Surrogacy With Embryos Already Created

Your Embryos Are Ready. Now You Need the Right Surrogacy Path.

If you already have frozen embryos and are ready to move forward with a gestational surrogate, you do not need to start the family building process over again.

Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute works with intended parents who have embryos stored at their current fertility clinic and now need help finding and coordinating with a surrogate.

EDSI helps organize the next phase of the journey, including surrogate matching, screening coordination, fertility clinic communication, attorney guided legal coordination, insurance review, independent third party bonded escrow, and preparation for embryo transfer.

Already have embryos and ready to find a surrogate?

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We Already Have Embryos. What Happens Next?

If your embryos are already created, your next major step is usually determining how your fertility clinic and surrogacy agency will work together to find and approve the right gestational surrogate.

You may be able to continue working with the fertility clinic where your embryos are currently stored. Your clinic will ultimately determine its medical requirements for a gestational surrogate and whether it will perform the embryo transfer there.

EDSI coordinates the surrogacy side of that process.

The typical next steps include:

1. Confirming where your embryos are stored and which fertility clinic you plan to use.
2. Reviewing your clinic’s requirements for a gestational surrogate.
3. Identifying and matching with a surrogate who appears appropriate for your journey.
4. Preparing the surrogate’s records and information for fertility clinic review.
5. Completing the clinic’s medical screening and approval process.
6. Coordinating the attorney guided legal process.
7. Establishing the required independent third party escrow arrangements.
8. Preparing for the fertility clinic’s embryo transfer process.

Having embryos already created can eliminate one major stage of the family building process, but it does not eliminate the coordination required before a surrogate can move toward embryo transfer.

The goal is to make sure the surrogate, fertility clinic, legal process, insurance planning, escrow arrangements, and intended parents are aligned before transfer.

Can We Keep Using Our Current Fertility Clinic?

In many cases, yes.

If your embryos are already stored at a fertility clinic, you may be able to continue working with that clinic for the surrogate’s medical screening and embryo transfer.

The first step is confirming the clinic’s requirements for gestational surrogates.

Different fertility clinics may have different criteria for medical history, pregnancy history, BMI, prior deliveries, medications, testing, records, and other factors. The fertility physician ultimately decides whether a surrogate is medically approved for treatment.

EDSI coordinates with the intended parents and fertility clinic so that the surrogate’s information and available pregnancy records can be prepared for clinic review.

This helps answer important questions early:

• Will your current fertility clinic work with the proposed surrogate?

• What records does the clinic need before reviewing her?

• Will the surrogate need to travel to the clinic for screening?

• Will the embryo transfer take place at your current clinic?

• Do the embryos need to remain where they are currently stored?

• Are there clinic specific requirements that should be considered during matching?

For intended parents who already have embryos, understanding the fertility clinic’s requirements early can help avoid pursuing a match that the clinic may later decline.

EDSI’s role is to coordinate the surrogacy process around the fertility clinic’s medical requirements while keeping medical decisions with the treating physician.

Do My Embryos Need to Be Moved or Shipped?

Not necessarily.

If your embryos are already stored at a fertility clinic that is willing to screen and treat your gestational surrogate, they may be able to remain where they are.

In some journeys, the surrogate travels to the fertility clinic for medical screening and embryo transfer. In others, the intended parents and fertility clinic may decide that the embryos should be transferred to another clinic.

Before making arrangements to move frozen embryos, it is important to determine:

• Whether your current fertility clinic accepts gestational surrogate cases.
• Whether the clinic will screen and medically clear the proposed surrogate.
• Whether the surrogate can travel to that clinic for screening and transfer.
• Whether another fertility clinic will be involved in the journey.
• What each fertility clinic requires before accepting or releasing embryos.

EDSI helps coordinate communication between the intended parents, surrogate, and fertility clinic so these logistical questions can be addressed before transfer planning begins.

If your embryos are currently stored outside the United States, additional coordination may be necessary. International intended parents can learn more about EDSI’s surrogacy program for international intended parents.

Decisions about embryo storage, transportation, acceptance, and transfer are made with the fertility clinics and appropriate medical professionals involved in the journey.

How Do We Find a Surrogate When Our Embryos Are Ready?

Once embryos are created, many intended parents are ready to focus on one of the biggest remaining decisions: finding the right gestational surrogate.

Having embryos ready does not mean that every surrogate candidate will be appropriate for your journey. The match still needs to work personally, practically, and within the requirements of the fertility clinic that will perform the embryo transfer.

