Surrogacy promises to be one of the most important—and amazing—journeys of your life. Navigating that journey can be overwhelming on your own, whether you are a woman who wants to become a surrogate mother or intended parents who see surrogacy in Connecticut as a way to grow their family. Circle Surrogacy has been helping people in their surrogacy journeys for more than 25 years in Connecticut and throughout the U.S. We'll help you learn about the surrogacy process, how to become a surrogate, how to find a surrogate, and all the other details involved in surrogacy.
Connecticut is a great place for surrogate mothers and intended parents. People interested in surrogacy from Stamford to Hartford and Fairfield to New Haven have been choosing Circle Surrogacy to help them with their journeys for more than 2 decades. We've built relationships with members of Connecticut's surrogacy community, helping intended parents and surrogate mothers enjoy smooth, complication-free surrogacy experiences.
Surrogacy enables couples and individuals from a variety of backgrounds, ages, and sexual orientations to build their families. Intended parents from Connecticut who use surrogacy to grow their families include:
• Heterosexual couples who have struggled with infertility
• Intended mothers who are unable to carry a child
• Intended parents who have a genetic defect or health condition they don't want to pass onto the child
• Same sex intended parents who want to have a genetic link to their baby
On this page, you'll find all the information you need to begin your journey as either intended parents or a surrogate mother and discover how Circle Surrogacy can help smooth your path. You'll also discover why Connecticut is an excellent state for surrogacy, what's involved in the state's surrogacy process, what surrogacy costs, and how to become a parent or surrogate mother.
Connecticut's surrogacy process is simple and easy, making Connecticut one of the most surrogacy-friendly states in the nation. Even though it's one of the smallest states, Connecticut is in a geographically favorable location. Connecticut is home to some of the world's best IVF clinics; many of Circle's intended parents who live in New York, Boston, or Europe travel to Connecticut to work with top reproductive endocrinologists.
Also, while it's not always the case, Connecticut surrogates tend to have less need for traveling to IVF clinic appointments if their intended parents are working with a CT IVF clinic.
Intended parents who choose surrogacy to grow their families in Connecticut enjoy benefits such as:
Local IVF clinics. As mentioned earlier, Circle works closely with the most successful IVF clinics, some of which are in Connecticut, New York and Boston. Working with a local clinic helps to reduce travel costs associated with your journey. If you’re already established with an IVF clinic, we’re happy to work with your clinic of choice.
Local surrogates. If you're interested in working with a surrogate mother who lives close to you, Circle works with surrogates from all over New England.
We're local to Connecticut. Although we are based in Boston, we have team members in both Connecticut and New York who are parents through surrogacy and always happy to share their experiences.
Flexible consultation schedule. We are available for consults via Skype during the day and evenings. Learn more about our free virtual consultations and upcoming webinars.
Understanding and preparing for the steps involved in the surrogacy process will help make it seem less complex. As you reach each milestone along your journey, you're that much closer to the outcome everyone is looking forward to: the birth of your baby!
Intended parents who choose to pursue surrogacy independently often find the process more complicated than expected. When you work with an agency such as Circle Surrogacy, you have access to 27 years of experience navigating the milestones involved in your journey.
After deciding that you'd like to grow your family using surrogacy and selecting an agency to meet with, scheduling a consultation is the first step in the surrogacy process. When meeting with the agencies you're considering, you can share your story and ask questions about the process. It's a good time to determine if an agency feels like the right fit for your journey.
A surrogacy consultation is an in-depth meeting (about 2 to 21/2 hours long) with a parent intake consultant and a lawyer. This private meeting will allow us to get to know you and your story, as well as talk about surrogacy and the process as it relates to your personal situation. We'll help you understand surrogacy programs and costs, as well.
If you're not ready for a full consultation but would like more information, you can schedule a pre-consultation with our intake team by contacting [email protected] and someone will reach out to coordinate a time.
Becoming a parent in Connecticut is safe and simple, as Connecticut is a surrogacy-friendly state for intended parents interested in growing their families through surrogacy and egg donation.
Circle Surrogacy works with many parents in the Northeast, including Connecticut, and we have offices in New York City and Boston. This enables us to partner with regional IVF clinics. We know that one of the first questions intended parents ask is how much surrogacy costs. Our comprehensive cost sheets outline the surrogacy costs you should expect in a typical surrogacy journey.
Journey Protection Guarantee Program
Surrogacy only: $157,750
Surrogacy plus egg donation: $184,750
(both prices exclude IVF costs for Connecticut clients)
Our Journey Protection Guarantee offers Intended Parents:
The costs outlined above are for our Surrogacy Only and Surrogacy Plus Egg Donation Programs. For more information about the costs of our other programs, please email us or call us at 617.439.9900.
Some intended parents may have the opportunity to qualify for financing for their journey. Please speak with our Parent Intake Team or Consultation Team or by filling out this form.
With 2 of our offices in the Northeast, Circle Surrogacy is able to help connect intended parents with surrogates in Connecticut and the surrounding states. One of the most exciting parts of your surrogacy journey is finding a surrogate mother match.
