Answers to the questions people ask first

Check in writing

• The exact work the organization performs and what it sends to outside professionals.
• Fees, payment dates, refund terms, and rematch terms.
• Who holds journey funds and whether that financial administrator is independent.
• Complaint handling, data protection, staff handover, and closure plans.

Warning signs

• Pressure to sign or pay before independent review.
• Resistance to a separate lawyer or private consultation.
• Unclear screening, medical-clearance, or fund-custody records.
• No written rematch, complaint, or business-closure process.

What may change

• Birth country: the agreement and local parentage process.
• Home country: citizenship, passport, and family registration after return.
• Genetic connection: evidence used for parentage and citizenship applications.
• Medical reason: eligibility rules used by some clinics or programs.

Next step

Enter your family structure, genetic connection, and home country in the route check to see which routes are worth reviewing first.

What may be reviewed

• Infectious-disease and genetic testing for egg or sperm providers.
• Understanding of the surrogacy process and major decisions.
• How disagreement with the carrier would be handled.
• Plans and legal documents for caring for the child after birth.

Result to obtain

Get a written list of who requires each review and which clinic or program will accept the completed result.

Check before restarting

• When another candidate can be presented.
• Whether rematching is included without another program fee.
• Which clinic, travel, insurance, or legal costs may repeat.
• Whether existing embryos and intended-parent records remain usable.

Why a match may end

Clinic findings, insurance problems, birth-location issues, disagreement about major pregnancy decisions, or either party choosing not to continue can end a provisional match.

Discuss together

• How often to text, call, or video chat.
• Which appointments and ultrasound visits intended parents may join.
• What medical information will be shared and what remains private.
• Who receives the first call in an emergency.
• Whether photos or updates may be posted online.
• Expectations for contact and visits after birth.

If views differ

Confirm before matching who can facilitate a conversation when the participants cannot resolve an issue directly.

Review for the carrier

• Surrogacy-pregnancy exclusions.
• Hospital and obstetrician networks.
• Deductibles, out-of-pocket amounts, and coverage limits.
• Renewal dates and the deadline for post-birth claims.
• Any right of the insurer to seek repayment.

Review for the newborn

• Whether coverage starts at birth.
• Whether premature birth and NICU care are covered.
• Birth and parentage records needed for enrollment.
• Coverage options available to international intended parents.
• Who pays for care before coverage begins.

Result to obtain

Obtain a written review that clearly separates carrier coverage from newborn coverage.

Possible next routes

• Try another transfer with the same carrier after medical clearance and consent.
• Pause or end the journey.
• Return to the search for a different carrier.

Before another attempt

• Allow physical and emotional recovery time.
• Confirm the carrier freely agrees to continue.
• Review the clinic plan and whether any testing changes.
• Check the contract, available funds, and insurance before restarting medication.

If more than one embryo is considered

• Risks of a twin or higher-order pregnancy to the carrier and babies.
• Whether the clinic permits more than one embryo.
• Premature birth, cesarean delivery, NICU care, and added cost.
• The agreement and the carrier’s final medical consent.

Medical consent

Language in an agreement does not replace the carrier’s informed consent to a medical procedure.

Confirm with the hospital before birth

• The expected hospital and the hospital used for premature delivery.
• Delivery-room and recovery-room access for intended parents.
• Who may consent to newborn care and the contact order.
• Rooms available to the intended parents and newborn.
• How birth-certificate and parentage documents will be handled.
• Separate discharge plans for the carrier and newborn.

If the birth location changes

The parentage paperwork may need another review if delivery occurs in a different place than planned.

Separate the visit plan

• Usually essential: birth and taking responsibility for the newborn.
• Situation-dependent: providing eggs or sperm, embryo transfer, court, or consular appointments.
• Optional: meeting after the match or attending a major ultrasound.

Prepare for the period after birth

• Birth certificate and parentage documents.
• The child’s passport, visa, and exit documents.
• Translation, authentication, or DNA evidence required at home.
• Newborn coverage and the first pediatric appointment.
• Accommodation, infant supplies, a car seat, and return travel.

When the stay may extend

Premature birth, NICU admission, or document delays can extend the stay.