EDSI helps intended parents evaluate potential matches based on factors such as pregnancy history, location, communication preferences, travel expectations, clinic compatibility, and the goals of both the intended parents and surrogate.

The goal is not simply to find an available surrogate. It is to identify a candidate who appears appropriate for the journey and can then move through the required screening and clinic review.

For a more detailed explanation of the matching process, see how to find a surrogate.

Intended parents who are reviewing a specific candidate can also read how intended parents should review a surrogate profile before agreeing to a match.

How Is a Surrogate Reviewed Before Embryo Transfer?

Finding a surrogate is not the same as receiving medical clearance for embryo transfer.

Before a gestational surrogate can proceed toward transfer, several layers of review may need to be completed. The fertility clinic ultimately determines whether the surrogate meets its medical requirements.

EDSI’s role is to help organize the surrogacy side of that process and prepare the available information for the appropriate professionals to review.

Depending on the journey and fertility clinic, this may include:

• Reviewing pregnancy and delivery history.
• Collecting relevant obstetric and delivery records.
• Identifying records or information that may still be missing.
• Reviewing general eligibility and journey readiness.
• Coordinating psychological or other required evaluations.
• Completing background or other program requirements.
• Sending the appropriate information to the fertility clinic for its review.
• Coordinating the clinic’s medical screening process.

This separation is important: EDSI can prepare and coordinate the surrogate’s file, but the fertility clinic makes the medical clearance decision.

For intended parents who want to understand what to evaluate before agreeing to a match, see how to review a surrogate profile before agreeing to a match.

Once the surrogate has completed the required screening and the fertility clinic has provided the appropriate clearance, the journey can move toward legal preparation and the steps required before embryo transfer.

reening and the fertility clinic has provided the appropriate clearance, the journey can move toward legal preparation and the steps required before embryo transfer.

What Happens After We Match With a Surrogate?

Once you and a surrogate agree to move forward together, the journey shifts from matching into formal screening, legal preparation, financial arrangements, and transfer coordination.

The exact order can vary depending on the fertility clinic and the circumstances of the match, but the next phase generally includes:

• Completing any remaining fertility clinic medical screening and clearance.
• Completing psychological or other required evaluations.
• Confirming insurance planning for the surrogate journey.
• Beginning the attorney guided legal process.
• Establishing the required independent third party escrow arrangements.
• Coordinating between the intended parents, surrogate, fertility clinic, attorneys, insurance resources, and escrow provider.
• Preparing for the fertility clinic’s embryo transfer calendar once the required steps are complete.

For a broader view of the entire journey from consultation through birth, see EDSI’s surrogacy process for intended parents.

For intended parents who already have embryos, the objective at this stage is not to restart the family building process. It is to coordinate the remaining pieces so the matched surrogate can move toward embryo transfer in an organized way.

What Needs to Happen Before Embryo Transfer?

Having embryos ready does not mean an embryo transfer can be scheduled immediately after matching.

Several independent parts of the surrogacy journey generally need to be completed and aligned first.

Fertility Clinic Clearance

The fertility clinic reviews and medically screens the gestational surrogate according to its requirements. The fertility physician determines whether she is medically cleared to proceed.

Legal Agreements

The intended parents and surrogate work with the appropriate reproductive law attorneys to complete the surrogacy agreement and other required legal steps before transfer.

EDSI coordinates around this attorney guided legal process, but the attorneys provide the legal representation and advice.

Independent Escrow

Financial arrangements for the journey are established through an independent third party bonded escrow provider rather than being handled as part of the agency’s day-to-day coordination.

This separation helps keep the management of journey funds distinct from EDSI’s role coordinating the surrogacy process.

Insurance Planning

The surrogate’s existing insurance and the anticipated needs of the journey are reviewed so the parties can identify whether additional coverage or planning may be required.

Transfer Coordination

Once the required medical, legal, financial, and administrative steps are complete, the fertility clinic determines the treatment and embryo transfer schedule.

EDSI coordinates communication across these moving parts so intended parents are not left trying to manage each professional and milestone independently.

To understand how these separate safeguards fit together, see EDSI’s structured approach to protecting a surrogacy journey.

Does Having Embryos Already Created Make Surrogacy Faster?

It can shorten one part of the overall family building process because embryo creation has already been completed.

However, having frozen embryos does not eliminate the time needed to find the right surrogate, complete screening, obtain fertility clinic clearance, complete legal agreements, establish escrow and insurance arrangements, and prepare for embryo transfer.

