LGBTQ+ Intended Parents
Become an LGBTQIA+ Parent
We were founded by a gay man who aspired to have his own family. From his personal experience and over three decades of supporting gay, queer, and trans parents, we have developed strategic programs and partnerships focused on the environmental and cultural needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.
"Having gone through the surrogacy journey twice, with two different surrogacy agencies, Circle Surrogacy surpassed our wildest expectations. Their staff was attentive, responsive, and so sincere...One of the best things we enjoyed about Circle was their Fixed Cost Program, which allowed us to make one financial transfer. That alone alleviated so much stress and confusion. I can't recommend this agency enough for all LGBTQ folks!"
Happy New Dads
Overview of Gay Surrogacy
Circle Surrogacy has been helping the LGBTQIA+ community become parents since 1995. Circle was founded by John Weltman, a lawyer and gay man who had two sons through surrogacy. We've helped 3,400+ families grow since 1995, and our team has navigated every part of this journey alongside LGBTQIA+ families.
How Circle Helps LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents
A tremendous amount of coordination and planning goes into a surrogacy journey, as well as legal contracts. Plus, LGBTQIA+ intended parents often face unique questions along the way. With 4,000+ babies born through our program and firsthand experience with LGBTQIA+ surrogacy, we bring the expertise so you can focus on what matters most: building your family.
Why It Matters
Surrogacy is one of the only family-building options that allows LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples to have biological children. It’s a process that requires medical and legal expertise, as well as strong emotional support throughout the journey.
How LGBTQIA+ Surrogacy Works Step by Step
Whether you are a lesbian couple exploring IVF through sperm donation or a gay man in need of egg donation, we know how to support you throughout your surrogacy journey, from surrogate matching and embryo creation through delivery and beyond.
With IVF, embryos are created in a lab at a fertility clinic, using the intended parents' biology and that of a donor. At the fertility clinic, the embryo is implanted into a gestational carrier, who carries the baby to term. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate has no genetic relationship to the child they carry, and looks forward to the moment you get to hold your baby for the first time.
Surrogacy for Transgender and Non-Binary Intended Parents
We've proudly supported trans and non-binary intended parents for decades, and our legal team understands the specific nuances of this path. We understand that while members of the trans and non-binary community may be biologically able to have a child, carrying a pregnancy may not be the right path for everyone, and we want to lend our support and expertise in surrogacy to help make having a child a reality. Our team will work to provide a comfortable and safe environment throughout your surrogacy journey.
If you have questions about parenthood as a trans individual, please fill out our parent form, and one of our Parent Intake Associates will reach out to you directly.
Questions That LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents Commonly Have
Circle understands some of the fears all of our intended parents may have, as well as the additional concerns and questions that accompany a surrogacy journey for LGBTQIA+ parents. Some common questions we receive from intended parents as they start to explore surrogacy are:
How will my children fare with two dads or two moms?
Will my children be missing out on something because the family dynamic is different?
How and when do I tell my children about their origin story?
How do you support the LGBTQIA+ community during the surrogacy?
These are important questions for you to ask upfront to help determine the right agency match. You can feel confident knowing that the Circle team has over three decades of experience supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, and at any time can connect you to gay parents through surrogacy who can share their personal stories.
How to Choose the Right LGBTQIA+ Surrogacy Agency
1. Legal Expertise for LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents
Since our lawyers are experienced in the legal rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, we're able to provide thoughtful answers to any questions you might have about the legal steps in surrogacy. We also stay educated as the laws change, so we can give you the most up-to-date guidance. Each state and country has specific laws and regulations for LGBTQIA+ intended parents. Working with an agency that has expertise in reproductive law helps to ensure a positive and well-supported journey for you.
2. Experience Working With LGBTQIA+ Individuals
In our experience, intended parents prefer an agency that has not only professional experience with the surrogacy process, but also expertise in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. With the support of an agency who already understands your path to parenthood, you can fully focus on the experience of becoming a parent. Circle understands the emotional, financial, and personal considerations that come with your journey, and we're here for those conversations whenever you are.
3. Full-Service Support From a Single Team
We offer a small agency feel with the resources of a larger agency. Our accountants, program managers, lawyers, and mental health professionals all work together under one roof to give you full-service support — with no third parties needed.
Surrogacy Requirements for LGBTQIA+ Parents
Intended parent requirements are put in place to ensure as successful a journey as possible for all parties involved. With each journey, Circle is not only guiding and supporting you and your surrogate, we are also focusing on what is best for your future baby.
We consider the following criteria when evaluating intended parents for our program and clinic partners:
Intended parents should have a strong support system in place. In addition to your partner (if you have one), it helps to have friends, family, or community members who know about your journey and support you.
Parents should meet agency guidelines for parents, which include age requirements and an openness to a relationship with their surrogate.
If you have questions about specific requirements, we encourage you to fill out our parent form to connect with a Parent Intake Associate.
Finding an Egg Donor for LGBTQIA+ Surrogacy Journeys
Should you need an egg donor to grow your family, our team is ready to walk alongside you. For intended parents who need both an egg donor and a surrogate, we coordinate both through one integrated process — no need to manage two separate organizations. We offer an in-house egg donor database of thoroughly screened fresh donors and maintain trusted partnerships with third-party agencies and clinics if you prefer a frozen donor or are seeking options beyond our donor database.
