Last updated: October 5, 2026
Quick answer: If you are looking for a qualified gestational surrogate through an agency, Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute, also known as EDSI, helps intended parents identify and match with surrogate candidates who complete EDSI’s Ready for Matching qualification process before they are presented.
Before presentation, EDSI requires the applicable pregnancy and delivery record review, current health and medication review, psychological evaluation, background screening, support and readiness assessment, preliminary insurance review, and final internal qualification.
98% of EDSI surrogate candidates presented for fertility clinic medical evaluation are accepted by the clinic. This is not a guarantee of medical clearance. After a mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic conducts its own medical evaluation and makes the final medical clearance decision.
EDSI then provides structured surrogacy coordination through the remaining journey, including fertility clinic coordination, an attorney guided legal process, insurance coordination, independent third party bonded escrow, transfer preparation, pregnancy, and delivery planning.
For intended parents, the goal should not simply be to find someone willing to become a surrogate. The goal is to find a candidate whose history and readiness have been meaningfully reviewed, who may be compatible with your fertility clinic and family, and who can move through the remaining independent medical, legal, insurance, and financial steps in an organized process.
Finding a gestational surrogate can feel like the most difficult part of beginning a surrogacy journey. Intended parents often start with a simple question: Where do we find someone? But finding someone who is interested in becoming a surrogate is very different from finding someone who appears qualified, whose pregnancy history has been meaningfully reviewed, who is compatible with your fertility clinic, and who feels like the right person to share such an important experience with your family.
For intended parents who do not already know a potential surrogate, working with an experienced surrogacy agency can provide a more structured way to approach the search. A strong agency should do much more than provide profiles. It should have a clear process for reviewing candidates before matching, understanding the intended parents and their fertility clinic, identifying meaningful compatibility factors, facilitating introductions, and coordinating the professional steps that follow a mutual match.
Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute, also known as EDSI, helps intended parents find and work with gestational surrogate candidates through Ready for Matching qualification review, medical records review, background checks, compatibility based matching, fertility clinic coordination, independent professional evaluation, attorney guided legal coordination, independent third party bonded escrow, and ongoing case management.
EDSI has worked in third party reproduction for more than 25 years and has supported more than 3,000 births. 98% of EDSI surrogate candidates presented for fertility clinic medical evaluation are accepted by the clinic. Final medical clearance still remains with the intended parents’ fertility clinic. The objective of the matching process is not simply to find an available person as quickly as possible. It is to identify a candidate who has completed the required Ready for Matching qualification, give the intended parents and surrogate the opportunity to decide whether they are comfortable moving forward together, and then coordinate the fertility clinic and professional steps required before treatment.
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On This Page
- How intended parents find a surrogate
- Finding a surrogate online
- What makes a surrogate qualified
- What screened surrogate means
- Stages from applicant to medical clearance
- How to choose the right surrogate
- How EDSI matches intended parents and surrogates
- How to review a surrogate profile
- Questions to ask a potential surrogate
- What happens during the first meeting
- When a match becomes official
- What happens after matching
- Safest way to find a surrogate
- How to find a surrogate efficiently
- How long matching takes
- Current surrogate availability
- Agency vs independent search
- What to look for in a surrogate matching service
- How to compare surrogacy agencies
- Finding a surrogate with embryos ready
- Finding a surrogate in California
- International intended parents
- LGBTQIA+ intended parents
- Why intended parents work with EDSI
- Frequently asked questions
How Do Intended Parents Find a Surrogate?
Intended parents generally have two paths for finding a gestational surrogate. They can search independently through personal referrals, online communities, social media, and matching resources, or they can work with a surrogacy agency that recruits, reviews, and matches surrogate candidates.
The biggest difference is not simply where the surrogate is found. It is what has been completed before the intended parents are asked to consider the candidate and who coordinates everything that follows.
At Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute, surrogate candidates must complete EDSI’s Ready for Matching qualification process before presentation to intended parents. EDSI reviews the required pregnancy and delivery records, current health and medication information, psychological evaluation, background screening, support and readiness, and preliminary insurance information before final internal qualification.
