Intended Parents FAQs

Deciding to build your family through surrogacy raises real questions, and you deserve clear answers before you commit to anything. Pathways guides intended parents across the Midwest and beyond, with the honesty and support that make each decision feel manageable. Below are straightforward answers to what families ask us most.

Do you work with same-sex couples and single parents pursuing surrogacy?

Pathways to Parenthood welcomes every route to parenthood, including same-sex couples, single mothers and fathers by choice, and couples who have spent years in fertility treatment. Surrogacy at Pathways is built around clinical circumstances and family goals, not marital status or family structure. If you are wondering whether your situation fits, the honest answer is that it almost certainly does, and a first consultation is the place to confirm the specifics for your family.

What screening does a surrogate complete before we are matched?

Every surrogate you are presented with at Pathways to Parenthood has had initial medical/pregnancy clearance, psychological screening, background checks, and insurance policy reviews before her profile reaches you, with standards that follow American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidance. You receive the information that matters most  for your decision about matching with a qualified surrogate.  Vetting happens up front, so the choice in front of you is about fit and connection, not whether she qualifies. Although full medical clearance is provided by your fertility clinic after matching, Pathways thorough screening process offers peace of mind that preliminary screening leads to qualified surrogate candidates  that meet clinic screening requirements.

Can we choose our own surrogate?

Matching at Pathways to Parenthood is a mutual decision. Intended parents review profiles of prescreened surrogates, share  profile information  about their own family, and have real input on who they move forward with, while the surrogate also chooses whether your family feels right to her. That mutual  agreement is what carries the relationship through 12-plus months together. Matching is the most flexible and variable  stage of the process, so your preferences and current availability both shape how quickly the right fit comes together.

What medical testing do intended parents complete before an embryo transfer?

Intended parents who provide eggs or sperm typically complete infectious disease screening that follows FDA guidelines, and most clinics also recommend genetic carrier screening and a review of your reproductive history. If you are using donor eggs, donor sperm, or donor embryos, the donor is screened to those same standards rather than you. Your fertility clinic defines the exact panel and timing, since requirements vary by clinic and by whose gametes are used. Pathways coordinates the surrogate side of the medical clearance process  so your clinic has what it needs to schedule the transfer.

Do you transfer one embryo or two?

Single embryo transfer is the standard Pathways to Parenthood and most fertility clinics follow, in line with American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidance. Transferring one healthy embryo at a time protects both the surrogate and the baby, because twin and higher-order pregnancies carry meaningfully higher risks of preterm birth, high blood pressure, and delivery complications. Some intended parents hope a double transfer will improve their odds, and your clinic will talk through why a single transfer is usually the safer route to a healthy pregnancy. The final medical decision of doing either a 1 of 2 embryo transfer comes down to your fertility clinic and its evaluation of your embryos.

What happens if the first embryo transfer does not result in pregnancy?

A first embryo transfer that does not result in pregnancy is always difficult to consider and to experience. Since it is always a possibility,  intended parents and clinics have a plan for it from the start. If you have additional embryos, your fertility clinic will review the cycle, adjust the medication protocol where needed, and schedule another transfer with your same surrogate, often within a couple of menstrual cycles. If no embryos remain, the conversation turns to another retrieval or donor options before scheduling again. Pathways stays with you through the reset, coordinating the surrogate side and the timeline so you are not managing logistics alone during a difficult stretch.

What are the laws regarding surrogacy?

Surrogacy law in the United States is set state by state rather than by a single national statute, and the state where your surrogate delivers usually governs how parentage is handled. Many states, including Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Ohio, and other midwest states where Pathways to Parenthood works, have established frameworks that support family building through gestational surrogacy, while some states offer little statutory guidance. Because the legal picture varies, working with an attorney experienced in assisted reproduction is what keeps your agreement enforceable and your parentage secure. You can review the laws state-by-state to better understand your right when it comes to surrogate parenting.

How are our parental rights established?

Parental rights in gestational surrogacy are established through the courts and handled by your legal team as part of the journey, not something you do yourself. Depending on the state where your baby is born, your attorney secures either a pre-birth order, which names you as the legal parents before delivery, or a post-birth order shortly after. Your surrogate is represented by her own independent attorney throughout, which keeps the agreement free of conflicts of interest and holds up if it is ever questioned. It is important to know what the agreement includes and why experienced counsel matters.

Is surrogacy covered by insurance?

Whether insurance covers a surrogate pregnancy depends on the specific surrogate you match with and the language in her policy, so there is no single answer before matching begins. Some policies cover a surrogate pregnancy and leave you responsible for copays and deductibles, while others exclude it, in which case a specialty or marketplace policy is purchased to cover prenatal care and delivery. Pathways reviews each surrogate candidate’s insurance during screening and tells you what it finds.  Coverage of pregnancy medical expenses when an exclusion exists in a surrogate’s insurance policy is one of the largest swing factors in a total budget. Knowing all of the surrogacy costs, including  surrogacy maternity insurance potential expenses will be beneficial in planning to become an intended parent.

How often will we communicate with our surrogate?

Communication preferences are something you and your surrogate discuss early in the matching process. Most matches settle into a comfortable baseline of a check-in around each major appointment plus lighter contact in between by text or a shared app. Some intended parents and surrogates talk weekly and grow close; others keep it warm but lighter. What matters is that both sides set expectations before contracts are signed, which is part of what the psychological consultation and joint session are for. There is no correct amount, only the amount that works for all parties in the match.

Which appointments and milestones should we plan to attend in person?

Intended parents are not expected at every appointment, and a handful of moments are worth planning to attend in person when you can:

• The embryo transfer, scheduled well in advance so you can arrange travel
• The major anatomy ultrasound around twenty weeks
• The birth itself

Everything else, including routine prenatal visits, is generally handled by your surrogate and her OB, with updates shared afterward. Pathways helps build a birth plan ahead of delivery so hospital staff, your surrogate, and you are aligned on the day. The surrogacy process and where each milestone falls in the timeline will provide an accurate picture of the journey to expect as an intended parent.

What say do we have over our surrogate’s lifestyle during pregnancy?

Day-to-day medical decisions during the pregnancy are guided by your surrogate and her OB/GYN, not by rules intended parents set. The legal agreement does cover shared health commitments both sides accept ahead of time, such as following medical advice and keeping appointments, and those are agreed to together before anyone signs. Past that, a surrogate keeps autonomy over her own body and daily life, and the strongest matches are ones where trust makes micromanagement unnecessary. If specific lifestyle expectations matter to you, raising them during matching is far better than after, so both sides can decide whether the fit is right.

What are the advantages of using a surrogacy agency like Pathways to Parenthood?

A surrogacy agency manages the parts of gestational surrogacy that are easy to underestimate: finding and screening a qualified surrogate, coordinating between your fertility clinic and her OB, keeping legal and financial steps in order, and supporting both sides through the pregnancy. Pathways to Parenthood prescreens every surrogate candidate, matches on genuine fit rather than a checklist alone, and stays involved from the first consultation through delivery. Independent arrangements can look cheaper at the start, but delays, coverage surprises, and missed steps often make that path longer and more expensive than an agency journey.

Still deciding if becoming an intended parent is right for you?

A free, private consultation answers the questions specific to your family better than another hour of reading. To get started call (913) 469-5500 or complete our  intended parent registration form.

Additional Information for Future Parents

• How Much Does Surrogacy Cost?
• Surrogacy Services and Fees
• Surrogate Pre-Screening
• Legal Considerations
• Frequently Asked Questions