Surrogacy FAQs
Surrogacy & Egg Donation FAQs for Intended Parents, Surrogates & Egg Donors
Our surrogacy and egg donation FAQs answer the most common questions from intended parents, prospective gestational surrogates, and egg donors. Whether you’re exploring gestational surrogacy to grow your family, considering becoming a surrogate, or learning about egg donor requirements and the donation process, you’ll find helpful information about eligibility, screening, matching, compensation, costs, and fertility clinic procedures. Since 2010, Creative Love has helped families grow through gestational surrogacy and egg donation. As a Florida-based surrogacy and egg donation agency serving families nationwide and internationally, we provide personalized guidance throughout every step of the family-building journey. Don’t see the answer to your question? Simply reach out to our team. We’re always happy to help!
FAQs for Gestational Surrogates on Surrogacy and Egg Donation
Becoming a surrogate asks a great deal of you, and we want you to go into it with your eyes open. These answers walk through eligibility, the screening process, compensation, and what your relationship with your intended parents can look like once you are matched.
Women choose surrogacy for many meaningful reasons. Many genuinely enjoy pregnancy and feel a deep desire to help others experience the joy of parenthood. For some, surrogacy is a chance to make a lasting difference in another family’s life while receiving generous compensation that can help support their own family’s goals. In our experience, the most rewarding journeys begin with women who are truly passionate about helping others build their families.
No. Creative Love welcomes qualified gestational surrogates who reside in Florida and throughout other surrogacy-friendly states across the United States. Our Florida-based surrogacy agency works with fertility clinics nationwide, allowing surrogates to complete many medical monitoring appointments close to home. Travel may be required for fertility clinic screening, embryo transfer, and other necessary appointments. We coordinate all required travel arrangements, and intended parents cover approved travel expenses, including transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, and companion travel when applicable. Our goal is to make your gestational surrogacy journey as convenient, comfortable, and well-supported as possible, regardless of where you live.
Your first step is to complete our online surrogate application. Once we review it, a Creative Love surrogate coordinator will call you for a first phone interview, followed by a more detailed questionnaire about your pregnancy history, health, and preferences. Depending on where you live in Florida, we will then arrange an in-person or virtual interview to talk through the surrogacy process, answer your questions, and guide you through the next steps.
An experienced agency gives you guidance, protection, and support at every step. We help you with matching, compensation, legal agreements, insurance coverage, and payment schedules, so nothing important is left to chance. Our team acts as your advocate, coordinating with fertility clinics, independent attorneys, and insurance professionals to protect your interests. Whether this is your first journey or your third, we are here to answer your questions and make the experience as smooth and rewarding as possible.
To qualify for our Florida surrogacy program, you must meet these basic requirements:
Be between 21 and 40 years old.
Live in Florida or another surrogate friendly state
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Have given birth to at least one healthy child.
Have experienced at least one full-term pregnancy and delivery.
Have a history of generally uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries.
Have had no more than two previous C-sections.
Have a BMI of 32 or below.
Be a nonsmoker and free from recreational drug use.
Be emotionally prepared and have a stable support system.
Be willing to complete medical, psychological, and background screening.
Every applicant goes through a comprehensive screening process, and final medical eligibility is decided by the intended parents’ fertility clinic. Our surrogate requirements page explains each qualification in more detail.
Yes. To qualify as a gestational surrogate in Florida or another surrogacy-friendly state, you must have previously given birth to at least one healthy baby following a successful pregnancy. This important surrogate requirement helps fertility clinics evaluate your pregnancy and delivery history, assess potential medical risks, and determine your eligibility for gestational surrogacy. It also provides intended parents with greater confidence throughout their surrogacy journey.
Yes. Many women with previous C-sections can still qualify to become gestational surrogates. Our program generally accepts applicants with no more than two previous C-sections. We carefully review your pregnancy and delivery records, and your fertility clinic will evaluate your uterine health to determine whether another pregnancy is medically appropriate. Most fertility clinics recommend waiting approximately 12 months after your last delivery before an embryo transfer, depending on your medical history.
Yes. Your weight and body mass index (BMI) are important factors in determining your eligibility to become a gestational surrogate. Our surrogacy program generally requires a BMI of 32 or below to help reduce pregnancy complications and support a healthy pregnancy. Fertility clinics may have additional BMI requirements. If your BMI is slightly above 32, we encourage you to contact us. We can review your qualifications and discuss the steps you may need to take before applying to become a surrogate in Florida or another surrogacy-friendly state.
Certain medical conditions, previous pregnancy complications, or not meeting surrogate eligibility requirements may disqualify you from becoming a gestational surrogate. Our comprehensive surrogate screening process includes reviewing your medical history, pregnancy and delivery records, and psychological health. Potential concerns include gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, placental abruption, preterm labor or delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). These conditions do not always result in automatic disqualification. Each applicant is evaluated individually, and final medical eligibility is determined by the fertility clinic based on your health history and medical screening results.
Yes, a previous miscarriage does not automatically disqualify you. Your eligibility depends on your pregnancy history, the circumstances of the miscarriage, and your overall reproductive health. A fertility specialist will review your medical records to decide whether you meet the medical requirements for surrogacy.