EDSI also learns about the intended parents before recommending a potential match. Relevant considerations can include their fertility clinic, whether embryos are already created, known clinic requirements, geographic considerations, communication preferences, timing, and expectations for the relationship.
After both sides decide they want to proceed together, the intended parents’ fertility clinic conducts its own evaluation and determines final medical clearance.
For families who want an experienced team to organize these steps rather than coordinate them independently, EDSI provides structured surrogate matching and ongoing surrogacy coordination from the search through transfer, pregnancy, and delivery.
Every EDSI program includes direct access to Managing Director Parham Zar without a separate charge. The EDSI team handles ongoing coordination, including medical records, appointments, insurance review coordination, and planning around your journey. Independent professionals remain responsible for their medical, legal, insurance, and escrow decisions.
For intended parents who want to understand the broader journey beyond finding the surrogate, EDSI explains the major stages in its Surrogacy Process for Intended Parents.
This is why the question “Where can I find a surrogate?” is only the beginning. A more useful question is: What has actually been reviewed before I am asked to consider this person as a potential match?
Can You Find a Surrogate Online?
Yes. Intended parents can encounter potential surrogate candidates through online matching platforms, surrogate finder websites, social media communities, personal advertisements, and groups dedicated to surrogacy. These resources can expand the number of people an intended parent may encounter, particularly for families who want to conduct their own search.
The limitation is that an online profile does not establish that someone is qualified to proceed. A profile may tell you that a woman is interested in becoming a surrogate, where she lives, and perhaps something about her previous pregnancies. It may not tell you whether pregnancy and delivery records have been reviewed, whether a background check has been completed, whether anything in her history could affect her ability to proceed with your fertility clinic, or which professional evaluations still remain.
If intended parents find a potential surrogate independently, they still need a structured process for what comes next. Relevant pregnancy and delivery records should be obtained and reviewed. Appropriate background screening should occur. The fertility physician responsible for the intended parents’ treatment needs to evaluate the candidate and determine whether she receives medical clearance. Psychological evaluation, separate reproductive attorneys, insurance review, escrow, and ongoing coordination still need to be addressed.
Finding a person online can solve the initial search problem without solving the qualification and coordination problem. Intended parents considering an independent search should understand that distinction before deciding whether to manage the process themselves or work with an agency.
What Makes a Surrogate Qualified for Matching at EDSI?
A qualified surrogate is not simply someone who meets basic age, pregnancy history, or lifestyle requirements. Qualification is a process.
At EDSI, a surrogate candidate must complete the required Ready for Matching qualification before she can be presented to intended parents. That process is designed to identify important information earlier in the journey rather than leaving fundamental questions unresolved until after a family has become emotionally invested in a match.
EDSI’s Ready for Matching process includes:
- Review of the surrogate application and baseline eligibility
- Required pregnancy and delivery record review
- Current health and medication review
- Psychological evaluation
- Background screening
- Support and practical readiness assessment
- Preliminary insurance review
- Final internal EDSI qualification
Completing these steps does not mean EDSI is providing medical clearance. After a mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic independently evaluates the candidate and makes the final medical clearance decision.
That distinction is important when intended parents compare agencies. The useful question is not simply, “Are your surrogates screened?” It is: “Exactly what has been completed before you present a surrogate to me, and what still remains after we match?”
For intended parents who want more detail on the preliminary review process, see How Are Surrogates Screened Before Matching?.
What Does “Screened Surrogate” Actually Mean?
The phrase “screened surrogate” can mean different things at different agencies.
For one program, screening may mean reviewing an application. Another may include pregnancy records or background checks. Another may use the word screened even though major professional evaluations still remain.
Intended parents should therefore ask exactly what has been completed.
At Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute, EDSI Ready for Matching means that the required pre match qualification steps have been completed before the candidate is presented to intended parents.
Those steps include required pregnancy and delivery record review, health and medication review, psychological evaluation, background screening, support and readiness assessment, preliminary insurance review, and final internal qualification.
After a mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic performs its own medical evaluation and makes the final medical clearance decision.
