You Have Already Come
So Far. Let Us Take
It From Here.
The road to this moment may have been longer, harder, and more emotional than you ever imagined. You may have gone through years of trying, rounds of treatment, and moments of grief that no one around you fully understood. Whatever brought you here, Hope Harbor exists to make what comes next feel genuinely supported, completely transparent, and full of real hope.
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850+ Babies Born
12+ Years of Experience
LGBTQIA+ Affirming
Full Service, In House
You Are Not Alone in This
Many of the families we work with come to us having already tried everything β multiple IVF cycles, fertility medications, specialist appointments, and sleepless nights spent searching for answers online. Some have experienced loss. Some have simply reached a point where their bodies cannot carry a pregnancy safely. Some are single, or in a same-sex relationship, and have always known that surrogacy would be part of their path to parenthood.
Whatever your story is, we have heard versions of it before, and we have helped families like yours reach the other side. Our job is not to minimize the difficulty of what you have been through. It is to give you a team, a plan, and a partner who will stay with you every step of the way.
What Hope Harbor Offers You
Hope Harbor is a full-service, independently owned, woman-led surrogacy agency that has been operating since 2013. We match intended parents with carefully screened gestational carriers, coordinate every aspect of the medical, legal, psychological, and financial process, and assign you a dedicated coordinator who knows your case, your history, and your goals β not a rotating team, not an automated system.
We serve intended parents of all backgrounds, family structures, orientations, and paths. We do not discriminate. We believe that every person who dreams of becoming a parent deserves a genuine path to get there, and we are here to be that path.
Built to Support You, Not to Process You
Choosing a surrogacy agency is one of the most important decisions you will make in this journey. Here is what you will actually experience when you work with Hope Harbor.
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Everything Is Handled In House
Every coordinator, case manager, and specialist who works on your journey is a direct member of the Hope Harbor team. We do not outsource your case to unfamiliar third-party contractors. This means better communication, fewer delays, and a team that is fully invested in your outcome rather than juggling multiple agencies at once.
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One Dedicated Coordinator, Always
From your first consultation to the day your baby is born, you will have one primary coordinator assigned to your case β someone who knows your name, your story, your timeline, and your concerns. And if your coordinator is ever unavailable, you will always have a named backup contact so you are never left without support.
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Available Around the Clock
Surrogacy milestones do not follow business hours. Medical questions arise at night. Emotional moments happen on weekends. Our team is reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week β not through a generic hotline, but through direct contact with someone who actually knows your case.
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Committed to Ethical Standards
Hope Harbor operates according to the highest professional and ethical standards in the surrogacy industry. We believe that surrogacy should always be transparent, voluntary, and protective of both the surrogate and the intended parents β and we build that belief into every contract, every screening process, and every match we facilitate.
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Thoughtful Matching, Not Fast Matching
We take the time to truly understand what you are looking for in a surrogate relationship β your preferred level of contact, your communication style, your values. We will never pressure you to accept a match that does not feel right. The relationship between an intended parent and their gestational carrier matters deeply, and we treat it accordingly.
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Affirming for Every Family Type
Hope Harbor proudly serves gay couples, lesbian couples, transgender and non-binary intended parents, single parents, and all family structures. Our team includes staff with personal experience in LGBTQIA+ family building, and our processes are designed to affirm and include β not merely accommodate.
12+
Years Supporting
Intended Parents
Full Service Support
What We Handle So You Don’t Have To
Surrogacy involves a complex web of medical, legal, financial, and emotional moving parts. At Hope Harbor, we coordinate every element in house β so that your energy goes toward preparing for your child, not managing a process.
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Medical Coordination
We liaise directly with your fertility clinic and the surrogate’s OB from embryo transfer through delivery, tracking every milestone and flagging anything that needs your attention.
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Legal Protection
Our network of experienced reproductive attorneys handles all surrogacy contracts and pre-birth orders in your jurisdiction, ensuring your parental rights are protected before your baby arrives.
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Psychological Support
Both you and your surrogate will have access to licensed mental health professionals experienced in third-party reproduction β before, during, and after the pregnancy.
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Escrow & Financial Oversight
Surrogate compensation and expenses are managed through an independent escrow account. You receive regular financial statements so every disbursement is fully accounted for.
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Surrogate Screening
Every gestational carrier in our program has completed a thorough background check, medical records review, home assessment, and psychological evaluation before she is ever presented as a potential match.
Your Journey, Step by Step
Every surrogacy journey is unique, but the path follows a clear and well-defined sequence. Here is an overview of the major stages you can expect when working with Hope Harbor.
