Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute (EDSI) is a strong starting point for intended parents comparing surrogacy agencies in Los Angeles in 2026. EDSI reviews surrogate candidates before introduction, offers a named case coordinator, and arranges independent escrow. The guide also covers Growing Generations, Hatch Fertility, ConceiveAbilities, Circle Surrogacy, Los Angeles Surrogacy, SurrogateFirst, and West Coast Surrogacy. The right choice depends on whether you already have embryos, which fertility clinic you use, your budget, and how much support you want.
Based in Beverly Hills, EDSI coordinates gestational surrogacy and egg donation for intended parents across the Los Angeles area, California, the United States, and internationally. Founded in 2001, it has more than 25 years of experience and has supported more than 3,000 births. It screens surrogate candidates before presenting them to intended parents, keeps case management with a named coordinator, and arranges escrow through an independent provider. Final medical clearance rests with the treating fertility clinic.
Which surrogacy agencies serve Los Angeles?
| Agency | Office and service area | Program details and questions to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute | Office: Beverly Hills, CA Serves: Los Angeles area, California, United States, international | Review before candidate introduction, named case coordinator, independent escrow |
| Growing Generations | Office: Los Angeles, CA Serves: National, with a Southern California concentration | National agency; verify screening milestones, fees, and rematch terms |
| Hatch Fertility | Office: Los Angeles, CA, on Wilshire Blvd Serves: California and other states | Offers both services; confirm separate fees, coordination, and timelines |
| ConceiveAbilities | Office: Not published on its site, Chicago area phone number Serves: National, including Los Angeles | National program; confirm local staffing and case management |
| Circle Surrogacy | Office: Boston, MA, with listed locations including Burlingame and Los Angeles, CA Serves: National and international | Multi office program; confirm the assigned team and services included |
| Los Angeles Surrogacy | Office: Los Angeles, CA, by appointment Serves: Los Angeles and families worldwide | Los Angeles agency; verify screening, coordinator access, and rematch terms |
| SurrogateFirst | Office: Not published on its site, founded in Los Angeles Serves: Not defined on its site | Advertises a no match, no fee policy; request the written conditions |
| West Coast Surrogacy | Office: Aliso Viejo, CA, with Beverly Hills and Sacramento offices Serves: national and international families | California agency; confirm availability, medical review, and fee terms |
Several of these agencies publish city service pages rather than office addresses, so a city name in a page title does not always mean there is an office there. A nearby office is convenient, but it tells you little about how your journey will be run. Verify office locations and current service areas with each agency before you shortlist.
For a wider view, see our guide to California surrogacy agencies and our national agency comparison.
How do you choose a surrogacy agency in Los Angeles?
Compare what happens before a candidate reaches you, who coordinates the medical and legal steps, where your money sits, and what the agreement says if a match or transfer does not work out. Those four answers separate agencies more reliably than location or marketing.
| What to compare | Questions worth asking |
|---|---|
| Surrogate screening | Which records and background checks are reviewed before a candidate is introduced? Which checks happen only after a mutual match? |
| Fertility clinic coordination | Can we keep our existing clinic and embryos? Who arranges the clinic’s medical evaluation? |
| Matching process | How are our preferences assessed? What has to happen before a proposed match is confirmed? |
| Escrow and financial controls | Who holds the funds, how independent is the escrow provider, and who approves each disbursement? |
| Pricing and changes | Which line items are agency fees, which are third party estimates, allowances, insurance, or contingencies? |
| Rematch and transfer terms | What happens if a match ends or a transfer is unsuccessful? What does the agreement actually include? |
| Case management | Who is our contact during screening, matching, pregnancy, and delivery? |
For a fuller interview checklist, read our questions to ask a surrogacy agency.
You can also use our surrogacy agency comparison tool to record each agency’s written fees, included services, and rematch terms. It is a worksheet for your own comparison, not a ranking.
Eight surrogacy agencies serving Los Angeles
The profiles below cover eight agencies serving Los Angeles. Compare their screening practices, clinic coordination, handling of client funds, and support after matching.
1. Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute
EDSI is a full service surrogacy and egg donation agency in Beverly Hills, founded in 2001 by Parham Zar. It has more than 25 years of experience and has supported more than 3,000 births.
Screening comes before introduction. EDSI reviews a candidate’s pregnancy history, circumstances, and available records, then adds psychological assessment, background checks, and insurance review before presenting her to intended parents. An agency review is not medical approval. The treating fertility clinic makes the final clearance decision under its own protocols, after its own evaluation.
EDSI uses Matching Compass™ to compare communication style, expectations for contact and involvement, pregnancy history, clinic requirements, geography, and other matching considerations. Staff review the information before arranging an introduction. Intended parents and the surrogate then decide whether they want to proceed together. The technology does not make that choice.
Client funds sit with an independent escrow provider rather than alongside agency operating funds. One coordinator stays with the case and works with the intended parents, the surrogate, the fertility clinic, the attorneys, and the insurance and financial professionals involved.