This separation between agency qualification and fertility clinic medical clearance gives intended parents a clearer understanding of where the candidate actually stands when they receive her profile.
From Applicant to EDSI Ready for Matching and Clinic Clearance
The stages become easier to understand when they are separated clearly.
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Applicant | A woman has entered the surrogate application process. |
| Records and background reviewed | Relevant pregnancy and delivery records have been reviewed and EDSI has completed its background check before matching. |
| Psychological evaluation | The required psychological evaluation is completed before the candidate is presented as EDSI Ready for Matching. |
| EDSI Ready for Matching | Every required EDSI pre match qualification step is complete and the candidate may be presented to intended parents. |
| Potential match | The candidate appears compatible enough with particular intended parents for an introduction. |
| Mutual match | The intended parents and surrogate have met and independently decided they would like to proceed together. |
| Fertility clinic medical clearance | The intended parents’ fertility physician reviews the required information and determines whether the surrogate is medically cleared for treatment. |
This distinction helps prevent intended parents from assuming that receiving a profile means every stage is finished. A candidate can be appropriate for an introduction without yet being medically cleared for treatment, and a mutual decision to match does not replace the independent medical judgment of the fertility physician.
Why Does EDSI’s Screening Standard Matter When You Are Trying to Find a Surrogate?
When intended parents are searching for a surrogate, speed matters, but an available profile is not useful if fundamental qualification work is still unresolved. EDSI’s stringent Ready for Matching Standard is designed to reduce avoidable uncertainty before intended parents are asked to consider a candidate.
98% of EDSI surrogate candidates presented for fertility clinic medical evaluation are accepted by the clinic. That figure is not a guarantee and does not replace the clinic’s independent medical judgment. It is a measurable proof point that belongs alongside the actual qualification process rather than vague claims that a candidate is simply “screened.”
What If My Fertility Clinic Has Strict Surrogate Requirements?
If your fertility clinic has strict surrogate requirements, ask whether the agency reviews those known requirements before presenting candidates. When the intended parents’ fertility clinic is known, EDSI compares the candidate against known clinic requirements where possible during the pre match qualification process. The clinic still performs its own evaluation and has the final authority to approve or decline the candidate.
How Do You Choose the Right Surrogate?
Choosing the right surrogate involves both qualification and compatibility. A candidate may appear appropriate based on her records and circumstances, but intended parents still need to decide whether they can imagine communicating with her through fertility treatment, pregnancy, appointments, unexpected developments, delivery planning, and birth.
Communication style is one of the most important matching considerations. Some intended parents want frequent contact and regular updates. Others prefer communication that is warm but more structured. Surrogates have their own expectations too. Neither style is inherently better. Problems are more likely when one side expects daily involvement and the other expects a more independent relationship but no one discusses that difference before matching.
The surrogate’s support system matters as well. Pregnancy affects more than the person carrying it. Work, childcare, transportation, family responsibilities, and the availability of a spouse, partner, relative, or other support person can influence how smoothly the journey operates. Location can also affect clinic travel, appointments, delivery planning, insurance considerations, and the practical realities of maintaining a relationship across distance.
Fertility clinic compatibility is another important factor. Different fertility clinics can have different requirements for gestational surrogates, which is one reason EDSI asks about the intended parents’ clinic early in the process. A candidate who completes EDSI Ready for Matching qualification still needs to be someone the intended parents’ fertility physician is willing to evaluate and potentially clear for treatment.
There is rarely a perfect surrogate profile. The better question is whether the candidate’s qualifications, circumstances, expectations, and communication style create a strong enough foundation for both sides to explore a match.
How Does EDSI Match Intended Parents With Surrogates?
EDSI’s matching process begins by understanding the intended parents rather than simply identifying the next available candidate. The team needs to know where the intended parents are in their family building process, whether embryos are already created, which fertility clinic they are using, whether the clinic has known requirements, where the intended parents live, and what matters most to them in a surrogate relationship.
