Written by Pooja Patel, MD — MBBS (Seth G.S. Medical College & K.E.M. Hospital); Fellowship in Embryology; Manager, Surrogacy4All. Dr. Patel manages surrogate screening, matching and journey coordination at Surrogacy4All’s New York program.
Medically reviewed by Rashmi Gulati, MD —
- Board Certified, Internal Medicine
- Medical Advisor, Surrogacy4All
- Privileges at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Last updated: [14/09/2026]
Meet our team
Summary
This is one first-time surrogate’s journey with Surrogacy4All, told month by month with her consent and with identifying details changed: application, screening, matching in the second month, contract and escrow, the transfer cycle, a confirmed heartbeat, the pregnancy, delivery and the weeks after.
It shows what each stage involves, when payments arrive within the $70,000–$105,000 total, and where the support comes from. Surrogacy4All is a New York State-licensed (GSP220903), physician-led agency operating since 2006.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Surrogate | “M.”, 31, two children of her own, first surrogacy, Midwest |
| Application to match | 7 weeks |
| Match to transfer | 4 months |
| Transfer to delivery | 38 weeks (single euploid embryo, singleton) |
| Total journey | 16 months |
| Compensation | Within the $70,000–$105,000 total, first-time base toward the lower end |
| License / registration | GSP220903, FDA FEI 3021544308 |
| Success rates (source) | 65% first transfer, 90% cumulative — SART |
Month 1 — Application and Records
M. applied online on a Tuesday evening: it took her about ten minutes. Within a week a coordinator called for a 40-minute conversation about her two pregnancies, her family’s support and why she wanted to do this.
She sent her prenatal and delivery records, which our Medical Director reviewed.
“The records part was the slowest,” she said, “because my old OB’s office took two weeks to send them.”
Month 2 — Screening and Match
Medical screening took one visit to a clinic near her: bloodwork, infectious-disease testing, a uterine ultrasound.
The psychological evaluation was a two-hour video session that included her husband. Three weeks after clearance she was presented to a couple; they met by video for an hour.
“I knew in the first ten minutes. They asked how my kids felt about it, before they asked anything about me.”
Both sides confirmed within a few days. Match time: seven weeks from application.
Months 3–4 — Contract and Escrow
Each side had its own attorney : M.’s was paid by the intended parents.
The contract conversations she remembers most were about decisions during pregnancy — termination, bed rest, who is in the delivery room — and about payments.
Escrow was funded at signing: her monthly allowance started the same month.
“Seeing the escrow letter made it real. The money was there before I took a single pill.”
Months 5–6 — The Transfer Cycle
Medications began after her IUD was removed: estrogen patches, then progesterone injections her husband learned to give.
Monitoring appointments were local, the transfer was one trip to the intended parents’ clinic, a five-minute procedure.
Her medication-start payment and transfer fee were paid from escrow on schedule. Ten days later, a positive test, at seven weeks, a heartbeat, which is when base compensation begins to be paid monthly.
Months 7–15 — Pregnancy
Care moved to her own OB after the first trimester.
The intended parents attended the anatomy scan in person and every other appointment by video. She was paid monthly, with the maternity clothing allowance in the second trimester.
The hardest part, she said, was the third trimester with two children of her own:
“Not the pregnancy itself. The tiredness, and explaining to my five-year-old that the baby wasn’t coming home with us.”
Her coordinator checked in weekly, and a support group of other surrogates met online monthly.
Month 16 — Delivery and After
The pre-birth order was on file with the hospital. The intended parents were in the room; the baby went to them directly.
M. pumped milk for six weeks under a separate agreement with an allowance.
The final payment was made after delivery, postpartum support continued for eight weeks.
“Would I do it again? Yes. Probably for the same family.”
What Her Journey Shows
Match in weeks, not years, because screening was done before she was presented.
Every payment on a schedule from escrow. Decisions settled in the contract before medications. A physician reviewing her records at the start and available throughout.
And the parts no page can fully prepare you for — a five-year-old’s questions, the tiredness — which is why our coordinators and surrogate group exist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long does a first surrogacy take?
A. About 15–18 months; M.’s was 16.
Q. When do surrogates start getting paid?
A. Monthly allowance at contract; base compensation monthly from confirmed heartbeat.
Q. Do surrogates travel?
A. Usually one or two trips, for screening and the transfer.
Q. Who is in the delivery room?
A. As agreed in the contract, most intended parents are present.
Q. Is there support after the birth?
A. Yes, for at least eight weeks, plus the surrogate group.
Q. Can I carry for the same family again?
A. Yes, many second journeys are with the same family.
Apply to Become a Surrogate
Ten-minute application, decision within 2–4 weeks, $70,000–$105,000 total compensation.
Apply: Click here
Phone: (212) 661-7673
Dr. Pooja Patel
Dr. Pooja Patel is a Chief Surrogacy Coordinator at Surrogacy4all. She has 10 years of experience in Anesthesiology and critical care medicine.
She received her medical degree from Seth GS Medical College and K.E.M Hospital in India. She then completed an internship. She finished her Anesthesia residency at Grant Govt Medical College and JJ Group of Hospitals in India.
- Dr. Pooja Patel
- Dr. Pooja Patel
- Dr. Pooja Patel
- Dr. Pooja Patel
Rashmi Gulati
Rashmi Gulati, MD, provides innovative, individualized health care that nurtures mind, body, and spirit. Since 2004 she has been the medical director at Patients Medical, where she delivers comprehensive personalized health care, treating each patient as a respected, unique individual. Through their integrative health care center in the heart of Manhattan, Dr. Gulati and her colleagues have become premier care providers serving patients locally and throughout the world.
- Rashmi Gulati
- Rashmi Gulati
- Rashmi Gulati
- Rashmi Gulati
