15 surrogacy questions
for intended parents — full FAQ
IMA ART Fertility is the first international, exclusive fertility advisor operating in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. We pride ourselves on delivering discreet, high-quality fertility solutions under the protection of California State Assisted Reproductive Law and Family Formation (parental rights) Law to international clientele in Europe, Asia, and North America.
At IMA ART, your interests are our priority. We cater to time-constrained, high-net-worth clientele, including couples, singles, and LGBTQ+ people.
At the heart of IMA ART Fertility is our CEO and Founder, Michelle Tang. Michelle herself struggled through years of infertility treatments. Fueled by her personal experiences with fertility issues, Michelle turned adversity into opportunity by using her experiences to support others through their IVF and surrogacy journeys.
Michelle is the lifeblood of IMA ART Fertility. Her passion, commitment, and years of expertise in the financial industry make Michelle keenly poised to facilitate fertility and surrogacy solutions for other couples seeking to build their families.
Michelle will be your personal guide throughout your entire experience, helping you explore every fertility solution and surrogacy option.
Why should I choose IMA ART Fertility?
Your privacy is always of the utmost importance to us. We do not publish, at any time, testimonials, case studies, family pictures, or baby pictures in any online or offline medium. Our strict governance policies safeguard your privacy.
To the extent IMA ART Fertility has personal information about you in our online systems, we have in place tight technical and organizational measures to prevent unauthorized or unlawful access. As it’s impossible to guarantee complete data security for communication via emails, instant messaging, and similar communication platforms, we recommend transmitting any particularly confidential information via alternative secure means.
Will my privacy be protected?
We at IMA ART Fertility are here to serve as your luxury fertility concierge team. We have cultivated a network of experts and surrogacy professionals at the forefront of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and reproductive medicine who will deliver exclusive fertility care.
Our Fertility Advisory involves close collaboration with affiliated experts in the fields of ART, Reproductive Law, and white glove concierge. You’ll be given access to top-tier:
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics
Egg Freezing providers and fertility preservation systems
IVF with Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Attorneys specializing in Reproductive Law
Fertility doctors and reproductive endocrinologists
Guidance on Surrogacy Insurance
Guidance on Newborn Medical and Life Insurance
Clinical Psychologist (PhD)
Professional Concierge services
Personal Shoppers
Luxury Hotels
Transport in your personal Limousine
Fine Dining
Exclusive Tours
Whatever your needs, the fertility and surrogacy experts we work with will help design a 100% tailored, white-glove fertility plan to suit your desired journey to parenthood.
What fertility services does IMA ART Fertility provide?
Who are the ideal candidates for IVF treatment?
It’s important to note that IVF success rates vary from clinic to clinic and country to country. Additionally, there are many factors that can influence the success of IVF, and it can take a few IVF cycles before a successful embryo transfer is achieved.
The biggest factor that dictates IVF success rates is the age of the egg being fertilized. (“Success” in the U.S. is defined as giving birth to a single healthy child rather than testing positive for pregnancy after implantation, which is how most of the rest of the world defines it.)
For instance, the Society for Reproductive Technology (SART) suggests that the success rates of IVF for women under 35 years old sit at about 55.6%. For women between 35 and 37 years old, the IVF success rate sees a decline and moves to about 40.8%. Women between 38 and 40 years old typically see IVF success rates of 26.8%, with women over 40 experiencing 7% success rates for IVF using their own eggs.
Factors that can impact the outcomes of successful IVF include:
Egg/embryo quality
Stimulation protocol and timing of ovulation
Receptivity of the endometrium (implantation)
Embryo transfer
Sperm factors
Should the IVF processes not produce a successful pregnancy, we’re here to support and guide you in exploring every available option for building your family, from egg donors and sperm donors to gestational carriers and more.
What are the success rates of IVF treatments?
As mentioned above, the success of IVF treatments varies between fertility centers and can be affected by numerous variables. That being said, research indicates that with healthy donor eggs from women in their most fertile years (20s-32), IVF success rates can reach as high as 70-80%.
What are the success rates of IVF treatments using donor eggs?
Success rates vary among assisted reproductive technologies and fertility clinics. Embryo transfer isn’t always successful the first time, and it may take more than one attempt. In most cases, it isn’t the surrogate’s fault if an embryo transfer is not successful.
However, research shows that once the surrogate is pregnant the success rate for a healthy birth can be as high as 95%. IMA ART Fertility is not affiliated with any specific IVF clinic, but we absolutely offer recommendations based on our previous experiences and your specific desires for the surrogacy process.
What is the success rate of surrogacy?
A gestational surrogate is not biologically related to the baby. Both egg and sperm come from either the intended parents or donors, also known as third-party reproduction, and implanted via IVF. The surrogate then carries the fetus to term.