A history of depression does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a gestational surrogate. Eligibility depends on your mental health history, previous treatment, current emotional well-being, and psychological stability. Our surrogate screening process includes a comprehensive psychological evaluation and review of your medical and mental health history. For the health and emotional well-being of our surrogates, our program does not accept applicants who are currently taking medication to treat depression. Your mental health and safety are our highest priorities, and you should never stop taking prescribed medication to meet surrogate eligibility requirements. Final approval is determined through psychological screening and fertility clinic evaluation.
You will need to stop breastfeeding and have at least two consecutive menstrual cycles before your medical screening at the fertility clinic. That said, we never encourage anyone to stop breastfeeding early to become a surrogate, so enjoy that bonding time. While you are still nursing, we can begin gathering your birth records and complete several early steps, so you are ready to move forward when you finish.
Yes. Having an intrauterine device (IUD) does not disqualify you from becoming a gestational surrogate. You can begin the surrogate application and screening process while your IUD is still in place, including a review of your pregnancy and delivery records. Once your initial qualifications are approved, your hormonal or non-hormonal IUD must be removed before fertility treatment. Most fertility clinics prefer that you complete two full menstrual cycles after removal before your initial medical evaluation. Your OB/GYN may recommend an alternative form of birth control to prevent an unplanned pregnancy and help manage your menstrual cycle before IVF and embryo transfer. Your fertility clinic will determine the appropriate timing based on your individual medical history.
No. Many single mothers become surrogates with Creative Love. What matters most is that you have a good support system around you. You cannot, however, be separated or going through a divorce.
Every potential surrogate completes a comprehensive, multi-step screening process before she is introduced to intended parents. Screening includes personal interviews, a review of your pregnancy and delivery records, medical lab testing, a current Pap smear, infectious disease screening, national background checks, and a psychological evaluation with a qualified professional, which your spouse or partner will also attend. We also complete an in-home or virtual home visit to understand your living environment and support system, and additional specialist clearances may be required when medically indicated. Every surrogate must also receive final medical clearance from the intended parents’ fertility clinic before an embryo transfer.
Average match time runs around 30 days once you are accepted into our program, though this can vary based on your preferences, your location relative to the intended parents’ fertility clinic, and how quickly insurance and other details come together. We never rush a match simply for speed, since a well-matched relationship makes the entire journey easier for you.
You will complete an in-depth questionnaire about your values, your preferences, and the kind of relationship you want with intended parents, and we compare it against the profiles of intended parents actively working with us. When we see a strong potential match on both sides, we share profiles and, if there is mutual interest, set up an introductory meeting before anything is final. You always have a say in who you are matched with.
Yes. Once we identify a potential match on both sides, we arrange an introductory meeting, either at our office or by video call, before either of you commits to moving forward. This gives you both the chance to ask direct questions and get a real feel for each other before signing anything.
Once both sides agree to move forward, we send your medical records and screening information to the intended parents’ fertility clinic for preapproval. You then attend a new patient appointment at that clinic for your medical evaluation and testing, and the reproductive endocrinologist decides whether you are cleared to proceed. Once you are cleared, your attorney and the intended parents’ attorney prepare the gestational surrogacy agreement. After the agreement is signed and the trust account is funded, the clinic sets your treatment calendar and your nurse walks you through the medications leading up to your embryo transfer.
Many clinics start with Lupron, and sometimes birth control pills, to prepare your cycle. Estrogen follows, taken as a patch or pill, to thicken your uterine lining so it can support the embryo. Progesterone is then given by injection or suppository to support early pregnancy until the placenta takes over that role naturally. Every clinic is different, and your nurse coordinator will walk you through each medication, how to take it, and which side effects are normal before you begin.
From the start of your medication protocol to your embryo transfer typically takes five to six weeks. A pregnancy test follows about 10 days after the transfer. If it is positive, the fertility clinic monitors you closely for the first 8 to 10 weeks before your care moves to your OB-GYN for the rest of a standard pregnancy.
This does depend on the clinic selected, but typically most follow a single embryo transfer policy for the gestational surrogacy journey. Only one embryo is transferred into your uterus during each IVF attempt, which lowers the risk of a multiple pregnancy and supports a safer, healthier pregnancy for you and the baby. However, this does vary from clinic to clinic.
Yes. Once the fertility clinic releases you, you can continue seeing the OB-GYN you prefer, and many surrogates choose the same doctor who delivered their own children. We simply confirm that your OB-GYN is comfortable managing a surrogate pregnancy and accepts your maternity insurance, and our team helps coordinate the details.
Fertility clinics follow guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) on how many pregnancies are safe. These are not laws, but they protect the health of the surrogate and the baby she carries. Most fertility clinics will not allow more than six pregnancies in total, and many experienced surrogates choose to return to Creative Love for another journey.
