Questions
What parents ask us most.
If your question isn’t here, ask it in a consultation. No question is too small, or too blunt.
How long does surrogacy take?
A typical Angel Heart Surrogacy journey takes 15 to 20 months from your first consultation to bringing your baby home. Matching usually takes one to four months, medical clearance and contracts two to three months, and pregnancy about nine months after a successful transfer.
The most common reasons for a longer journey are creating or testing embryos, and transfers that do not result in pregnancy.
How much does surrogacy cost in total?
Most journeys cost $130,000 to $235,000, including surrogate compensation, clinic costs, legal fees, insurance, escrow and our fee. It excludes creating embryos.
Every line item, who it is paid to, and when, is published on our Costs page.
What is Angel Heart Surrogacy's fee, and when is it paid?
Our fee is $36,000, paid in three installments: $6,000 when you sign with Angel Heart Surrogacy; $24,000 when you and your surrogate both accept the match; $6,000 at a confirmed fetal heartbeat.
It is the only money Angel Heart Surrogacy receives, and it is separate from surrogate compensation, which is held in independent escrow.
What happens if you cannot find us a match?
If we have not presented a fully screened surrogate to you within 9 months of signing, you may end your agreement and we will refund your retainer, less $1,500 for work already done. The period pauses while you are not ready to be matched.
Do you hold our money?
Only our own fee. Everything intended for your surrogate is deposited with a licensed, bonded, independent escrow company in which Angel Heart Surrogacy has no financial interest. You get your own portal access and statements from the escrow company.
How quickly will you reply to us?
Every message receives a reply from a person within 1 business day. You'll have a named coordinator and a named back-up who share your record, and no coordinator manages more than 15 active journeys. We publish our median response time on our track record page.
Will expenses be charged to our escrow without asking us?
No single expense above $500 is charged without your written approval first, and every reimbursement to your surrogate is backed by a receipt you can see in the escrow company's records.
Do we need to have embryos before we start?
No. You can sign with Angel Heart Surrogacy and begin matching while embryos are being created. But the status of your embryos affects your timeline more than anything else, and we will not schedule a transfer until you have them.
If your embryos were created before you planned surrogacy, ask your clinic whether the infectious disease screening required for transfer to a gestational carrier was completed at retrieval.
Will our surrogate have a genetic connection to our baby?
No. Angel Heart Surrogacy works only with gestational surrogacy, in which the embryo is created from the intended parents' or donors' eggs and sperm. The surrogate has no genetic connection to the child.
Can we choose our surrogate?
Yes, and she chooses you. We present surrogates whose screening is complete and whose preferences align with yours. You read each other's profiles, meet by video, and a match is only confirmed when you both say yes.
How much contact will we have with our surrogate?
As much as you both want, agreed in advance. Some parents and surrogates talk every week and attend appointments together; others prefer updates after each appointment. We match you with someone whose hopes are similar to yours.
What does our surrogate know about us?
Before she accepts a match, she learns who you are, where you live, and whether you have any other surrogacy journeys underway. We believe she should choose you with full knowledge, and we will not introduce parents who decline to share this.
Do you work with international intended parents?
Not at present. Angel Heart Surrogacy works only with intended parents who live in the United States, so that we can stand behind every step of the legal process, including your baby's documents.
Is Angel Heart Surrogacy licensed?
New York is currently the only state that licenses surrogacy programs. Angel Heart Surrogacy does not match surrogates who live in New York unless it holds a New York license. In every state, we follow the protections New York and California require, including independent escrow and independent counsel for surrogates.