In contrast, a traditional surrogate uses her own egg and is therefore biologically related to the child. At IMA ART Fertility, we specialize in gestational surrogacy.
What is the difference between gestational surrogacy and traditional surrogacy?
Surrogacy can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience for parents and gestational carriers. However, being a surrogate also comes with incredible responsibility as well as physical and emotional risks. It’s essential to make sure surrogates are emotionally, mentally, and physically prepared for the journey ahead, and we provide as many resources as possible to support our surrogates in their journey to delivering you a happy and healthy baby.
When a surrogacy agency provides comprehensive screening services, the purpose is to protect everyone involved, including the parents, surrogates, and the agency itself. This is an important element in IMA ART Fertility Governance.
Why does IMA ART Fertility screen surrogates?
IMA ART Fertility has strict requirements to be a surrogate, as well as a rigorous applicant screening process for women who want to become surrogates. This sets our surrogacy agency apart from others in the U.S.
The screening process involves a background check of their medical history and a series of investigations and interviews with professional references and family members. It includes home visits, blood tests, and ultrasounds, among other steps to help ensure a healthy pregnancy. We not only strive to be leaders in the industry, but we also find our comprehensive approach makes for successful matches based on surrogate and intended parent preferences and personalities.
Our uniquely designed gestational surrogacy matching and social, psychological, and medical screening process ensures that an applicant not only meets all surrogacy requirements, but that you also share common perspectives on pregnancy and will be a good match throughout the journey.
How does IMA ART Fertility screen prospective surrogates?
All IMA ART Fertility surrogates are:
Physically, mentally, and socially healthy. They lead a healthy lifestyle in a stable and secure home environment.
Passionate about helping another couple or individual build their family, and excited to undergo the challenging but rewarding surrogacy journey.
Free from a history of family or personal health issues, including physical or mental health, that could negatively affect the fetus or their ability to carry a child to term.
Understanding of the level of care they should take with their health during the pregnancy, and committed to following the necessary steps to help ensure a successful birth and healthy newborn.
In compliance with the Body Mass Index (BMI) and age guidelines set by the IVF center (typically, 21-37). Covered by usable health insurance that includes maternity coverage for surrogacy, or able to acquire it. Someone the intended parents can trust, and who will be respectful of their right to confidentiality and privacy.
Committed to following a healthy diet and keeping up with necessary prenatal vitamins and minerals as directed or recommended by the physician.
Not a smoker, and free from a history of alcohol or drug abuse. At IMA ART Fertility, surrogate mothers do not live in smoking households and are committed to complete abstinence from alcohol use, illegal or unauthorized drug use, or smoking — from conception until postpartum.
Happy to maintain frequent contact with the intended parents throughout every stage of the surrogacy journey. Willing to carry a twin pregnancy if the single embryo splits into two.
Stable and secure financially, without the need for government assistance.
What are IMA ART Fertility’s surrogacy requirements?
On average, the screening and surrogate matching process will take six to eight weeks. During this time, our team will carry out the pre-screening steps outlined above while maintaining regular contact with the surrogacy candidate.
Frequently checking in with the potential surrogate helps us build a solid relationship with her, which creates the strong foundation that will be necessary for the rest of the surrogacy journey.
How long will the surrogate screening process take?
IMA ART Fertility accepts only U.S. citizens and some Green Card holders from surrogacy-friendly states as surrogates. Many states, from California (where IMA ART is located) on the West Coast to New England and states in between have laws that are very favorable for surrogacy. In others, surrogacy is legal with certain controls. In others, like Tennessee and Virginia, surrogacy has legal obstacles. In Arizona and Indiana, surrogacy contracts are legally unenforceable. Surrogacy is illegal in Louisiana, Michigan, and Nebraska.
Does IMA ART fertility accept surrogates from countries outside the United States?
At IMA ART Fertility, we create heirs. As a luxury surrogacy agency, we set high standards for our surrogate mothers to help maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy and the health and well-being of your child.
Surrogates are in high demand, so to attract the best surrogacy candidates we offer competitive surrogate compensation and include surrogate-specific private insurance to give our surrogates peace of mind and a stress-free pregnancy for your baby. We set expectations for base compensation at $85,000.
However, the total amount will include additional fees and expenses that will be negotiated in your Surrogacy Agreement with the surrogate mother. Total surrogate compensation may reach $97,920 plus insurance costs and other medical variables.
Contact IMA ART Fertility to fully understand the detailed costs associated with a surrogacy journey.
What is the cost of surrogacy?
We have a top-tier network of legal advisors at the forefront of Surrogacy Law, ready to help draft your surrogacy contract. This Surrogacy Agreement will help ensure your parental rights.
Do I have to worry about parental rights when working with a surrogate?
