Thinking about surrogacy? Here’s your guide

Surrogacy support for LGBTQIA+ families | Care Fertility

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At Care Fertility, we believe that family is for everyone. That’s why, during National Surrogacy Week, we’re proud to celebrate the incredible individuals and couples who are building their families through surrogacy.

If you’re exploring this path—whether on your own or with a partner—we’re here to make your journey easier to understand, less overwhelming, and fully supported from day one.

What is surrogacy?

Surrogacy is an option for people who are unable to conceive or carry a pregnancy themselves—often due to medical reasons or physical circumstances. It’s also a key route to parenthood for many gay couples, single men, and trans individuals.

Through surrogacy, a surrogate (sometimes known as a gestational carrier) carries and gives birth to a baby for the intended parent(s). It’s a beautiful act of generosity—and a life-changing journey for everyone involved.

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone

Starting a family is a huge step, and navigating all the options, processes, and legalities can feel daunting. If you’ve found yourself buried in Google searches or wondering what to do next, you’re not alone. That’s why we’re here.

At Care Fertility, we offer expert, compassionate support that simplifies the complex and helps you move forward with confidence.

How Care Fertility supports your surrogacy journey

Our surrogacy and egg donation teams have over 20 years of experience supporting LGBTQIA+ families. We offer tailored treatment plans that reflect your personal needs, and we’ll guide you through every stage of the process.

Step 1: Using donor eggs

If you’re planning to create embryos through gestational surrogacy, you may need donor eggs. Some intended parents can use their own eggs, but many use a donor—especially in male couples or single male parenthood journeys.

Our egg donation programme offers:

A wide choice of donors with minimal wait time
Insight into donor traits (e.g. hair and eye colour, height, build)
Anonymous personal notes and well wishes from your donor

If you have specific criteria, such as an ethnic match, we’ll support you through the process and keep you informed of likely wait times.

Once you’re matched with a donor, we begin IVF treatment to create embryos. These can be stored and ready for transfer when your surrogate is found.

Learn more about finding an egg donor

Step 2: Creating your embryos (IVF)

Here’s how IVF with donor eggs works:

The egg donor’s ovaries are stimulated with medication
Eggs are collected and fertilised with your sperm (or donor sperm)
Embryos are grown for 3–5 days in our lab
Embryos are frozen or transferred when your surrogate is ready

IVF typically takes around seven weeks, including medication, monitoring, egg collection, and fertilisation.

Step 3: Working with your surrogate

Already have a surrogate?

Great! Get in touch with your nearest Care Fertility clinic, and we’ll book you in for an initial consultation. Our dedicated surrogacy team will help you move through treatment with clarity and care.

Still looking for a surrogate?

We’ll point you toward trusted, not-for-profit UK surrogacy agencies we’ve worked with before:

They’ll support you in finding the right match, understanding agreements, and starting your surrogacy journey with confidence.

Read our full guide to surrogacy in the UK

What does surrogacy cost?

In the UK, surrogacy must be altruistic—surrogates can only be compensated for reasonable expenses, not paid commercially.

Surrogacy UK suggests a typical cost range of £7,000–£15,000, but this varies depending on your situation. It’s good to discuss expected costs with your surrogate early on and create a written agreement outlining any reimbursements.

Understand UK surrogacy law