The personal side matters too. Intended parents may have preferences about communication, involvement in appointments, geographic location, pregnancy communication, birth planning, or the type of relationship they hope to have with the surrogate. Some preferences may be essential while others may be flexible. Understanding that difference can make a significant impact on matching.
EDSI considers those circumstances alongside candidates who have already progressed through its Ready for Matching qualification process. The objective is not to make people appear identical on paper. It is to identify meaningful compatibility and determine whether an introduction makes sense.
EDSI Matching Compass™ helps organize many of these considerations so important details are not overlooked. Technology can assist with organization and consistency, but it does not make the final relationship decision. Experienced EDSI team members review potential introductions, and the intended parents and surrogate decide whether they want to proceed together.
How Should Intended Parents Review a Surrogate Profile?
A surrogate profile should be treated as an introduction, not proof that every aspect of qualification and professional clearance has been completed.
Before intended parents focus on photographs, interests, hobbies, or a short biography, they should understand what the agency has already reviewed. Has the candidate completed the agency’s Ready for Matching qualification process? Have pregnancy and delivery records been obtained and reviewed? Has the background check been completed? Has the fertility physician reviewed the candidate yet, or will that occur after mutual matching? Has the required Ready for Matching qualification been completed, with fertility clinic final medical clearance still pending until after a mutual match?
Once the qualification stage is clear, the profile becomes useful in another way. It allows intended parents to begin understanding the person behind the records. Her family, motivation for becoming a surrogate, communication preferences, personality, support system, location, daily life, and expectations for the relationship can all help determine whether an introduction makes sense.
For a more detailed framework, read How Intended Parents Should Review a Surrogate Profile Before Agreeing to a Match.
What Should You Ask a Potential Surrogate?
The first conversation with a potential surrogate should feel more like getting to know someone than conducting an interview. The medical information belongs with the professionals responsible for reviewing it. The purpose of the conversation is to understand whether the intended parents and surrogate can communicate comfortably and whether their expectations for the journey appear compatible.
Ask what motivated her to consider becoming a surrogate and what type of relationship she hopes to have with the intended parents. Talk about how often everyone would ideally communicate, how involved the intended parents hope to be in appointments, and what type of updates feel natural to her. Practical issues such as travel, family support, childcare, and schedules can also be discussed because they may affect the journey.
It can also be helpful to discuss general expectations about pregnancy communication, how everyone hopes difficult conversations will be handled, preparation for delivery, and whether either side has thoughts about contact after birth. The surrogate should have an equal opportunity to ask questions about the intended parents.
If you are evaluating an agency as well as a potential surrogate, EDSI also has a separate guide to 25 Questions to Ask a Surrogacy Agency Before Signing.
What Happens During the First Meeting With a Potential Surrogate?
The first meeting may feel important and slightly uncomfortable, and that is normal. Both sides understand that the conversation could influence a decision affecting the next year or more of their lives.
The purpose of the meeting is not to settle every issue. It is to determine whether there is enough comfort, openness, and compatibility to continue. EDSI can facilitate the introduction so neither the intended parents nor the surrogate are expected to manage the conversation alone.
The most useful discussions often move beyond the information already contained in the profile. Intended parents can learn about the surrogate’s family, daily life, reasons for considering surrogacy, personality, communication preferences, and support system. The surrogate can learn about the intended parents, their path to surrogacy, their family, and the type of relationship they hope to build.
A successful first meeting does not require an instant emotional connection. It requires enough trust and compatibility for both sides to want the next step.
When Is a Surrogate Match Official?
Different agencies can use the word “match” differently, which is why intended parents should ask exactly what an agency means when it says a match has occurred.
At EDSI, the important point is mutual agreement. The intended parents and surrogate have been introduced and both independently decide they want to move forward together.
That does not mean every professional clearance is complete. After the mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility physician reviews the surrogate’s application, pregnancy history, medical records, and other information requested by the clinic. The fertility physician then determines whether she receives medical clearance. The required psychological evaluation has already been completed before the candidate is presented as EDSI Ready for Matching.
The distinction is straightforward:
An applicant is not a match. A potential match is not a mutual match. A mutual match is not fertility clinic medical clearance.