1
Free Consultation
A private, no-pressure call with your coordinator to discuss your goals, answer questions, and understand what to expect.
2
Application & Screening
You complete your intended parent profile, background check, and psychological assessment so we can begin matching.
3
Surrogate Matching
We present carefully selected surrogate profiles. You review, ask questions, and decide if the match feels right before moving forward.
4
Legal Contracts
Your attorney and the surrogate’s attorney finalize a comprehensive surrogacy agreement that protects all parties.
5
Medical Transfer
The embryo transfer takes place at your fertility clinic. Your coordinator tracks every milestone with you from this point forward.
6
Pregnancy & Support
We stay with you and your surrogate throughout the full pregnancy, managing communication, expenses, and any challenges that arise.
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Birth & Parental Rights
Your pre-birth order establishes your parental rights before your baby arrives. You are there for the birth. We handle the rest.
No Surprises. No Hidden Costs.
Surrogacy is a significant financial commitment, and we believe you have every right to understand exactly what you are paying for before you sign anything. Hope Harbor is committed to full fee transparency β because trust begins with honesty.
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Agency Coordination Fee
Our agency fee covers full case management from your first consultation through post-birth follow-up β including your dedicated coordinator, matching services, escrow oversight, and ongoing case support. Everything that makes the journey run smoothly is included, not sold separately.
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Legal & Contract Costs
Reproductive legal fees cover the drafting and review of your surrogacy contract and the filing of your pre-birth order. Your attorney and the surrogate’s attorney work independently to protect all parties. We provide full cost estimates for these at the start of your journey β not partway through.
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Medical & Fertility Expenses
IVF and embryo transfer costs are typically managed through your fertility clinic directly. We help you understand what to expect, coordinate timing, and ensure the clinic and surrogate’s medical team are fully aligned throughout the pregnancy.
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Surrogate Compensation & Benefits
Gestational carriers receive a base compensation for their commitment, along with reimbursement for all pregnancy-related expenses, maternity clothing, lost wages if applicable, and comprehensive health coverage for the pregnancy. These amounts are itemized and managed through your escrow account.
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Insurance & Risk Coverage
We review all surrogate insurance coverage early in the process and work with specialized insurance professionals to ensure the pregnancy is fully covered. Life insurance and disability coverage for the surrogate are also standard components of the Hope Harbor agreement.
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Flexible Payment Options
We understand that the financial reality of surrogacy can feel overwhelming. Hope Harbor offers flexible payment structures and is happy to connect you with reputable financing partners who specialize in surrogacy and fertility funding β so cost is not the barrier that stops your family from growing.
Our commitment to you: Before you sign any agreement with Hope Harbor, you will receive a complete, itemized cost estimate covering every category of expense involved in your journey. We believe in fee transparency not because it is required of us, but because it is the right way to begin a relationship built on trust. If you have questions about any line item, your coordinator will walk through every detail with you β with no pressure and no time limit.
Eligibility for Intended Parents
Hope Harbor welcomes intended parents from every walk of life. Our eligibility process is not designed to exclude β it is designed to ensure that every journey we facilitate is safe, ethical, and set up for success for both the intended parents and the gestational carrier.
Our Non-Discrimination Commitment
Hope Harbor does not discriminate based on gender, race, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, fertility history, or family structure. We have proudly served single parents, same-sex couples, opposite-sex couples, transgender and non-binary individuals, and people of every background and belief since our founding in 2013.
We believe that the desire to parent a child is among the most human of impulses, and we will never use arbitrary criteria to decide whose dream is worthy of our support. If you have questions about whether you qualify, please reach out. Our consultations are free, confidential, and judgment-free.
General Requirements
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Honesty Throughout the Process
We ask all intended parents to be fully transparent with our team about their medical history, family situation, and any factors that may affect the journey. Honesty allows us to support you better and protect everyone involved.
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Ability to Pass a Background Check
All intended parents are required to complete a standard background screening. This is a foundational requirement for the protection and peace of mind of our gestational carriers.
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Complete All Required Documentation
The surrogacy process involves legal contracts, medical forms, financial agreements, and agency paperwork. We ask intended parents to complete these fully, accurately, and in a timely manner.
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Respect for Your Surrogate’s Time and Commitment
Gestational carriers make an extraordinary personal sacrifice on behalf of your family. We ask all intended parents to approach the relationship with deep gratitude, patience, and genuine respect for the surrogate’s physical and emotional journey.
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A Stable Living Situation
Intended parents should be able to demonstrate a stable home environment suitable for welcoming and raising a child. This does not require perfection β it simply requires a foundation of security and readiness.