First-time gestational surrogates with Creative Love can receive compensation and benefits valued at $75,000 or more; however, compensation varies by state so please look at our compensation guide. More experienced surrogates may receive higher packages, although this, again, varies from state to state and agency used. Compensation varies based on your previous surrogacy experience, your individual circumstances, and the benefits agreed upon. Along with base compensation, packages may include monthly allowances, embryo transfer fees, a maternity clothing allowance, lost wages, and other pregnancy-related benefits. We share a detailed compensation package before matching, and our surrogate compensation page explains each part.
No. Every cost tied to your surrogacy journey, from medical screening and insurance to travel, lodging, and lost wages for you and a support person, is covered by the intended parents as outlined in your agreement. If you do not currently have health insurance, a surrogate-friendly policy will be purchased to cover your pregnancy, delivery, and recovery.
No. If you do not have medical insurance, a suitable policy will be purchased to cover your pregnancy, delivery, and recovery. If you do have insurance, we will check whether it is surrogate-friendly and can be safely used. In that case, the intended parents cover all related costs, including your monthly premium, deductible, and other bills.
The intended parents cover approved travel for you and a travel companion to the fertility clinic for your medical screening and embryo transfer, including transportation, hotel stays, and meals. You are also covered for lost wages and childcare during that travel.
Yes. Your support person is paid for lost wages when traveling with you for your medical screening and embryo transfer, as well as for delivery day and the time after it.
All of your compensation and agreed-upon expenses are paid through an independent third-party trust account that is separate from Creative Love. An independent professional with no ties to our agency administers the account, holds the funds, and sends approved payments directly to you on the schedule set out in your signed agreement. Creative Love never holds or controls these funds, which adds a layer of financial transparency and protection for you and your intended parents.
Yes. Most gestational surrogates keep working throughout their journey, as long as the pregnancy is progressing well and their physician has not recommended any work restrictions. You may need time off for fertility appointments, the embryo transfer, prenatal visits, and delivery. Any necessary time away from work, including lost wages and maternity leave compensation, is addressed in your gestational surrogacy agreement.
No. Creative Love only works with gestational surrogacy, which means the embryo you carry comes from the intended parents’ own egg and sperm, or from a donor, and never from your own genetic material. This matters both medically and legally, since it removes the genetic tie that complicates traditional surrogacy. You would not share any DNA with the baby.
A surrogate pregnancy carries the same general risks as any pregnancy, since medically it is largely the same experience once the embryo has implanted. That is exactly why the screening process exists, to confirm your health history supports a low-risk pregnancy before you are ever matched. Emotional support matters too, and counseling is available to you throughout your journey, not just during the medical steps.
That is up to you and the intended parents you are matched with. Some surrogates and intended parents build a close friendship with frequent updates and shared appointments, while others prefer less regular contact. Both are common, and sharing your preference upfront helps us match you with intended parents who want the same kind of relationship. Throughout the journey, your comfort, consent, and medical privacy are always respected.
FAQs for Intended Parents on Surrogacy and Egg Donation
Most intended parents arrive here after years of trying, treatments that did not work, or a simple realization that surrogacy or egg donation is the path that fits their family. These answers cover the questions we hear most from intended parents working with a Florida surrogacy agency, from your first phone call through the day you bring your baby home.
Gestational surrogacy is a process in which a woman, known as a gestational surrogate or gestational carrier, carries a pregnancy for intended parents through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The embryo is created using eggs and sperm from the intended parents, from donors, or from a combination of both, and it is then transferred to the surrogate’s uterus. The gestational surrogate has no genetic relationship to the baby she carries. Gestational surrogacy is the only type of surrogacy Creative Love offers, and you can compare it with traditional surrogacy on our surrogacy types page.
Intended parents choose gestational surrogacy for many reasons, including medical conditions that make pregnancy unsafe or impossible, recurrent pregnancy loss, infertility, or the desire to build a family as a same-sex couple or single parent. Surrogacy lets you grow your family using embryos created through IVF with your own eggs or sperm, donated eggs or sperm, or a combination. For many families, it also offers the chance to have a genetic connection to their child, which is one of the main ways it differs from adoption.
There is no single right answer, and that is exactly what your complimentary consultation is for. Some intended parents come to us with embryos already created and simply need a gestational surrogate. Others need an egg donor because of age, ovarian reserve, or a medical history that makes using their own eggs unlikely to succeed. Same-sex male couples and single fathers by choice typically need both an egg donor and a surrogate. Wendy Arker and our team will walk through your medical history, your goals, and your budget with you, so you can make the choice that fits your family.
Your consultation is a no-cost, no-obligation conversation, whether it happens in our Fort Lauderdale office, over Zoom, or by phone. We will talk through the full surrogacy or egg donation process, walk you through realistic costs and timelines, and answer every question you bring. We will also get to know what brought you to us and what kind of journey feels right for you, since that shapes the intended parent profile we later share with potential surrogates or donors.
Creative Love is a full-service Florida surrogacy and egg donation agency supporting intended parents throughout the United States and internationally. Our services include personalized surrogate matching, comprehensive screening, fertility clinic coordination, referrals to experienced reproductive attorneys, insurance assistance, and independent third-party escrow coordination. You also receive dedicated case management from your initial consultation and matching through embryo transfer, pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum support.