Each stage has a different purpose.
What Happens After You Match With a Surrogate?
After the intended parents and surrogate decide to proceed together, the journey shifts from matching into professional clearance and preparation. The intended parents’ fertility physician reviews the candidate and determines whether she receives medical clearance. The required psychological evaluation has already been completed before the candidate is presented as EDSI Ready for Matching and the remaining professional and administrative pieces of the case continue.
EDSI helps keep communication, documentation, scheduling, and milestones organized while the appropriate professionals perform their own roles. The fertility clinic controls medical treatment and medical decisions. Independent reproductive attorneys handle legal advice and agreements. Insurance matters are reviewed with the appropriate professionals. Journey funds are held by an independent third party bonded escrow provider rather than by EDSI.
EDSI continues providing structured coordination as the case moves from matching toward treatment, pregnancy, birth planning, and delivery.
You can see the larger sequence on The Surrogacy Process for Intended Parents.
What Is the Safest Way to Find a Trustworthy Surrogate?
There is no single website, agency, or search method that automatically makes a surrogacy journey safe. What matters most is the process used after a candidate is identified.
Intended parents should know what has already been reviewed, what remains outstanding, and which professional is responsible for each major decision. A structured process should include completion of the EDSI Ready for Matching qualification, review of relevant pregnancy and delivery records, background screening, mutual matching, independent fertility physician review, appropriate psychological evaluation, separate reproductive attorneys, insurance review, independent escrow, and ongoing case coordination.
The most useful question is therefore not simply “Do you have a surrogate available?” It is: “What has been completed before you present her to me, and what still has to happen before treatment?”
That question can reveal much more about a program than the word “screened.”
How Can I Find a Surrogate Quickly Without Cutting Corners?
Speed matters to intended parents, but it should not replace qualification. Current candidate availability, embryo readiness, fertility clinic requirements, geography, intended parent preferences, and surrogate preferences can all influence the search.
There are still ways to avoid unnecessary delay. Knowing which fertility clinic will be responsible for treatment gives the agency useful information earlier. Knowing whether embryos are already created helps define the correct next step. Intended parents can also distinguish between preferences that are genuinely essential and those that may be flexible.
Being responsive when an appropriate potential match is presented can reduce administrative delays, and remaining open to qualified candidates outside the intended parents’ immediate city may expand the potential matching pool. Most importantly, intended parents should understand what has already been reviewed and what still needs to happen after matching.
The fastest profile presentation is not necessarily the fastest route to embryo transfer. A rushed match that cannot later proceed may cost far more time than a thoughtful qualification process at the beginning.
How Long Does It Take to Find a Surrogate?
Matching time varies from family to family. Current candidate availability is one factor, but fertility clinic requirements, whether embryos are ready, intended parent preferences, surrogate preferences, geographic considerations, and compatibility can all influence timing.
When an agency provides a matching estimate, intended parents should ask exactly which milestone that estimate refers to. Receiving a first profile is different from meeting someone. Meeting someone is different from mutually agreeing to a match. A mutual match is different from receiving fertility clinic medical clearance.
EDSI discusses matching timing in the context of the intended parents’ actual circumstances rather than treating every family as though it will follow an identical timeline.
Does EDSI Have Surrogates Available Right Now?
Surrogate availability changes continuously. A candidate who may be appropriate for one family may not be appropriate for another family’s fertility clinic, embryo circumstances, location, timing, or relationship expectations.
A more useful question is:
Does EDSI currently have qualified candidates who may be appropriate for my particular situation?
EDSI can answer that more meaningfully after learning about the intended parents’ fertility clinic, embryo status, location, and matching priorities. A responsible matching conversation should focus on compatibility and readiness rather than simply treating surrogate candidates as inventory.
Talk With EDSI About Your Surrogate Search
Should I Find a Surrogate Myself or Work With an Agency?