LGBTQIA+ Surrogacy Laws
Although surrogacy for heterosexual and same-sex intended parents is largely similar, there are a few factors that make it different. It's important to understand your rights as parents and what the surrogacy laws are in your state or country and in the state in which your surrogate resides.
As part of your surrogacy journey with us, you will be supported by a lawyer from our experienced legal team. Our lawyers are passionate about family building and have professional experience in the legalities of surrogacy for LGBTQIA+ couples and singles. We've also helped LGBTQIA+ families from 70 countries navigate the legal landscape of U.S. surrogacy, so international intended parents can count on us, too.
Legal Processes for Establishing Parental Rights
When it is time to establish your parental rights, you'll require the services of a lawyer who is experienced in surrogacy and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). Circle's full legal staff has the experience necessary to support LGBTQIA+ intended parents during this critical process.
A court proceeding that establishes parental rights prior to the birth of the child. This is especially important for LGBTQIA+ parents, as it ensures both parents are recognized on the birth certificate from day one. PBOs are only available in certain states. In other states, it may be possible to obtain a post-birth order.
Allows a birth mother to designate a father, sometimes without the need for a court proceeding. Like a PBO, this helps confirm the child's rightful parents.
Grants custody of a child to the intended parent(s). This vital document legally ensures that both parents can act on behalf of the child.
Permanently establishes the non-biological parent’s rights to the child. It’s advisable to obtain a second-parent adoption. Even when it is possible to obtain a pre-birth order or a post-birth order, parents should know that not all states recognize parentage conferred in this way. By contrast, adoptions are recognized nationwide, serving as protection for the legal rights of LGBTQIA+ parents.
Ensures that guardianship of the child is provided for in the event of the death of one or both parents. When a gay couple lives in an area where same-sex marriage isn’t legal, it becomes even more important to establish these documents.
How Circle Matches LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents With Surrogates
With a 94% surrogate match rate, our Matching Specialists have successfully matched thousands of intended parents and surrogates. The relationship between a surrogate and intended parents is one that we help support throughout the journey. We use our proprietary MatchMade™ process to connect you with a compatible surrogate and foster a strong relationship that centers on the newest member of your family.
We match parents and surrogates based on three criteria, the first of which is legal fit. Ensuring that your surrogate lives in a state in which you'll be able to safely and securely establish your parental rights is crucial for a successful journey.
Financial Assistance for LGBTQIA+ Intended Parents
Circle is committed to providing surrogacy support to as many intended parents as possible. To help offset the costs of surrogacy, we provide exclusive financial assistance opportunities to our LGBTQIA+ intended parents.
Every intended parent benefits from our Journey Protection™ Program — a fixed-price program covering all agency fees, surrogate costs, legal fees, and insurance, with a $100,000 Journey Protection™ Guarantee included. Plus, our long-standing partnership with Men Having Babies provides the following discounts for parents:
GPAP Stage II - One pro bono Agency Service(s) per year
GPAP Stage I - 30%. Annual quota: 4 cases per year
Membership Benefits Program (MBP):
$1,000 off Gestational Surrogacy program
You can learn more about these financial aids and additional financing options by filling out a form and connecting with one of our Parent Intake Associates.
Community Support for LGBTQIA+ Parents
Since our beginning, we've built programs specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community, from in-house legal representation that fights for your parental rights to support groups for LGBTQIA+ families. Circle's partnerships with these organizations provide further resources to help you feel grounded within the LGBTQIA+ parent community:
Take The First Step
Ready to start your surrogacy journey? Circle has been walking alongside LGBTQIA+ families on their path to parenthood since 1995, and we'd be honored to walk alongside you.
Complete this form to take that first step, and we'll send you more information about the programs we offer, customized to your unique needs. You can also connect with us directly to learn more about the surrogacy experience for LGBTQIA+ parents. From the moment you reach out, we'll be right there with you every step of the way.
Every surrogacy journey is unique, so it can be challenging to say exactly what your journey will look like. Our more than 30 years of experience have given us insights into a variety of journeys, including:
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Gay couple surrogacy
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Lesbian single parent surrogacy
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Transgender and non-binary IVF and surrogacy
The Circle team will gladly discuss some of these insights and even connect you with past participants who took similar paths to the one you're considering.
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We offer a range of in-house services and supports for our intended parents, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+. Our social workers, attorneys, and medical experts understand many of the challenges you face and are available to listen and advocate throughout your surrogacy journey.
The laws surrounding your surrogacy journey may depend on the state or country where you and your surrogate are located. Circle's legal team will ensure you know all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding your surrogacy journey so we can anticipate and proactively address potential challenges.
Ultimately, this depends on how comfortable you are with sharing the experience and whether you believe your child is in the right place to understand it. Many parents choose to tell their child from birth, while others wait until childhood or the teenage years when they can have a mature dialogue about the subject.
We support LGBTQIA+ intended parents through education, advocacy, and social opportunities. Learn about the opportunities we offer, from in-person meetings and consultations to monthly webinars.