Florida does not currently require a separate state license for surrogacy and egg donation agencies. Creative Love is an established Florida-based agency that has supported intended parents, gestational surrogates, and egg donors since 2010. We maintain Errors and Omissions (E&O) professional liability insurance, and we are a proud member of the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS). We follow applicable professional guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and work closely with experienced fertility clinics, reproductive attorneys, and insurance professionals.
Yes. Florida is considered a surrogacy-friendly state, with established laws that support gestational surrogacy and help intended parents establish their legal parental rights. Florida Statutes 742.15 and 63.213 provide different legal pathways for qualifying intended parents, including married couples, single individuals, and same-sex couples. We work closely with experienced Florida reproductive attorneys to coordinate the right legal process for your family. If you would like to check which states are friendly, visit our surrogacy map of the United States of America.
Both independent surrogacy and agency-assisted surrogacy can lead to successful journeys. Working with an experienced agency, however, adds guidance and coordination at every step. A full-service agency manages surrogate screening, matching, fertility clinic communication, legal referrals, insurance coordination, and financial arrangements, which reduces how much you have to handle on your own. Our hands-on approach helps intended parents and surrogates feel informed and supported from their first introduction through pregnancy, delivery, and beyond.
We take matching seriously because this relationship carries you through one of the most important years of your life. After your profile is complete, we compare your values, preferences, and practical needs against our pool of screened surrogates and share profiles that look like a strong fit on both sides. If you both feel good about moving forward, we set up an introductory meeting, in person or by video, before anyone commits. Some intended parents want a close, ongoing relationship with their surrogate, while others prefer more distance, and we build the match around what works for you.
Matching with a gestational surrogate at Creative Love typically takes three to six months, and many intended parents meet a potential surrogate within about three months. Timelines vary depending on surrogate availability, medical screening, and your individual preferences. We continuously recruit and carefully screen Florida surrogates, and we never rush a match just to move faster, because a rushed match tends to create problems later in the journey. This is the typical timeline of the surrogacy journey.
You are never obligated to move forward with a match that does not feel right. Surrogacy asks a lot of both sides, and we would rather you wait for the right fit than settle out of pressure or convenience. If a match does not work out after screening has already begun, we will talk you through your options for being matched again.
Once you are matched, Creative Love coordinates the next steps with your fertility clinic to prepare for the embryo transfer.
Fertility clinic preapproval: We submit your surrogate’s medical records and screening information to your clinic for review and preliminary approval.
New patient appointment: Your surrogate attends her first appointment at your clinic for the required medical evaluation and testing.
Final medical clearance: Your reproductive endocrinologist reviews the results and decides whether your surrogate is approved to proceed.
Legal agreement: Once she is medically cleared, independent reproductive attorneys prepare and review the gestational surrogacy agreement.
Funding the trust account: You fund the independent third-party surrogacy trust account according to the terms of your agreement.
Embryo transfer preparation: Once legal clearance and funding are confirmed, your clinic sets the treatment calendar and begins preparing your surrogate for transfer.
You can be as involved as you wish. Many intended parents attend fertility appointments, ultrasounds, and prenatal visits, while others take part virtually because of work, distance, or international travel. We help you and your surrogate set up open communication and shared expectations from the start, so you stay connected and informed throughout the pregnancy while respecting your surrogate’s comfort, consent, and medical privacy.
The total cost of a complete gestational surrogacy journey in Florida typically starts at approximately $150,000 for intended parents who already have embryos created and ready for transfer. That estimate covers the expected expenses from matching with your surrogate through the birth of your baby and bringing your baby home. Your total depends on surrogate compensation, fertility clinic fees, legal expenses, maternity insurance coverage, and individual medical needs. We give you a detailed breakdown of expected expenses, and our fees and costs page is a good place to start.
At Creative Love, our surrogacy agency fee covers personalized surrogate matching, comprehensive screening, dedicated case management, coordination with your IVF fertility clinic, and guidance through the legal and escrow trust account process. It also covers all psychological consultations, including sessions for the intended parents, for the surrogate, and a group session together. The fee includes the sudden accidental insurance policy and the loss of reproductive organ policy, plus all travel for your surrogate within Florida for her new patient appointment and embryo transfer. Our experienced team supports you throughout your entire gestational surrogacy journey, from your initial consultation and surrogate match through pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care.
Additional expenses are outlined separately. These include your gestational surrogate’s compensation package, maternity health insurance, IVF medical procedures, fertility medications, and independent legal representation. We believe in transparent surrogacy costs so intended parents can understand their financial responsibilities and plan with confidence for their journey to parenthood.
Egg donor compensation through Creative Love typically starts at $10,000 to $12,000 for a first-time donor, and higher compensation may be offered to donors who meet extraordinary standards. In addition to donor compensation, plan for the agency fee. It covers the agency’s services, legal representation for both the egg donor and the intended parents, and the egg donor insurance policy, which protects your donor for four months after her egg retrieval against any issues related to the stimulation phase or the retrieval itself. You will also want to budget for medical screening costs and your IVF clinic’s fees for the retrieval and embryo work. If you select an egg donor from our own database while you are on a surrogacy journey with us, we will discount the egg donor agency fee by 25%.
