Intended Parents

The Process

The Cost

The Team

Timeline

FAQs

It all started with a dream; to create an agency we would want to use if we were intended parents or surrogates. With over a decade of experience and hundreds of families created, we are just that. We offer personalized journeys with fully vetted, connective surrogates and a network of trusted professionals and partners. Not all agencies are created equally and we take pride in being one of the exceptional few. From the intial call through the completion of your story, this is where your family’s journey begins, and we are honored to walk it with you.

~Brooke and Cassie, Roots Surrogacy Co-Founders

This is a big decision. It can be overwhelming. We know. Let’s talk about it.

We do not advertise for parents. Each client that walks through our door is a referral from someone we have built a long term relationship with. We value and honor these connections and look forward to the same with you.

  • We were lost. So much disappointment. SO many failed transfers. When we found Roots, we felt hope. We knew it was going to be a long road but Roots was there through it all. We will be forever grateful for our son and the love and guidance Roots provided.

    Laurie, SF Intended Parent

  • My husband and I knew that surrogacy was always going to be our path but it all seemed so forced. So corporate. Until Roots. They truly became our family and Amanda, our case manager, could not have been more kind, compasionate or responsive. Thank you Roots and team!!!

    Jamie and John, 2 very grateful daddies in NYC

  • My clinic referred me to Roots and a few other agencies. I was really shocked about the difference in professionalism and care with Roots vs. the others. Two years later, we are in the middle of our second journey with Roots and could not be happpier.

    Lilu, Intended Parent

  • Being a single mom entering into surrogacy, there were a lot of roadblocks. Other agencies told me that I was a "hard match". Others told me to consider adoption. I was referred to Roots at my lowest point and I will never forget my first call with Brooke. There was hope. There was a path forward. They brought me Ansley (my perfect daughter) along with a lifelong friend with my surrogate.

    Finley W, Single Mama Extraordinaire

Intended Parent FAQs

Gestational Carrier vs Traditional Surrogate?

A gestational surrogate is a woman who carries a child conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the egg of the intended parent or of an egg donor, and the sperm of the intended parent or a sperm donor. A gestational surrogate has no biological connection to the child.  A traditional surrogate is a woman who carries a child using her own egg and is the genetic and biological mother of the child. 

Although we feel that traditional surrogacy is the right arrangement for some intended parents, because it raises complex issues in establishing parenthood, Roots limits its process to gestational surrogacy.  

How long from start to baby?

The length of the surrogacy process varies and is dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, your surrogacy plans and goals and the number of cycles required to achieve a pregnancy. Intended parents should plan on approximately 18-24 months from the time they sign on with an agency until they have a child. At Roots, we offer several packages that can expedite the timeline. Plans and Pricing can be accessed HERE.

Why work with an agency?

Imagine we are building a house. The agency is the general contractor. We make sure that the project is managed ethically, efficiently and effectively. Working with an agency reduces the risk of complications, and offers additional protection to both the surrogate and the intended parents.  It helps to ensure that the surrogate receives fair compensation, ongoing psychological support, and treatment.  It also offers the intended parents the comfort of knowing that their surrogate has been throughly screened to ensure that she is a top quality candidate with their best interests at heart.

Can we work with a surrogate we already know?

Yes. If you know someone who is willing to carry a surrogate pregnancy for you, you can work with that surrogate.  However, the surrogate will still be required to go through the agency process and screening requirements. 

What kind of relationship will I have with my surrogate?

Relationships vary in surrogacy because they are based on the needs and wants of the people participating in them. Some journeys create lifelong friendships, some people graciously part ways after birth, and everything in between. You can have as much or as little contact as you and the surrogate are comfortable with. Relationships and communication are important parts of surrogacy and it is our hope that an organic friendship develops over time.

What is the overall cost of surrogacy?