Before you begin searching for a surrogate, spend time thinking about what characteristics are important to you when choosing a gestational carrier. This helps reduce the stress involved in making a decision, whether you're making the journey on your own or with the help of a surrogacy agency. Honestly communicating your preferences—what you're looking for in a surrogate, what you’d like your relationship with your surrogate to be, and the expectations you have for your journey—helps ensure the team presents you with good match options.
We ask intended parents to fill out a profile that helps us to get to know them better and find appropriate surrogate matches.
The information we ask for in the profile includes your:
• Relationship (if you have a partner)
• Family
• Hobbies and activities
• Plans for parenthood
• Reasons for pursuing surrogacy
We'll also ask that you also share photos of yourself, your loved ones, and any other photos that give you a good sense of who you are as people.
Your Matching Team uses your answers—as well as your geographic location and views on termination—to match you with your surrogate, so it's important to be honest when thinking about how you answer these questions.
In addition to your profile, there are certain criteria on which you will be matched with your gestational carrier. Intended parent matching criteria include preferences on:
• Level of communication with your surrogate during the journey
• Location of the surrogate mother
• Number of embryos to transfer
• Views on selective reduction and termination
If you are making an independent surrogacy journey, you can use the above as guidelines for what you should look for in a suitable match.
Consider these 3 criteria as you embark on a search for a surrogate mother in Connecticut:
Appropriate legal fit: Our lawyers ensure that potential matches meet Connecticut surrogacy law's requirements before presenting surrogate profiles to intended parents.
Personality fit and surrogacy expectations: It's important that both surrogates and intended parents feel comfortable with each other during their journey. At Circle, your Matching Team (which includes a lawyer) reviews the list of safe matches provided by the legal team to ensure good personality fits.
Expectations surrounding termination and selective reduction: It’s important to share similar views about terminating a pregnancy if something occurs and reduction or termination needs to be considered. In our experience, many intended parents prefer the option to make the choice regarding termination.
Surrogacy and assisted reproduction laws in Connecticut are some of the best in the country. This area of the law can be complex, so understanding the legalities of becoming a surrogate mother or a parent through surrogacy is important.
In the state of Connecticut, when intended parents of any background (heterosexual couples, same-sex couples, single individuals) work with Connecticut surrogates, the legal process is simple and easy. Arguably the most favorable surrogacy case of recent years was decided in Connecticut in 2011. Raftopol v. Ramey is a Connecticut Supreme Court decision that allows pre-birth orders for non-biological parents.
The case clarified Connecticut's surrogacy statute, and it makes the legal process simple for Connecticut surrogates and their intended parents. Circle Surrogacy is proud to have helped bring about this clarification in the law. Our attorneys filed an amicus brief which helped the court come to its decision.
It is relatively simple to establish your parental rights in the state of Connecticut. Connecticut grants prebirth orders, and both parents can be declared legal parents if at least one parent is genetically related to the child for both single and coupled, married or unmarried, gay or straight intended parents, even when using an egg or sperm donor.
Also, both parents can be declared legal parents if neither parent is genetically related to the child for both single and coupled, married or unmarried, gay or straight intended parents.
Surrogates are women who have children of their own, have had relatively easy pregnancies and births (they like being pregnant!), and many have completed their own families. Surrogate mothers want to help others have their own families.
What is surrogacy? It's an amazing way to help make intended parents' dreams come true and give others the ultimate gift: a baby!
There is a lot of information out there about becoming a surrogate, but here are 5 quick things for you to know before you begin!
Ready to learn more? Read on!
At Circle, our Connecticut surrogates receive the support and guidance of our experienced social workers and program coordinators, many who have been surrogates themselves. We support women wherever they are in the process whether they are ready to apply now or are interested but want to talk with experienced surrogates or Surrogate Advisors. Here is an overview of the process:
Learn more about the surrogacy process at Circle.
Wherever you are in your journey, we suggest completing our online surrogacy application. It takes only about 10 minutes to complete and there is no obligation to proceed if you aren’t ready.
Surrogate mothers from Connecticut are in a geographically favorable position. Many of Circle's intended parents live in New York, Boston, or Europe, and as a result, choose to work with IVF clinics in Connecticut or the greater New York City area. For this reason, Connecticut surrogate moms often have less need for traveling to IVF clinic appointments.
If you're wondering what type of women in Connecticut apply to become surrogate mothers, we can tell you that they are generous, adventurous, and kind. They come from all different backgrounds and jobs. They are passionate about their families. They are fearless and giving.
They are just like you.
Becoming a surrogate mother in Connecticut involves meeting certain requirements. A surrogate mother:
• Has delivered a child of her own and is currently parenting at least one child
• Has had pregnancies and deliveries without complications, as documented by medical records
• Is between ages 21 and 44
• Typically has a body mass index (BMI) of no higher than 33. Calculate My BMI.
• Is a citizen, legal resident, or legal immigrant of the United States. If a surrogate is a legal resident or legal immigrant of the U.S., the surrogate must be able to provide documentation that is valid for at least 2 years.