We know surrogacy and egg donation are a major financial commitment on top of an already emotional decision, so we talk about financing openly rather than treating it as an afterthought. During your consultation, we walk through the full picture of what a complete journey costs and discuss options other intended parents have used to manage the expense over time. We would rather you understand your finances clearly upfront than run into surprises halfway through.
In Florida, the legal process for establishing your parental rights begins well before your baby arrives. At about 12 weeks of pregnancy, your reproductive attorney begins the court process for a prebirth order, which is a judgment signed by a judge recognizing you as the intended parents. Copies go to the hospital’s risk management department, the labor and delivery team, and you, so everyone understands the legal arrangements before the birth. After delivery, your attorney completes the remaining steps for the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics to issue a birth certificate listing you as the legal parent or parents, and it is typically mailed to you within two to three weeks once the paperwork is processed.
Yes, and your surrogate needs her own separate attorney as well. Reproductive attorneys draft the gestational surrogacy agreement, which covers compensation, parental rights, medical decision-making, and what happens in different situations along the way. Independent counsel on each side protects everyone. We refer intended parents to experienced reproductive attorneys and coordinate with them throughout our legal process, and intended parents typically cover the surrogate’s legal fees as part of the overall agreement.
Florida has established surrogacy laws designed to protect the rights of intended parents and gestational surrogates. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate carries an embryo created through IVF and has no genetic relationship to the child. Before any embryo transfer, you and your surrogate sign a legally binding agreement that sets out each party’s rights, responsibilities, and intentions about parenthood. Florida Statutes 742.15 and 63.213 provide legal pathways for establishing your parental rights, and we coordinate with experienced Florida reproductive attorneys so the right agreements and steps are completed.
We welcome qualified gestational surrogates from Florida and other surrogacy-friendly states across the United States. Our surrogates deliver at hospitals in their local communities, with each hospital required to have at least a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to provide specialized newborn care if needed. As a Florida-based surrogacy agency serving intended parents nationwide and internationally, we work closely with intended parents, gestational surrogates, fertility clinics, and hospital staff to coordinate delivery arrangements and prepare for your baby’s arrival.
Most complete surrogacy journeys run between 15 and 24 months from your first application to the day your baby is born, though every family’s timeline looks a little different. Matching typically takes three to six months, medical clearance and the legal agreement add several more weeks, and then you have a full pregnancy from embryo transfer to delivery. We walk you through a realistic timeline for each stage of the surrogacy process during your consultation.
Look for an established agency with real experience, thorough surrogate screening, personalized matching, transparent costs, and ongoing support. Ask each agency how long it has been operating, how it screens surrogates and donors, how it coordinates medical and legal steps, and how it supports you through pregnancy and delivery. It also helps to decide what matters most to you, such as a hands-on boutique agency or working directly with the founder rather than rotating case managers. At Creative Love, you work directly with Wendy Arker and a dedicated coordinator, and we welcome you to speak with former intended parents about their experience with us.
Yes. Florida offers legal pathways for LGBTQ+ couples, same-sex couples, and single intended parents to build their families through gestational surrogacy, with requirements that depend on each family’s circumstances. Supporting LGBTQ+ families is central to who we are, and about 60 percent of the intended parents we work with are gay individuals or couples. Our LGBTQ surrogacy program works with IVF clinics that share our values, and we refer you to experienced Florida reproductive attorneys who can explain the right process for establishing your parental rights.
Yes. Creative Love welcomes international intended parents, and since 2010 we have supported families from Europe, South America, the Caribbean, and around the world. Families choose Florida for its established surrogacy laws, experienced fertility clinics, and major international airports that make travel easier. Our international surrogacy program coordinates surrogate matching, clinic scheduling, legal referrals, insurance, and ongoing support throughout pregnancy and delivery.
Important Florida legal update: Under Florida House Bill 905, effective July 1, 2026, gestational surrogacy contracts are prohibited when any party is a citizen or resident of a designated foreign country of concern. These include China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria, and the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro. Creative Love reviews every international inquiry for eligibility under current Florida law and coordinates with experienced reproductive attorneys before moving forward. Independent legal guidance is also essential for questions about parental rights, citizenship, and travel documents.
Our team includes multilingual staff who can support you in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Hebrew, so language does not have to be one more barrier on top of everything else you are sorting through. We want every intended parent to fully understand each step of the journey, not just the parts that get translated after the fact.
Every family’s path to parenthood looks different, and this is a decision you will make with your fertility doctor, who knows your medical history best. Creative Love is not a medical provider, so our role is to support the path you and your doctor choose. Some intended parents come to us with embryos already created and need only a gestational surrogate. Others need an egg donor, and many need both, including the same-sex male couples and single fathers who make up a large part of the families we are proud to serve. Because Creative Love offers egg donation and gestational surrogacy, you can coordinate both through one agency and one dedicated team, and we work closely with your reproductive endocrinologist throughout.