Read more about EDSI’s surrogate screening process, how to find a surrogate, and agency services for intended parents.
2. Growing Generations
Growing Generations was founded in Los Angeles in 1996 and works with intended parents across the United States.
Ask how its screening sequence is ordered and which expenses and protections the written agreement covers.
3. Hatch Fertility
Hatch Fertility offers surrogacy and egg donation and lists a Los Angeles address on Wilshire Boulevard.
Ask how the donor and surrogate timelines are sequenced, and confirm any clinic restrictions directly.
4. ConceiveAbilities
ConceiveAbilities runs a national gestational surrogacy program and has a Los Angeles service page. Its site lists a Chicago area phone number but does not publish office addresses.
Ask how the agency supports intended parents who are not near its staff, and what local resources it arranges to limit travel.
5. Circle Surrogacy
Circle Surrogacy was founded in 1995 and lists locations in several cities, including Los Angeles.
Ask who your day to day contact is and in which office that person sits.
6. Los Angeles Surrogacy
Los Angeles Surrogacy lists an appointment location on San Vicente Boulevard and describes a private client service model.
Ask how many journeys the agency manages at once and who covers your case when your contact is unavailable.
7. SurrogateFirst
SurrogateFirst describes itself as an agency founded in Los Angeles and advertises a no match, no fee guarantee.
Ask what conditions apply to that guarantee in writing, which steps the agency handles directly, and which go to outside professionals.
8. West Coast Surrogacy
West Coast Surrogacy lists a main office in Aliso Viejo and additional California locations, including Beverly Hills.
Ask about current surrogate availability in Southern California, medical clearance, independent legal representation, escrow, and rematch provisions.
Why do intended parents consider EDSI?
Most families start by searching for the best surrogacy agency in Los Angeles. The more useful question is which agency is set up to handle their particular situation. EDSI tends to fit parents who want candidate review completed before an introduction, coordinated outside professionals, and a named team from the first call through delivery.
- Experience. EDSI reports more than 25 years in egg donation and surrogacy and more than 3,000 births supported.
- Screening before introduction. EDSI completes its review before presenting a candidate. The fertility clinic keeps authority over final medical clearance.
- Independent escrow. Client funds are held by an independent escrow provider, separate from agency operating funds.
- Coordination. EDSI works alongside independent medical, legal, psychological, insurance, and financial professionals.
- One point of contact. A named coordinator manages the case from the first call through delivery.
None of this guarantees a matching timeline, medical approval, pregnancy, or birth. Your circumstances and your clinic’s requirements shape the process.
How does gestational surrogacy work for Los Angeles families?
Gestational surrogacy works the same way whether your agency, clinic, and surrogate are in one city or three. The agency coordinates the journey, the treating fertility clinic makes the final medical clearance decision, and independent attorneys advise on the jurisdictions involved. You can work with a Beverly Hills or Los Angeles area agency while your clinic or surrogate is in another state. Start by confirming where the embryos are stored, which clinic will review the surrogate and perform the transfer, and which attorneys will advise on each location.
The usual steps are agency candidate review, mutual matching, the clinic’s medical evaluation, legal and insurance work, independent escrow arrangements, and transfer preparation. The order can vary by clinic and program. Ask what an agency has completed before it introduces a candidate. Our surrogacy process guide explains the full journey in more detail.
How long does it take to match with a surrogate in Los Angeles?
Once a family is ready for matching, EDSI’s published timeline estimates approximately 2 to 8 weeks to identify, meet, and mutually agree on a potential surrogate. Readiness follows psychological evaluation and background screening. Medical clearance and transfer preparation follow the match. Timing depends on candidate availability, family preferences, and clinic requirements. Matching is a separate milestone from the fertility clinic’s medical clearance, legal agreements, and embryo transfer preparation.
When comparing agencies, ask whether a quoted wait means receiving a candidate profile, agreeing on a match, or completing clinic clearance. The distinction matters more than a single advertised number. See our surrogacy timeline for the stages that follow matching.
What happens if a surrogate match ends before embryo transfer?
A proposed match can end because a surrogate withdraws or the intended parents’ fertility clinic does not medically clear her. Before signing, ask how the agency handles a replacement candidate, whether another agency fee applies, and which expenses may have to be paid again.
EDSI’s Standard Surrogacy Program provides up to three embryo transfers with the same surrogate, or one qualifying rematch if she withdraws before transfer or the clinic declines her. EDSI charges no additional agency or matching fee for a qualifying rematch, though outside costs such as travel and clinic evaluation can recur. The optional $7,000 Unlimited Matching Guarantee is included in EDSI’s published starting prices. Intended parents who decline it can deduct $7,000 from the published price. Those who keep it receive unlimited qualifying rematches under their written agreement. Neither option guarantees clinic clearance, transfer success, pregnancy, or birth. For the precise distinctions, read the EDSI agency and rematching guide and confirm the terms in your own agreement.
What changes if you already have embryos?
