The decision
Is this right for us, when to start, single parents, gay dads, which path.
28 articles
Before Signing With an Agency – 10 Contract Clauses You Must Fully Understand
The first contract you sign – and the one read least carefully. Ten critical clauses and two golden rules before signing with an agency.
Surrogate Health Insurance in 2026 – What Changed in the Market and What You Must Check Today
Surrogacy exclusions, rising prices and one critical enrollment window – the 2026 insurance update, and three questions demanding written answers.
Single Parent Surrogacy in the U.S. – What's Actually Different?
"I'm on my own. Is this even possible?" Yes. What's different in a single parent's journey, and why you should never fly to the birth alone.
The Emergency Budget – The Line Items No One Warns You About
In my cost post I broke down the five big baskets of the budget. But there's a sixth, quiet basket that no agency puts on the first slide of its presentation: the surprises basket. And after accompanying hundreds of journeys, I can tell you – almost every journey has at least one surprise. The only question is whether you prepared for it.
Transfer One Embryo or Two? The Dilemma Every Couple Faces
When the exciting moment of scheduling the transfer arrives, up pops the question that divides couples, doctors and surrogates: transfer one embryo – or two? On paper, two sounds like a deal: double the odds, maybe even win twins and "complete" the family in one journey. In reality, the picture is very different, and worth knowing before the conversation with your doctor.
How Many Embryos Do You Need Before You Start? The Math of the Odds
One of the hardest questions to get a straight answer to: "We have X embryos – is that enough?" The clinic answers cautiously, the agency says "it depends", and in the groups everyone tells a different story. So let's bring some order to the math – no promises, but with logic.
Independent Surrogacy vs. an Agency – Who Is It Really Right For?
In my post about "a second journey without an agency" I wrote about couples returning for a second journey with the same surrogate and skipping the agency. But lately I meet more and more couples considering skipping the agency in their first journey – what English-speaking communities call an Indy Journey. The savings are tempting: agency fees run tens of thousands of dollars. So let's talk about what you actually give up when you give up an agency.
How Much Does U.S. Surrogacy Really Cost in 2026?
It's the first question every couple asks me, usually in a whisper: "How much does it really cost?" And the honest answer is – more than what's written on the agency's homepage, and less than what keeps you up at night. Let's break it down, in today's numbers.
Surrogacy Scams – The Red Flags That Will Save You
After accompanying hundreds of parents through this process, I can tell you one thing with certainty: Most people in this industry genuinely care and are deeply dedicated to what they do. But wherever there's enormous emotion, big money and the dream of a family – there are also those who exploit it. In recent years we've seen too many cases of parents losing money, precious time, and sometimes embryos – because of untrustworthy players.
Your Birth Plan
A birth plan is essentially your "calming pill" for delivery day.
Do we have to get married as part of the process?
The answer is no. But it is important to understand that there may be implications to not being married.
Almost everything you wanted to know about medical insurance for the surrogate
Medical insurance! These two words will intimidate anyone trying to understand insurance in the United States.
The Guide to Common Acronyms & Terms
What surprised me most in my journey wasn't seeing "how surrogacy really works" — it was discovering the medical processes happening "behind the scenes".
What newborn stroller should you buy?
The popular question of what newborn stroller to buy or what important things to consider when buying a baby stroller does not have a cut and dry answer, because personal preferences play a huge…
One twin pregnancy from two different fathers
Up until around 2018, many of the gay couple surrogacy processes in the United States culminated in the birth of twins.
Traveling to the birth - alone or with family?
Traveling to the birth is an extremely significant and exciting moment, albeit also a little nerve-racking. You travel as a couple or as a single and return as parents.
Storing embryos and sperm at the clinic
Your genetic material is kept at the clinic you’ve chosen to work with, and generally if you don’t ask to have it disposed, it will be stored there for years and you’ll have to pay for its storage.
Should you buy foreign currency before starting?
Since your surrogacy process takes place abroad, you will pay most of the service providers in a foreign currency: American dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros, etc.
Transporting embryos between clinics or switching fertility clinics
What happens if you’ve got embryos in one clinic, and you want to switch to another, whatever the reason would be? I’ve heard this question raised mainly in negative contexts: dissatisfaction with…
Changing or merging surnames
With heterosexual couples, it’s very easy. Traditionally, the majority of couples take the husband’s surname after the wedding.
Round 2 without an agency?
You made it through the first pregnancy, and you had a baby or maybe even twins. Congratulations! A month, one year, two years have gone by (I’ve even seen 6!) and you’re ready for another child.
What’s the difference between working directly with US providers vs. a local broker agency?
I’ll start by explaining the differences, considering the fact that with the surrogacy process you’ll need a clinic and surrogacy agency in the country where you are undergoing the process.
Workplace grants and financial assistance for the process
Some workplaces give benefits to employees who are undergoing fertility treatments in general, and surrogacy processes in particular.
Should I wait until I have a partner to start the a surrogacy process?
I think that this is a very personal question. I, for example, always knew that even if I wouldn’t be in a relationship I’d want to become a father.
Coparenting vs surrogacy
In general, there’s no right or wrong answer on which route to take, surrogacy or co-parenting.
Twins / singleton – What to consider
The hottest question now in the surrogacy scene is whether to go for twins, or just to start with one child and a year or two later expand the family.
Is there a good time to have kids?
To be honest, you’re never really ready for it. The only way is to dive right in.
We’ve decided it’s time to be parents – what’s the best country for surrogacy processes?
What a fun and exciting time! I remember how excited I was when I started our journey.