We take pride in the hands-on, personal care we give every intended parent, because we understand the emotional and financial toll infertility can take. Creative Love is not a medical facility and does not give medical advice, and we are not tied to a single IVF clinic. Instead, we have built strong relationships with many clinics, and if you have not chosen one yet, we can help you find a good fit. We offer a free phone consultation, and you are welcome to visit our office or meet with us from the comfort of your home.
An egg donor opens the door to parenthood for many different kinds of families. For same-sex male couples and single fathers, an egg donor working alongside a gestational surrogate makes it possible to welcome a child who is genetically connected to an intended father. For intended mothers, donor eggs can make it possible to carry a pregnancy and give birth to your baby, or to grow your family with the help of a surrogate. You can review donor profiles in our database and receive a complete copy of your donor’s application along with her medical, psychological, and genetic screening results, so you can choose with confidence. Whether donor eggs are the right fit for your family is a conversation to have with your fertility doctor, and our team will guide you through donor selection and matching whenever you are ready.
Every donor in our database completes a thorough application and interview, and our screening follows FDA donor screening guidelines. It includes:
A current Pap smear to rule out HPV, plus STD testing.
A psychological evaluation with a PhD psychologist who specializes in infertility, including the MMPI-2.
Genetic screening with a 283-panel genetic test, screening for Cystic Fibrosis, Fragile X, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy, additional testing based on ethnicity, and a consult with a genetic counselor.
A urine drug toxicology screen, a background check, and confirmation of academic standing.
After you choose your donor, she completes Day 3 testing (FSH, E2, AMH, and an ultrasound with an antral follicle count), followed by a one-day medical work-up at your fertility clinic. Her sexual partner is also screened for STDs. Most of our donors are enrolled in college or are college graduates, though we also work with donors who chose to enter the workforce. You can review the full criteria on our egg donor requirements page.
Yes. We meet in person with every donor who lives in South Florida, and we interview donors who live elsewhere in the United States or abroad by video call.
You are entitled to all of the information we have about your donor. We give you a complete copy of her application, her medical and psychological results, and her genetic screening, along with the photo on her profile. If you would like more photos from different stages of her life, including photos of her parents, grandparents, and siblings, we can request them for you.
Yes. We want you to take your time choosing the right donor for your family, so we will place up to two donors you are interested in on hold for three days, with no retainer contract required.
Most egg donation journeys take about two to four months from matching to egg retrieval, though every fertility clinic’s egg donor protocol is a little different. Your case manager will walk you through your clinic’s timeline once your donor is confirmed.
That is up to you. If you and your donor exchange names and phone numbers, it is an open donation. In an anonymous cycle, you know each other only by identification numbers, first names, or initials. If you both choose to meet, Creative Love will help bring you together.
A legal contract protects everyone involved and helps both sides understand their rights during the donation and regarding any child born from it. While laws vary from state to state, it is extremely clear that children born through egg donation legally belong to the intended parents, and egg donors have no parental rights or responsibility for the child’s future welfare.
Occasionally, a donor does not respond to the stimulation medication as expected, and the cycle is cancelled before retrieval. In that case, she receives a $500 thank you gift from the agreed donor compensation, and the rest is returned to you if you choose not to cycle again with Creative Love.
Yes. Creative Love offers a 100 percent agency fee rematch policy. If you do not achieve a pregnancy for any reason, we will rematch you with a new donor until a pregnancy is achieved, at no additional agency fee. If you choose to rematch, you are responsible for the new donor’s compensation, legal contracts, any required medical testing, and travel expenses if needed.
Before the transfer, your surrogate takes medications such as estrogen and progesterone to prepare her uterine lining, and the transfer may use fresh embryos or frozen embryos depending on your clinic’s plan, though not all survive the freezing and thawing process or the thawing process. This preparation typically runs five to six weeks from the start of medication to transfer day. On transfer day, a thin catheter places the embryo into her uterus. Creative Love follows a single embryo transfer policy, although embryo transfer in general can involve one or more embryos depending on the treatment plan. After egg retrieval, each mature egg is fertilized in the lab to create a fertilized egg, and approximately 70% of mature eggs will fertilize during IVF. About 50% of fertilized embryos reach the blastocyst stage before transfer or freezing. About 10 days later, she has a blood test to check for pregnancy. Creative Love follows a single embryo transfer policy for every gestational surrogacy journey, which lowers the risk of a multiple pregnancy and supports a safer, healthier pregnancy for both surrogate and baby.
Egg Donation FAQs for Egg Donors
Choosing to become an egg donor is a generous, personal decision, and you deserve honest answers about eligibility, the egg donation process, compensation, and what happens to your privacy and legal rights along the way.
For most donors, the greatest reward is knowing they helped another family achieve a pregnancy. Creative Love works with families facing infertility, as well as same-sex couples and individuals who cannot build their families without an egg donor. Donors are also compensated for their time and effort, and some use that compensation to pay for college, pay off student loans, or start building savings. Even so, becoming an egg donor is an important decision and not one to make for financial reasons alone. You can learn more in our myths and facts about egg donation.