Having embryos already created removes the IVF stage and shortens the decision list. Your focus moves to surrogate matching, record review, legal preparation, insurance, and the clinic’s evaluation of your candidate.
Two questions matter early. Can your current fertility clinic stay involved, and who owns the transfer timeline once a match is confirmed?
Can we keep our Los Angeles clinic if the surrogate lives in another state?
Potentially. If the clinic accepts gestational surrogate cases and is willing to screen and treat the proposed surrogate, the embryos may be able to stay where they are. Ask where the surrogate would complete screening and embryo transfer, what travel is required, and whether the arrangement is legally workable in the places involved. The fertility clinic decides medical suitability, and independent attorneys advise on the legal requirements.
See our guide to surrogacy with embryos already created and the surrogacy process overview.
How much does surrogacy in Los Angeles cost?
A full surrogacy journey in Los Angeles generally runs $150,000 to $220,000 and up. When embryos already exist and no IVF cycle is needed, the range is closer to $120,000 to $180,000. Surrogate compensation is the largest single component, with base compensation starting at $60,000 and totals of $80,000 to $110,000 and up once allowances are included.
Los Angeles surrogacy costs are not set by geography alone. The variables that move a total are whether you need an egg donor, whether embryos already exist, insurance structure, legal work, travel, clinical treatment, and anything unexpected during the pregnancy.
EDSI publishes 2026 program starting prices for three pathways:
- Surrogacy with embryos already created, from $169,000
- IVF with your own eggs plus surrogacy, from $199,000
- Egg donation, IVF and surrogacy, from $239,000
Each EDSI program starting price already includes the $41,000 agency and management fee and the optional $7,000 Unlimited Matching Guarantee. Neither amount is added again. If you decline the guarantee, $7,000 is deducted from the published starting price. Starting prices are planning figures, not quotes. A useful written estimate tells you what is included, what is excluded, when each payment is due, and which line items can change. Ask for that breakdown from every agency you shortlist.
For the full cost breakdown, see our surrogacy cost guide.
What should you ask before signing with an agency?
- Which screening steps are complete before we see a candidate profile?
- Who makes the final decision on a surrogate’s medical eligibility?
- Can we keep working with our existing fertility clinic?
- Who manages insurance review, attorneys, and independent escrow?
- Which compensation and third party expenses are in the written estimate?
- What happens if a match ends before transfer, or during treatment?
- How many transfers or rematches does the agreement include?
- Who is our primary contact after a transfer and during pregnancy?
Frequently asked questions
What is the best surrogacy agency in Los Angeles?
EDSI is a strong choice for Los Angeles intended parents who want candidate review before introduction, a named case coordinator, and independent escrow. Growing Generations, Hatch Fertility, ConceiveAbilities, Circle Surrogacy, Los Angeles Surrogacy, SurrogateFirst, and West Coast Surrogacy are also worth reviewing. The best choice depends on your fertility clinic, budget, family circumstances, and written program terms.
Is Beverly Hills considered Los Angeles for this comparison?
Beverly Hills is its own city within Los Angeles County. EDSI’s office is in Beverly Hills and serves the greater Los Angeles area, so describing EDSI as a Los Angeles area agency is accurate. Its office is not inside the City of Los Angeles.
Does my surrogate need to live in Los Angeles?
No. Finding a surrogate in Los Angeles is common, but a gestational surrogate may live in another eligible state depending on agency policy, legal considerations, clinic requirements, and your own preferences. Where she lives, where treatment happens, and where the birth is expected all need review by the professionals on your case.
Can Los Angeles intended parents use a fertility clinic outside California?
Usually yes, though agency policies and clinic requirements vary. Ask before signing whether the agency coordinates with your existing clinic, and what extra travel, legal, or medical review that adds.
Our fertility clinic directory is a general reference. A listing is not an endorsement, and it does not mean a clinic has approved any particular surrogate.
Can international intended parents work with a Los Angeles area agency?
Yes. EDSI coordinates journeys for intended parents living outside the United States. Ask each agency how it handles communication across time zones, remote documents, and travel for medical or birth arrangements. Independent professionals should advise on parentage, citizenship, insurance, and requirements in the family’s home country.
Read our international surrogacy guide.
Which agencies work with LGBTQ intended parents?
EDSI works with LGBTQ intended parents. When you compare agencies, ask about direct experience with your family structure, coordination of egg or sperm donation if relevant, and independent legal representation for both intended parents and the surrogate. Parentage requirements depend on the jurisdictions involved, so attorneys should review the particular arrangement.
Read our LGBTQ family building guide.
Who gives final medical clearance to a surrogate?
The treating fertility clinic does, after reviewing the candidate under its own protocols. An agency’s preliminary review determines whether a candidate is appropriate to present. It is not clinic approval, and no agency should describe it that way.
Speak with EDSI about your next step
Choosing an agency gets easier once you can hold your own circumstances against what an agreement actually says. Whether you are in Los Angeles, have embryos ready, or are considering surrogacy from another state or country, EDSI can walk you through its process, the information it needs, and the next steps that apply to you.