• Does not participate in the following government aid programs: cash assistance, welfare, public housing, or section 8. All other forms of government assistance will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Women who wish to become surrogate mothers in Connecticut do so for many reasons besides the generous compensation available. You will enjoy surrogate benefits such as:
We want each surrogate to have a successful, rewarding journey. To demonstrate the care we have for our carriers, we created the Circle Surrogate Promise. This unique commitment is based on the thoughts and comments shared by past carriers, which we took to heart and used as inspiration to improve the experience for gestational carriers.
The Circle Surrogate Promise is a program exclusive to Circle Surrogates; no other agency can offer the same level of security and support.
Circle Surrogacy promises:
1. Guaranteed Compensation. Circle Surrogacy financially backs their intended parents, so a surrogate’s escrow account is always funded to ensure she is always paid in full and on time.
2. No medical bill liability. Circle Surrogacy takes on the liability of medical bills. We listened to our past surrogates and their frustrations with medical bills, and we’ve made big changes. While we can never stop having you receive medical bills (since you are the “patient”), our new Fixed Cost programs for intended parents allow us to protect both the surrogates and the intended parents and ensure all medical bills will be paid in a timely manner.
3. $5,000 compensation, even if you leave the program. If you are accepted into our surrogate program and you are medically cleared and matched with intended parents – but you don’t achieve a pregnancy – we will compensate you for your time, energy, and dedication thus far in your journey (up to $5,000 total).
4. Empowerment in birth choices. Not every gestational carrier has the same desires when it comes to the birth of their surrogate baby. At Circle, our surrogates have choices for their preferred birth options, such as doula care, a hospital birth, or using a birth center with a midwife.
5. Personalized, small agency feel, with the resources of a large agency. The first person you speak with at Circle will likely be an experienced carrier. The carrier guides you through the process until you are matched with intended parents, personally introducing you to your dedicated social worker and journey support team, all of whom are in-house at Circle. You’ll always be supported by a Circle employee who knows all the details about you and your journey—you’ll never have to worry about working with a third party who doesn’t even know your name! Plus, with our expanded team, we are able to offer support groups, virtual events, one-on-one surrogate mentorship, and more.
Gestational surrogates are paid for carrying a baby for someone. This compensation is often called a "surrogate base compensation" or "surrogate payment." Base compensation for a surrogate in Connecticut can range from $40,000-$45,000, depending on if the surrogate has insurance. As a surrogate with Circle Surrogacy, you will be paid your base compensation plus additional payments for milestones along your journey.
The total compensation package for a surrogate from Connecticut can be up to $60,000-$65,000+.
Your surrogate compensation is paid to you throughout the duration of your surrogacy journey. In fact, you will receive payments before you are even pregnant.
Surrogate pay includes the following:
• Base compensation. This depends on whether you have health insurance, if you're a first-time surrogate, and the state where you will be a surrogate.
• Payments before you are pregnant. You will be compensated early in your journey for completing tasks and milestones. These payments are in addition to your base compensation.
• Payments during and after pregnancy. Surrogate mothers also receive financial support for necessities during the pregnancy, such as maternity clothing, housekeeping, pumping and shipping breast milk, and more.
• Additional benefits. Surrogates will also receive benefits that, while not monetary payments, are priceless in ensuring you're protected and you have a smooth journey. These benefits include social work support, legal counsel, life insurance, and more.
Your base compensation is paid monthly in 9 installments beginning with the confirmation of a heartbeat, which occurs around 6 weeks gestation. However, you will receive compensation in the time leading up to that for transfers as well as the medical screening and signing of your contract.
Our passion and experience for surrogacy are unsurpassed in Connecticut. Our team supports you every step of the way—from the day you begin exploring surrogacy to your meeting with the prospective parents and throughout your entire pregnancy to birth. We’ll help you navigate the screening process, ensure you match with the perfect intended parent or parents, and guide you through the legal and social work aspects of surrogate parenting.
Many members of the Circle Surrogacy team are experienced surrogates. (Some have completed 3 journeys!) That means we’re not just bringing you world-class expertise in the myriad legal, social, and medical aspects of your surrogacy process. We’re also delivering hands-on guidance that’s informed by our experience. Our team is ready to answer any question you can dream of (and then some).
We can also connect you with skilled, trustworthy experts. For example, when it’s time for you to review legal contracts, we’ll recommend an attorney local to you with whom we’ve worked previously and who has a strong working knowledge of Assisted Reproduction Technology laws in Connecticut. It’s just one more way we can clear the path for you and make the entire surrogacy program as seamless as possible. Read our blog post about the 10 steps to becoming a surrogate.
Circle Surrogacy uses an extensive, thorough matching process that helps ensure you find prospective parents who you connect with and fully trust. Together, you'll embark on an incredible, intimate journey.
Your Surrogate Support team starts by searching for the perfect intended parent(s) for you based on personality fit and legal circumstances. Surrogates and potential matches review each other’s profiles, ask questions, and generally feel each other out. There will also be an initial Skype call and possibly an in-person meeting. It’s all about making sure both you and the intended parent(s) feel completely comfortable with the match. And, of course, the surrogacy agreement only moves forward if you do.
Circle works with single parents, LGBTQ+ and heterosexual couples, domestic and international couples, and more. We’re confident you’ll be able to find a great match.
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