the joy of genetic parenthood with the reassurance of a safe and supported pregnancy, making their dream of starting a family both meaningful and achievable.

WHEN AND WHY EGG DONORS ARE USED

There are many reasons intended parents may choose to use an egg donor in their surrogacy journey. Some intended mothers may face challenges related to age, genetics, or medical conditions. Others, such as same-sex couples, rely on an egg donor to create embryos. In every case, the goal is the same: to help someone build a family who cannot do so on their own.

At Growing Generations, we take great care in guiding parents through the donor selection process. Our egg donors are among the top 1% of applicants and come from all over the world. Before applying to be an egg donor, potential applicants must meet health, lifestyle, and family history requirements. All potential egg donors complete a thorough selection and screening process, which includes a video consultation and completion of medical and psychological screening.

We make the process of selecting your egg donor seamless. Your first step is to sign up for a free account to begin browsing our egg donor profiles online. You can review detailed profiles, including background, education, physical traits, and personal motivations for donating, to help you connect with the right donor. Once you select the right donor, we will make sure to match your timeline to continue with the egg donation cycle.

We understand that choosing an egg donor is both a practical and emotional decision. Our team provides the utmost support and guidance throughout the process, ensuring you feel confident, respected, and emotionally supported as you take this important step toward building your family.

THE MEDICAL PROCESS STEP-BY-STEP

At Growing Generations, we believe that understanding the medical process helps you feel empowered and confident as you move closer to parenthood. Below is a step-by-step overview of how embryos are created and transferred. It includes insight into the differences between fresh and frozen eggs and the medical safeguards that protect everyone involved.

Step 1: Egg Retrieval

The process begins with ovarian stimulation and egg collection. An egg donor (or the intended mother) completes an ovarian stimulation protocol using hormone medications to encourage multiple eggs to mature. The fertility clinic closely monitors follicle growth through ultrasounds and bloodwork, and once the eggs reach maturity, a brief outpatient procedure retrieves them under light sedation.

Step 2: Fertilization

When the retrieved eggs are combined in the lab with sperm from the intended father or a donor. Embryologists may use traditional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a technique in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg to increase the chance of fertilization.

Step 3: Embryo Development

The next step is embryo development, a critical stage where embryos are observed for several days as they grow. Embryologists assess their progress and grade them based on quality, selecting the healthiest embryos for transfer.

Step 4: Embryo Transfer

The final step is to transfer to the surrogate, whose uterus is prepared hormonally to receive the embryo. In a fresh cycle, this timing is carefully synchronized with egg retrieval and fertilization. The embryo transfer itself is a simple, non-surgical clinic procedure, followed by pregnancy testing and early prenatal care.

FRESH VS. FROZEN EGGS:

Fresh vs. frozen (vitrified) eggs each offer unique benefits. In a fresh cycle, eggs are retrieved, fertilized, and embryos transferred within the same stimulation cycle. This is ideal when the surrogate and egg donor are medically synchronized.

Frozen eggs, however, are rapidly vitrified and stored for later use, offering more flexibility with timing, opportunities for genetic testing, and reduced medical demands on the egg provider. With advancements in freezing technology, success rates for frozen embryos now match those of fresh transfers.

At every stage, Growing Generations prioritizes medical safeguards and ethical integrity. We partner only with clinics that meet the highest standards for medical screening, genetic testing, lab quality control, and informed consent.

All processes align with the ethical guidelines of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), ensuring the safety, autonomy, and well-being of donors, surrogates, and intended parents alike. Our role is to help you understand each step, feel supported throughout the process, and move forward with confidence as your journey to parenthood unfolds.

LEGAL AND EMOTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

No matter whose eggs are used, the legal establishment of parentage is a cornerstone of every surrogacy journey. Your attorney, working closely with your selected surrogacy agency and fertility clinic, prepares comprehensive contracts that outline everyone’s rights and responsibilities.

These agreements protect all parties involved and clearly define you as the intended parents. Before birth, a pre-birth order or similar legal document is typically issued by the court, ensuring that your names appear on the baby’s birth certificate. This process gives you peace of mind that your parentage is recognized and protected from the very start.

For intended mothers using donor eggs, this legal clarity often brings profound emotional comfort. Knowing that their parental rights are fully protected helps ease common worries about connection or identity. Many find reassurance in understanding that genetics do not define family; love, intention, and commitment do. 

The combination of strong legal safeguards and compassionate emotional support allows intended parents to embrace their journey with confidence. And when the moment comes to see their baby’s heartbeat or hold them for the first time, any lingering doubts are replaced by the joy of welcoming their baby.

Confidentiality and informed consent are also essential to maintaining trust throughout the process. Donor identities and personal details are handled with the highest level of privacy, following both legal and ethical standards.

Before any medical or legal steps are taken, every participant, including intended parents, donors, and surrogates, receives thorough counseling and documentation outlining their rights, responsibilities, and the implications of their choices. This transparency ensures that each decision is made with full understanding, respect, and care for everyone involved.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PATH WITH GROWING GENERATIONS

At Growing Generations, we understand that every path to parenthood is unique. Whether you are using your own eggs, working with an egg donor, or exploring surrogacy for the first time, we are here to guide you every step of the way.

From your very first consultation to the moment you hold your baby, we walk beside you, helping you understand your medical options, navigate through emotional choices, and feel confident every step of this process. Our mission is to create a seamless surrogacy experience so you can focus on what matters most: building your family.