You generally need to be a healthy female between 21 and 28 years old at a healthy weight, with a body mass index under 30, a regular menstrual cycle, and no history of STDs. You must be a nonsmoker and drug-free, psychologically healthy, and not currently taking antidepressants or mood stabilizers. You also need a clear Pap smear and to be STI-free for at least 12 months before donation, and we will help you complete screening if you have not. Our full egg donor requirements page lists every qualification, including guidelines on recent tattoos, piercings, and hormonal birth control.
No, you do not need to have children to donate your eggs. Having had a tubal ligation or a prior abortion does not disqualify you either, since the eggs are retrieved directly from your ovaries. What matters most is that you meet the medical and psychological requirements and are truly committed to completing the entire donation cycle, with integrity and dependability, once you begin.
Yes, if you use the pill, the patch, or a non-hormonal IUD. In fact, you will be asked to take birth control pills to help synchronize your cycle with the intended mother’s or surrogate’s cycle. Depo-Provera, Norplant, and hormonal IUDs such as Mirena are different, since you will need to stop them for several months before donating. After removing Mirena, you need at least three regular menstrual cycles before your donation cycle can begin.
No, you cannot donate while you are breastfeeding. You should have at least three menstrual cycles after you stop breastfeeding before you take part in an egg donor program.
Active STDs, current drug or tobacco use, a history of psychotic disorders, a personal history of severe mental health conditions, and current use of antidepressants or mood stabilizers all rule out donation, as does a criminal conviction. Applicants may also be ineligible if they were refused as a blood donor because of infectious diseases or other infectious diseases, or another medical condition. Recent tattoos or piercings within the last six months, or stopping a hormonal IUD or Depo-Provera too recently, can delay your eligibility even if they do not disqualify you permanently. As part of our rigorous screening process, a genetic counselor and psychologist review potential egg donors, including personal health information, family history, and close-family history of mental health disorders, so if something in your history raises a question, we will talk it through with you honestly. If you are breastfeeding, you can usually take part in an egg donation program after breastfeeding has ended and your cycles have returned.
Once you are screened and approved, your profile is added to our password-protected donor database, where intended parents can view it. After an intended parent selects you, you begin screening with Day 3 testing to check your fertility levels; medical issues such as infectious diseases, and a history of other infectious diseases, can also affect whether you are approved. This stage may also address questions about egg freezing when they relate to your records or prior care. Next, you take birth control pills for about three weeks to synchronize your cycle, and then begin ovarian stimulation with injectable fertility medicine for about eight to 14 days leading up to retrieval, with your fertility medication plan tailored to how your body responds. Egg retrieval is usually scheduled 34 to 36 hours after the final shot. If you live more than 75 miles from the intended parents’ IVF clinic, a doctor near your home will monitor you during this time. Our egg donation process page walks through each stage in more depth. Screening also includes review of your family history and, when relevant to donor screening, formal mental health disorders in close relatives. This rigorous screening process helps potential egg donors understand early whether they are likely to qualify.
Most donors complete the full journey, from being matched to egg retrieval, in about two to four months, and a typical cycle takes 8 to 12 weeks. That window includes your screening appointments, psychological evaluation, genetic consult, and legal contract, followed by two to three weeks of birth control pills and about 14 days of hormone injections. Every fertility clinic runs its own protocol slightly differently, so your timeline can shift depending on where you cycle.
Most likely, yes, though only for a short time. You may miss a half day for your new patient appointment, where you meet your nursing team and doctor and complete labs such as drug, infectious disease, and genetic screening. During the roughly 14 days of injections, you will have four to eight early morning monitoring appointments, timed so you can still get to school or work, and some may fall on a weekend. Plan to miss a day or two for the retrieval itself.
Retrieval is an outpatient procedure done under IV sedation, so you will not feel any discomfort while it happens. A thin needle passes through the vaginal wall to gently remove the mature eggs from the follicles, and the procedure usually takes about 10 to 30 minutes. An average donor cycle results in 10 to 21 eggs, and some donors who respond exceptionally well can produce up to 30. What matters most, though, is egg quality rather than quantity.
You will rest at the clinic for a short time after retrieval before heading home with a companion, since you cannot drive yourself after sedation. You may feel groggy at first, and mild cramping similar to menstrual cramps, light bleeding, and bloating are common for a day or two. Tylenol usually controls the discomfort within a few hours, and your IVF nurse can give you pain relief if you need it. About 98 percent of our egg donors go back to school or work the next day.
First-time donors with Creative Love are typically compensated $10,000 to $12,000 per cycle. Because a donor can donate up to six times, a donor could be compensated around $65,000 to $70,000 on average for helping create several different families, and higher compensation may be offered to donors who meet extraordinary standards. Your compensation is for your time and commitment to the donation and retrieval, not in exchange for your eggs or for live births. You can find more detail on our donor compensation and legal page.
No, you do not need health insurance to become an egg donor. Your health is our priority, so a special egg donation insurance policy is put in place at the start of the stimulation process to cover any adverse events related to stimulation or the egg retrieval.