Surrogacy costs can vary significantly based on a number of factors. Generally, intended parents are responsible for the following costs: Agency fees; legal fees; medical expenses; health insurance; surrogate compensation and reimbursement. The cost of most surrogacy arrangements range from $200,000 to $300,000 but may vary even further depending on each given scenario. There are lots of stop-gaps that curb ballooning costs and make sure that parents are finacially protected. Generally, a good estimate for cost is $150,000 + Agency Fee.

What is the legal process like?

Every surrogacy arrangement will include a legal contract known as a GCA (Gestational Carrier Agreement). You and your surrogate will each have your own attorney who will contribute to the contract drafting process and ensure your legal interests are represented and your rights are protected. The legal contract will outline everyone’s rights and responsibilities throughout the process.

After the first trimester, your attorney will also prepare and finalize a pre-birth order and establish you as the legal parent of your child. Parentage, in PRE-BIRTH order states, is granted while your baby is still in utero. Surrogate’s do not have the option to change their mind. The court order identifies you as the parents and there is no subsequent adoptive process necessary after birth. You are added as parent(s) to the birth certificate immediately.

Roots only works in states that offer a pre-birth order to protect both parents and surrogates.

What is the wait time to find a surrogate?

Roots Surrogacy offers multiple waitlists that vary in time and cost. Our longest wait time is approximately nine months with our fastest being within a couple weeks. Please see our Plans and Pricing to learn more about cost and timelines.

What happens if my surrogate backs out?

Surrogates do not often back out of the process, but life does happen.  If your surrogate chooses not to proceed, Roots Surrogacy will rematch you with another surrogate without any additional cost

What happens if there is a miscarriage?

This depends on what the situation.  There are three types: 

1.    Failed transfer:  If the embryo fails to implant at all, the surrogate will wait for her next cycle, start meds again and transfer again.  Failed transfers happen and the success rates vary from clinic to clinic, doctor to doctor.  The financial burden is minimal as the surrogate's base compensation will not have been touched and she will only repeat her medication bonus ($500) and her transfer bonus ($1500). 

2.    Chemical pregnancy:  If the embryo implants and then fails to grow (usually between 6-10 weeks), then the surrogate will wait for her HCG level to go back down to zero and transfer again.   Financially, it is relatively identical to the above scenario although if it is after heartbeat, there may have been one month payment of the base compensation paid ($6000)

3.    Late Term Miscarriage:  While rare, this does happen on occasion.  It will depend on why but usually an embryo issue so again, you would use the same surrogate.  Financially, it will depend on how long the pregnancy lasted.  We pay the base compensation of $60,000 over 10 monthly instalments.  Each month, she receives $6000 after confirmation of fetal heartbeat.  If the pregnancy was lost at 20 weeks, it is likely that you would have made 4 monthly payments of $6k each.

Where do most surrogates live?

The geography of the surrogate is the LEAST important matching criteria, as long as she lives in a surrogate friendly state. There is a surrogate shortage in the United States and the goal is always to find the BEST quality candidate, not necessarily the closest. There are 20 surrogate friendly states in the United States that offer pre-birth orders and legal protection for parents and surrogates alike. We are not taking geographic requests for surrogates.

How can we ensure that our surrogate has a healthy lifestyle and habits?

Surrogates are grown women with healthy lifestyles and families. From the time a surrogate partners with Roots Surrogacy, we are evaluating her lifestyle to make sure that it is in line with our culture of health, happiness and humility. In addition, she is psychologically interviewed and tested, medically screened, drug tested and we have reviewed here health history of pregnancies and deliveries. The surrogate is consistently monitored by physicians and Roots Surrogacy, throughout the process. If additional requests from the parents are asked of the surrogate, like the addition of choosing organic options when available, these will be discussed and agreed upon in the match call.

What if I have other questions?

It is very normal to have lots of questions during the initial stages of research. You can schedule an educational consult with the owner to walk through the surrogacy process and have all your questions answered. You can schedule a consult HERE.