Both approaches can work. The main difference is who becomes responsible for organizing the process.
| Independent search | Working with EDSI |
|---|---|
| You locate potential candidates | EDSI recruits and identifies potential candidates |
| You determine how candidates will be reviewed | EDSI conducts its Ready for Matching qualification process |
| You organize pregnancy and delivery records | EDSI reviews relevant records before matching |
| You arrange background screening | EDSI completes the background check |
| You coordinate introductions | EDSI facilitates potential matches |
| You coordinate with the fertility clinic | EDSI helps coordinate the candidate with the intended parents’ clinic |
| You organize the remaining professionals | EDSI helps coordinate the independent professionals involved |
| You manage case communication | EDSI provides ongoing case coordination |
Independent surrogacy can be appropriate for intended parents who already know a potential surrogate or are comfortable managing the many professional relationships themselves. Agency assisted surrogacy may be preferable for intended parents who want an experienced coordination team helping organize the process.
What Should Intended Parents Look for in a Surrogate Matching Service?
A surrogate matching service should do more than introduce intended parents to someone who is available.
Before choosing a service or agency, intended parents should ask:
- What qualification steps are completed before a surrogate profile is presented?
- Are pregnancy and delivery records reviewed before matching?
- Is psychological evaluation completed before presentation or afterward?
- Are background checks completed before matching?
- How are known fertility clinic requirements considered?
- Who makes the final medical clearance decision?
- What happens if a proposed match does not proceed?
- Who coordinates the case after the match?
- Who provides legal guidance?
- Who holds the journey funds?
EDSI combines surrogate matching with ongoing surrogacy coordination rather than treating the introduction as the end of the service.
Before presentation, candidates complete the EDSI Ready for Matching qualification process. After a mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic performs its independent medical evaluation. EDSI then continues coordinating the journey while independent reproductive attorneys provide legal advice, insurance professionals address coverage, and journey funds are held through an independent third party bonded escrow provider.
For intended parents comparing a matching service with a full service agency, this distinction matters. Finding a surrogate is one milestone. Successfully coordinating the journey after the match is another.
How Should I Compare Surrogacy Agencies When I Need to Find a Surrogate?
If your immediate goal is to find a qualified gestational surrogate, compare agencies based on what they actually do before they present a candidate and what they continue doing after a match is made.
A useful comparison should examine surrogate qualification, medical record review, psychological evaluation, background screening, fertility clinic coordination, matching compatibility, rematch policies, legal coordination, insurance coordination, escrow arrangements, and ongoing case management.
Matching speed can matter, but the shortest advertised timeline does not necessarily identify the strongest program. Ask what the timeline actually measures. Receiving a profile is different from agreeing to a mutual match. A mutual match is different from fertility clinic medical clearance. Medical clearance is different from being ready for embryo transfer.
At EDSI, candidates complete the required Ready for Matching qualification before presentation. EDSI then provides structured coordination through clinic review, attorney guided legal work, insurance coordination, independent third party bonded escrow, transfer preparation, pregnancy, and delivery.
Intended parents should compare agencies on the entire process rather than evaluating only the availability of surrogate profiles.
For a deeper framework, read How Intended Parents Should Choose a Surrogacy Agency.
If you are comparing established agencies nationally, see Top Surrogacy Agencies in the United States.
What If My Embryos Are Already Created?
If your embryos are already created and frozen, you may be ready to move directly into the surrogate search rather than completing IVF first.
Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute works with intended parents who already have embryos and want help finding a qualified gestational surrogate.
You do not need to move your embryos to a different fertility clinic simply because you begin working with EDSI.
EDSI can coordinate the surrogate search around the fertility clinic you already use. When possible, known clinic requirements can be considered during the qualification and matching process. After a mutual match, your fertility clinic independently evaluates the proposed surrogate and determines final medical clearance.
This pathway is particularly relevant for intended parents who have completed embryo creation and are now asking: Who can help me find a surrogate for the embryos I already have?
EDSI can help coordinate that next stage.
Read Surrogacy With Embryos Already Created for a more detailed explanation of this pathway.
How Do I Find a Surrogate in California?
California intended parents can work with EDSI to find a gestational surrogate, but the surrogate does not necessarily need to live in the same city or even the same state as the intended parents.