No. The intended parents cover all of your healthcare costs tied to the donation, including screening, medical care, legal representation, and your egg donation insurance policy. They also set up an expense account to cover other costs, including travel within 50 miles of your cycling clinic or monitoring center, plus travel expenses if you are a traveling donor.
Occasionally a donor does not respond to medication as expected, and the cycle is cancelled before retrieval. In that situation, you still receive a $500 thank you gift for your time and effort, drawn from the compensation originally agreed upon, and the remaining amount is returned to the intended parents.
As with any medical procedure, some risk exists. The best-known complication is Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which is rare and occurs in less than 1 to 3 percent of donors. OHSS happens when the ovaries react to fertility drugs and begin to release fluid into the abdomen, and it can be mild, moderate, or severe, with symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, and in rare severe cases shortness of breath or rapid weight gain that can last up to a week. Your frequent monitoring visits let your doctor watch closely for early signs, and treatment usually means observation, rest, and fluids. Other complications, such as bleeding, infection, ovarian torsion that may require surgery to correct, or a reaction to anesthesia, are also rare, and your medical team will explain the warning signs to watch for after retrieval. Available studies have not shown a significant increase in female cancers from fertility drugs used in donation cycles.
Long-term studies have not shown a definitive link between egg donation and later infertility, cancer, or other significant long-term health problems. Even so, we encourage every donor to research the whole process and talk with a medical doctor for advice about her own situation, since we are an agency and not a medical provider. Throughout your cycle, you will work with highly qualified doctors who take every step to protect your health and safety.
You will start on birth control pills to synchronize your cycle, and you may then take a low dose of Lupron. From there, you move to stimulation medications called Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which help your ovaries mature multiple eggs in a single cycle instead of just one. A final trigger injection, timed precisely by your doctor, prepares the eggs for retrieval. Your nursing team will show you how to give yourself these small injections at home.
Women turn to egg donation for many reasons, including low ovarian reserve, infertility after chemotherapy, poor egg quality, or underlying health issues that make their own egg retrieval unsafe. For same-sex male couples and single men, an egg donor is an essential part of building their family. Your donation can make that dream possible.
That is your choice. You decide whether your donation is anonymous or open. Some donors choose to help a family member or close friend, while others prefer an anonymous arrangement identified only by a number or first name. Either way, your legal contract spells out what was agreed to. If you choose to stay anonymous, Creative Love cannot promise that the intended parents or a donor-conceived child will never find you through DNA testing, since modern technology makes that easier, so it is worth thinking through honestly before you decide.
The Donor Sibling Registry is a third-party website that lets recipients and, in the future, donor-conceived children contact a donor using a username rather than the donor’s full name. You keep full control over your personal identity and decide for yourself how you will handle any future contact. The registry also gives you a way to share changes in your medical history and to stay in touch if everyone agrees. Registering is entirely optional.
No. While laws vary from state to state, it is extremely clear that children born through egg donation legally belong to the intended parents who receive the donated eggs. The intended parents take on all moral, legal, and financial responsibility for any child born through your donation, and egg donors have no parental rights or responsibility for that child’s future welfare or support. Your signed legal contract confirms this clearly for everyone’s protection.
Yes, and this is standard practice, not optional. A legal contract is drawn up between you and the intended parents by an attorney experienced in reproductive law, and the intended parents pay for your legal representation. Your attorney reviews the contract with you so you fully understand your rights and obligations before you sign anything.
Why Families Choose Creative Love for Surrogacy and Egg Donation
Since 2010, Creative Love has helped intended parents, gestational surrogates, and egg donors build families with care, and we work with professionals who bring over 20 years of combined experience in surrogacy and egg donation. We are a full-service agency, which means you work with one team for surrogacy and egg donation rather than juggling separate providers, and you work directly with our team, led by Program Director Wendy Arker, from your first call through delivery. We are based in Florida, one of the most surrogate-friendly states in the country, and we serve intended parents, surrogates, LGBTQ+ families, and international clients with the same level of care.
Our matching process stays personal rather than automated, and our surrogacy program and egg donor program both run through strong partnerships with leading fertility clinics across the country. We are a member of SEEDS, we follow ASRM guidelines, and our legal process is built to protect intended parents, surrogates, and donors alike.
If you are ready to talk through your own situation, contact us for a complimentary consultation, or read more testimonials from families we have worked with. You can also start your surrogate application or intended parent application whenever you feel ready, or call us directly at 954-776-9878.
"Wendy answered every question, eased every concern, and made me feel confident in my decision from day one."
If you are ready to talk through your own situation, contact us for a complimentary consultation, or read more testimonials from families we have worked with. You can also start your surrogate application or intended parent application whenever you feel ready, or call us directly at 954-776-9878.
Nothing on this page constitutes legal or medical advice. Surrogacy and egg donation involve laws that vary by state and individual medical circumstances, so we always encourage you to consult with your fertility clinic and your own attorney for guidance that fits your situation.
Creative Love is not a health care provider and as such does not have patients or give medical advice.
Still Have Questions After Reading These Surrogacy FAQs?
We would rather answer your question directly than have you guess. Reach out for a complimentary consultation, and let's talk through your journey together.