The timeline may also depend on:

• How quickly an appropriate surrogate match is identified.
• Your fertility clinic’s surrogate requirements.
• How quickly records and screening can be completed.
• Whether the surrogate needs to travel for medical screening or transfer.
• Whether your embryos remain at their current clinic or need to be moved.
• The timing of legal agreements and financial arrangements.
• The fertility clinic’s treatment and transfer calendar.

For a detailed breakdown of the overall journey, see EDSI’s complete surrogacy timeline.

The important distinction is that intended parents with embryos already created can begin the surrogate matching and coordination phase without first completing a new embryo creation cycle.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost If We Already Have Embryos?

If your embryos are already created, you may not need to budget for a new IVF or embryo creation cycle as part of your surrogacy pathway.

Your remaining surrogacy costs can still include surrogate compensation and benefits, agency coordination, medical screening, legal services, insurance planning, escrow administration, travel, fertility clinic expenses related to the surrogate, and other journey-specific expenses.

The total can vary based on the surrogate, fertility clinic, insurance situation, legal requirements, number of transfer attempts, and other circumstances.

Rather than repeating the full cost breakdown here, intended parents can review EDSI’s complete U.S. surrogacy cost breakdown for current planning information.

When speaking with EDSI, let us know that your embryos are already created so the discussion can focus on the parts of the journey that still apply to your situation.

What If Our Embryos Are Outside the United States?

EDSI also works with international intended parents whose embryos may already be stored at a fertility clinic outside the United States.

The first question is not necessarily how to ship the embryos. It is determining where the surrogate will receive medical care and which fertility clinic will ultimately perform the embryo transfer.

Depending on the journey, this may involve coordination among:

• Your current fertility clinic.
• A fertility clinic in the United States.
• The gestational surrogate.
• Professionals involved in transporting reproductive materials, if transportation is required.
• Legal and other professionals involved in the international surrogacy journey.

Requirements can vary depending on the fertility clinics involved, the location of the embryos, and the intended parents’ circumstances.

EDSI coordinates the surrogacy process, while fertility clinics and other appropriate professionals determine the medical, regulatory, and transportation requirements that apply to the embryos.

For the broader cross-border journey, including U.S. surrogacy coordination, travel planning, and post-birth considerations, see EDSI’s surrogacy program for international intended parents.

Why Work With EDSI When Your Embryos Are Already Created?

When embryos already exist, intended parents are usually not looking for another explanation of IVF. They need the remaining parts of the surrogacy journey to work together.

Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute provides structured surrogacy coordination for intended parents moving from embryo creation into surrogate matching, screening, legal preparation, financial arrangements, transfer coordination, pregnancy, and delivery.

Coordination With Your Fertility Clinic

EDSI can coordinate with the fertility clinic you are already working with so its requirements can be considered during the surrogate matching and screening process.

Your fertility clinic remains responsible for medical decisions and for determining whether a surrogate is medically approved for treatment.

Surrogate Matching With Clinic Compatibility in Mind

A potential match involves more than availability.

EDSI considers the intended parents’ preferences, the surrogate’s history and circumstances, location and travel considerations, communication expectations, and known fertility clinic requirements before the journey moves into formal clinic review.

Learn more about how EDSI helps intended parents find a surrogate.

Attorney Guided Legal Process

The surrogacy journey includes legal agreements and other legal steps handled by the appropriate reproductive law attorneys.

EDSI coordinates around that attorney guided legal process while keeping legal advice and representation with the attorneys responsible for it.

Independent Third Party Bonded Escrow

EDSI uses an independent third party bonded escrow provider for the financial administration of the surrogacy journey.

This keeps custody and administration of journey funds separate from EDSI’s role as the agency coordinating the process.

One Coordinated Path Toward Transfer

Intended parents who already have embryos may have completed an important part of family building, but there are still multiple professionals, approvals, documents, and milestones that must come together before embryo transfer.

EDSI’s role is to help keep those parts organized and moving in the correct sequence.

For a deeper explanation of this structure, see EDSI’s approach to protecting a surrogacy journey.

Frequently Asked Questions About Surrogacy With Existing Embryos

Your Embryos Are Ready. Let’s Talk About the Next Step.

If you already have embryos and are now looking for a gestational surrogate, EDSI can help you understand what needs to happen next.
We can discuss where your embryos are currently stored, the fertility clinic you are working with, your surrogate preferences, and the remaining steps required to move toward matching and embryo transfer.
Already have embryos and ready to move forward?

Schedule a Private Consultation

Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute
Beverly Hills, California 90210
Structured surrogacy coordination for intended parents in the United States and around the world.