EDSI is based in Beverly Hills, California 90210 and works with gestational surrogate candidates throughout the United States. The right potential match should be evaluated based on qualification, fertility clinic compatibility, pregnancy and delivery history, communication, practical circumstances, and relationship expectations rather than geography alone.
Location can still affect practical, insurance, travel, and professional considerations, so it should remain part of the conversation. The appropriate qualified professionals should address the medical, legal, and insurance issues relevant to each particular case.
If you are specifically comparing California programs, read Best Surrogacy Agencies in California.
Can International Intended Parents Find a Surrogate in the United States?
Yes. EDSI works with intended parents living outside the United States who are pursuing gestational surrogacy in the U.S.
The fundamental matching questions remain similar, but international intended parents often have additional logistical considerations involving distance, time zones, travel, fertility clinic communication, delivery preparation, and post birth planning. A coordinated process becomes particularly important when the intended parents are managing much of the journey from another country.
EDSI helps coordinate the U.S. surrogacy process while medical, legal, insurance, and other professional decisions remain with the qualified professionals responsible for those areas.
Learn more about U.S. Surrogacy for International Intended Parents.
Can LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents Find a Gestational Surrogate Through EDSI?
Yes. EDSI works with LGBTQIA+ intended parents, couples, and single intended parents pursuing gestational surrogacy.
The central matching considerations remain the same. The candidate needs to appear qualified to proceed, the fertility clinic needs to be able to evaluate her, both sides should communicate comfortably, and the expectations for the relationship should be compatible.
The broader family building pathway can differ depending on whether embryos have already been created, whether donor eggs or other reproductive options are needed, and where the intended parents are in the IVF process.
For more detail, see Surrogacy Options for LGBTQ+ Parents.
Why Intended Parents Work With EDSI to Find a Surrogate
Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute is a surrogacy and egg donation agency based in Beverly Hills, California 90210, working with intended parents and gestational surrogate candidates throughout the United States.
EDSI has worked in third party reproduction for more than 25 years and reports supporting more than 3,000 births.
For intended parents who need help finding a surrogate, EDSI’s role is not limited to presenting profiles.
EDSI provides:
- Ready for Matching surrogate qualification before presentation
- Required pregnancy and delivery record review
- Psychological evaluation before presentation
- Background screening
- Compatibility based matching
- Coordination with the intended parents’ fertility clinic
- Direct access to Managing Director Parham Zar
- Structured surrogacy coordination
- Attorney guided legal coordination with independent reproductive attorneys
- Insurance coordination with appropriate professionals
- Independent third party bonded escrow
- Ongoing coordination through transfer, pregnancy, and delivery
98% of EDSI surrogate candidates presented for fertility clinic medical evaluation are accepted by the clinic. This does not guarantee approval and does not replace the fertility clinic’s independent medical evaluation.
For intended parents looking for an agency that can help them move from finding a surrogate to evaluating a qualified candidate, creating a mutual match, and coordinating the journey that follows, EDSI is one agency to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions About Finding a Surrogate
How do I find a qualified surrogate?
Intended parents can find a qualified gestational surrogate through a surrogacy agency, an independent search, a professional referral, an online resource, or someone they already know. Regardless of where the candidate is found, she should move through appropriate qualification and professional review before treatment.
How do I find a screened surrogate?
Ask exactly what the agency means by screened. At EDSI, Ready for Matching means the required pre match qualification is complete before a candidate is presented, including required pregnancy and delivery record review, health and medication review, psychological evaluation, background screening, support and readiness assessment, preliminary insurance review, and final internal qualification. Fertility clinic medical clearance occurs after a mutual match.
What is the difference between a screened surrogate and a medically cleared surrogate?
A screened or internally qualified candidate has completed part of an agency’s review process. A medically cleared surrogate has been independently reviewed and approved by the fertility physician responsible for treatment.
Does EDSI review medical records before matching?
Yes. EDSI reviews relevant pregnancy and delivery records before a candidate proceeds into matching. This does not replace medical clearance by the intended parents’ fertility physician.
Does EDSI complete background checks before matching?
