Resources

General information to help you plan a safe, well-supported independent journey.

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. Please consult your own attorney and clinic.

Before you start

• Independent surrogacy means the intended parents and surrogate find each other and coordinate the journey themselves, with a fertility clinic for the medical side and separate reproductive attorneys for the legal side.

• Laws differ a lot by state: some are very surrogacy-friendly, some restrict compensated surrogacy, and a few prohibit it. Talk to a reproductive attorney licensed where the surrogate lives and where the baby would be born.

• Medical eligibility is always decided by a clinic, never by a website or by either party.

Protecting yourself

• Verify who you are talking to: a live video call with a photo ID, plus confirmation from their clinic or attorney.

• Never send money to anyone you meet online. In a real surrogacy arrangement, compensation and expenses go through an attorney-managed escrow account after a signed contract.

• Be cautious of anyone who pressures you to move fast, asks for fees, gift cards, wire transfers or payment apps, or wants to leave the platform before you have met.

• Use the Report button on any profile or message if something feels wrong. Our safety team reviews every report.

Who you will need on your team

• A fertility clinic (IVF clinic) to perform screening and the embryo transfer.

• A reproductive attorney for each side to draft the gestational carrier agreement and handle pre-birth or post-birth parentage orders.

• An escrow or trust service, usually arranged by the attorneys, to hold and release funds.

• A mental-health professional experienced in third-party reproduction for the psychological evaluation most clinics require.

• Insurance review: check whether the surrogate’s health insurance covers or excludes surrogacy, and plan for a policy that does.

Helpful organisations

• American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) – guidance on gestational carrier screening: asrm.org

• Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) – find a reproductive attorney: adoptionart.org

• RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association – support and education: resolve.org

• Men Having Babies – resources for gay intended parents: menhavingbabies.org

Independent Journey is an introduction platform. We are not a surrogacy agency, law firm, or medical provider, and we do not give legal, medical, or surrogacy advice or recommendations. Members are responsible for verifying everything themselves.