Additional Expectations
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Partner or Spousal Support (When Applicable)
If you are entering this journey with a spouse or partner, both individuals must be fully engaged and supportive of the process, including participating in the consultation, completing paperwork, and attending the psychological assessment together.
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Understanding of the Surrogacy Process
We ask all intended parents to have read through or discuss with us the full surrogacy process before applying. Informed intended parents make for stronger matches and smoother journeys. If you have questions, that is exactly what our consultations are for.
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Completion of a Psychological Assessment
All intended parents are required to complete a psychological assessment with a licensed mental health professional who specializes in third-party reproduction. This is not a gatekeeping tool β it is a resource that helps you enter the journey with clarity, realistic expectations, and emotional readiness.
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Willingness to Work Collaboratively
Surrogacy is a partnership β between you, your surrogate, your coordinator, your attorneys, your medical team, and Hope Harbor. We ask all intended parents to approach this journey with openness, flexibility, and a spirit of collaboration, especially when unexpected situations arise.
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Financial Preparedness
While Hope Harbor offers guidance on financing options and payment plans, we do ask that intended parents have a realistic plan in place for covering the full cost of their surrogacy journey before matching begins. Your coordinator will discuss this openly and help you plan accordingly.
A note on our right to decline: Hope Harbor reserves the right to decline to facilitate a match that does not meet our basic requirements or that, in our professional judgment, does not provide a safe and respectful environment for our gestational carriers. This decision is made with care, never casually, and always with the protection and wellbeing of our surrogates as the guiding principle. If you have questions about eligibility, please speak directly with our team.
What Intended Parents Say
After four failed IVF cycles and a devastating miscarriage, we had almost given up. Hope Harbor gave us back our hope. Our coordinator was honest with us from day one, matched us thoughtfully, and held our hands through every single step. The day our son was born was the greatest day of our lives β and we could not have gotten there without this team.
Nina & Robert K.
Intended Parents Β· Chicago, IL
As a gay couple, we were cautious. We had heard stories about agencies that said the right things but then treated us like an afterthought. Hope Harbor was genuinely different. Marcus understood our specific concerns, the matching process was thoughtful, and we never once felt like we were being handled rather than helped. We now have a daughter who is our entire world.
David & James L.
Intended Parents Β· Seattle, WA
I went into this as a single woman in my late thirties, and I was worried that I wouldn’t qualify or wouldn’t be taken seriously. My first call with Lisa completely changed that. She never made me feel like my situation was unusual or complicated. She just listened, answered every question, and made it clear that Hope Harbor was built for people like me too.
Priya S.
Single Intended Parent Β· Atlanta, GA
Your Next Steps
Ready to learn more? Below you will find everything you need to take the next step β whether that is understanding the full process, exploring financing, finding an egg donor, or getting started with your application right now.
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The Surrogacy Process for Parents
A detailed, step-by-step overview of every stage of your surrogacy journey β from first consultation through the birth of your child. Know exactly what to expect and when.
Read the Process Overview β
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Finding an Egg Donor
If your journey involves a donor egg, we can help you understand the process of selecting a donor who aligns with your needs, values, and medical requirements β with full support throughout.
Learn About Egg Donation β
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Financing Your Journey
Surrogacy is a meaningful investment. We can walk you through our flexible payment structures and connect you with financing partners who specialize in making this journey financially accessible.
Explore Financing Options β
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Our Partner Clinics
Hope Harbor works with respected fertility clinics across the country. Learn more about our medical partnerships and how we coordinate with your clinic throughout the IVF and pregnancy process.
View Partner Clinics β
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Surrogacy for Gay Parents
Our dedicated LGBTQIA+ program was built by team members who have personal experience with this journey. Get answers to the specific questions same-sex and queer families have about the surrogacy process.
Learn About Our LGBTQIA+ Program β
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Apply Now
Ready to begin? Start your intended parent application today. The process is straightforward, and your dedicated coordinator will be in touch within one business day to walk you through the next steps.
Organizations We Recommend
Hope Harbor encourages every intended parent to research broadly and learn from respected voices across the fertility and family building community. Here are organizations we trust and frequently refer our families to.
Your Family Is Worth Fighting For.
We Will Fight With You.
You have already shown extraordinary courage by exploring this path. The next step is simply a conversation β free, confidential, and with a real person who genuinely wants to help you build your family. Schedule a virtual consultation with our team today, or begin your application when you are ready. There is no pressure and no deadline. We will be here when you are.
Schedule a Free Virtual Consultation
Begin Your Application
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