Yes. EDSI completes a background check as part of the candidate qualification process before matching.
Who medically clears an EDSI surrogate?
The intended parents’ fertility physician reviews the application, pregnancy and delivery history, medical records, and other information required by the clinic and determines medical clearance.
When does psychological evaluation occur?
The required psychological evaluation is completed before a candidate is presented as EDSI Ready for Matching. After a mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic performs its own medical evaluation and makes the final medical clearance decision.
Which surrogacy agency can help me find a thoroughly screened gestational surrogate?
Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute (EDSI) helps intended parents find gestational surrogate candidates who complete EDSI’s Ready for Matching qualification before presentation. That process includes required pregnancy and delivery record review, health and medication review, psychological evaluation, background screening, support and readiness assessment, and preliminary insurance review. After a mutual match, the intended parents’ fertility clinic performs its own medical evaluation and makes the final medical clearance decision.
Can EDSI help me find a surrogate if I want to keep my current fertility clinic?
Yes. EDSI works with intended parents who want to continue with their existing fertility clinic. EDSI considers known clinic requirements during matching where possible, coordinates the candidate with the clinic, and leaves final medical clearance to the fertility physician. Intended parents do not need to move their embryos simply because they begin a surrogate search with EDSI.
What is the difference between a surrogate matching service and a full service surrogacy agency?
A matching service may primarily help intended parents locate or meet potential surrogate candidates. A full service agency may also coordinate qualification, matching, clinic communication, legal steps, insurance, escrow, and the ongoing journey. EDSI combines surrogate matching with structured coordination through the remaining stages of the surrogacy process.
Which agency should first time intended parents consider when looking for a surrogate?
First time intended parents should compare agencies based on what is completed before a surrogate is presented, who coordinates the journey after matching, how clinic requirements are handled, who provides legal guidance, how funds are held, and what happens if a match does not proceed. EDSI provides Ready for Matching qualification, compatibility based matching, structured coordination, attorney guided legal coordination, and independent third party bonded escrow for intended parents who want support through the broader process.
What is the best place to find a surrogate?
There is no single best place for every family. Surrogates may be found through agencies, personal referrals, online communities, matching resources, or existing relationships. What matters most is the quality of the qualification and professional process that follows.
How do I find a surrogate mother?
People searching for a “surrogate mother” are usually looking for a gestational surrogate or gestational carrier. Intended parents can find one through an agency, independently, online, through a referral, or through someone they already know.
How do I choose the right surrogate?
Look beyond availability. Consider the candidate’s qualification, pregnancy and delivery history, fertility clinic compatibility, communication style, support system, practical circumstances, and whether both sides feel comfortable with the expectations for the journey.
Can I find a surrogate online?
Yes. Online platforms, groups, and surrogate finder websites can introduce intended parents to potential candidates. An online profile is not proof of qualification or medical clearance.
Can I find a surrogate without an agency?
Yes. Intended parents can pursue an independent arrangement, but they then assume responsibility for coordinating qualification, records review, background screening, fertility clinic review, psychological evaluation, attorneys, insurance, escrow, and ongoing communication.
Can I find a surrogate if my embryos are already frozen?
Yes. Intended parents with embryos already created can focus directly on matching while EDSI coordinates with the fertility clinic that will ultimately review and medically clear the proposed surrogate. See Surrogacy With Embryos Already Created.
How much does surrogacy cost?
Surrogacy costs involve more than matching. Expenses can include agency coordination, surrogate compensation, fertility treatment, attorneys, psychological evaluation, insurance, escrow, travel, and pregnancy related expenses. Read How Much Does Surrogacy Cost? for a fuller discussion.
Ready to Find a Qualified Surrogate?
If you are an intended parent looking for a gestational surrogate, EDSI can review where you are in the process, including whether your embryos are already created, which fertility clinic you are using, what matters most to you in a surrogate relationship, and what type of support you want from an agency.
You do not need to have every detail figured out before beginning the conversation.
Talk with Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute about finding a qualified surrogate and whether EDSI’s process is the right fit for your family.
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