Single surrogacy is not only possible but increasingly common, with many agencies specifically equipped to support solo parents through their family-building journey.

With proper guidance and the right agency partnership, single parents can navigate surrogacy confidently and successfully welcome their children.

Connect with a professional that supports single parents

Based on our experience helping single intended parents, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing an agency, understanding costs, and preparing for your surrogacy journey as a solo parent.

Can Single People Become Parents Through Surrogacy?

Can a single man/woman do surrogacy? Absolutely.

Single surrogacy is fully legal and widely practiced throughout the United States. In fact, many surrogacy agencies report that single intended parents often have some advantages in the surrogacy process, including faster decision-making, flexible scheduling, and the ability to form close, focused relationships with their surrogates.

Legal Framework for Single Parents

Is surrogacy allowed for single parents in the US? Yes, all surrogacy-friendly states welcome single intended parents with the same legal protections and processes available to couples. The legal framework for single surrogacy includes:

• Pre-birth orders that establish parental rights before delivery
• Parental rights establishment through the same legal channels as married couples
• Contract protections that safeguard both intended parents and surrogates
• Insurance coordination that covers pregnancy and delivery costs

Single intended parents often find the legal process more straightforward than couples because there’s only one person’s rights to establish, eliminating some of the complexity around dual-parent recognition.

The Single Parent Advantage

Many people assume that being single might complicate the surrogacy process, but our research shows several areas where single intended parents actually experience advantages:

• Streamlined decision-making: With only one person making choices, decisions about medical care, lifestyle preferences, and birth plans can be made more quickly.
• Flexible communication: Single parents often develop closer relationships with their surrogates because communication doesn’t need to be filtered through a partner.
• Simplified logistics: Coordinating schedules for appointments, visits, and delivery planning is often easier with one person’s calendar.
• Focused preparation: Single parents can dedicate their full attention to preparing for parenthood without navigating partner dynamics.
• Do surrogacy agencies work with unmarried people? Not only do they work with unmarried people, but many agencies have significant experience with single intended parents.

Procedural Overview for Single Parents

The single surrogacy process follows the same basic steps as surrogacy for couples, with some modifications to accommodate solo parents:

1. Agency consultation and matching with surrogates comfortable working with single parents
2. Legal contract negotiation focused on single-parent rights and responsibilities
3. Medical coordination including embryo creation or transfer planning
4. Pregnancy monitoring and support with enhanced communication protocols
5. Delivery planning including support person arrangements and newborn care

What to Look for in a Surrogacy Agency as a Single Intended Parent

How to choose a surrogacy agency as a solo parent? The key is finding agencies that don’t just accept single parents but actively celebrate and support them. Our analysis of agencies nationwide shows specific criteria that matter most for single intended parents.

Agency Experience with Single Parents

What are the requirements for single intended parents? Requirements vary by agency, but the best agencies for single parents offer:

• Documented experience: Look for agencies that can provide specific data on how many single parents they’ve helped and their success rates.
• Single-parent resources: Educational materials, support groups, and preparation programs designed for solo parents.
• Flexible communication options: Agencies that accommodate single parents’ often busier schedules with evening or weekend consultations.

Surrogate Network Inclusivity

The best agencies for single dads who want to become parents and single women maintain surrogate networks that are genuinely excited about working with solo parents. Key indicators include:

• Active recruitment: Agencies that specifically recruit surrogates who are interested in working with single intended parents.
• Positive messaging: Agency materials and website content that celebrate single parenthood rather than treating it as an alternative option.
• Previous experience: Surrogate networks that include women who have successfully worked with single parents before.
• Comprehensive screening: Evaluation processes that assess surrogates’ comfort level and enthusiasm for working with single intended parents.

Support Services Tailored to Singles

Single surrogacy often requires different types of support than traditional couple-based surrogacy. Look for agencies offering:

• Extended counseling services: Support for the unique emotional aspects of single parenthood, including handling family reactions and preparing for solo parenting.
• Practical planning assistance: Help with logistics like finding support people for delivery, planning postpartum care, and coordinating time off work.
• Financial planning guidance: Specialized consultation for single-income budgeting and financing options.
• Community connections: Opportunities to connect with other single parents who have completed surrogacy journeys.

Transparency and Communication Standards

Single intended parents often benefit from enhanced communication because they’re managing all aspects of the journey independently. Evaluate agencies based on:

• Response time commitments for questions and concerns
• Regular update schedules throughout the pregnancy
• Emergency contact protocols for urgent situations
• Decision-making support when medical or personal choices arise

Costs and Financing Options for Single-Parent Surrogacy

Understanding the financial investment required for single surrogacy is crucial for planning your journey successfully.

While the base costs are similar to surrogacy for couples, single parents have unique financial considerations and often access to specialized resources.

Typical Investment for Single Parents

Single surrogacy costs typically range from $100,000 to $200,000, similar to costs for couples. However, single parents may face some additional or different expenses:

• Enhanced fertility services: Your fertility service needs may be different than those for couples— usually you will need an egg or sperm donor.
• Delivery support: Single parents may need to hire additional support people for delivery and immediate postpartum period.
• Extended leave planning: Financial planning for potentially longer time off work without a partner’s income.
• Childcare preparation: Earlier investment in childcare arrangements and support systems.

Single-Income Budgeting Strategies

Managing single surrogacy costs on one income requires strategic planning, but many single parents successfully navigate this challenge:

• Extended planning timeline: Single parents often benefit from longer planning periods to save and arrange financing.
• Employer benefit maximization: Utilizing fertility benefits, family leave policies, and dependent care assistance programs.
• Support network contributions: Some single parents receive financial support from family members who are excited about becoming grandparents or aunts/uncles.
• Creative financing approaches: Combining multiple financing sources including loans, savings, grants, and crowdfunding.

Grants and Financial Assistance for Single Parents

Several organizations specifically support single intended parents with grants and financial assistance:

• Men Having Babies: Offers scholarships specifically for single men pursuing surrogacy.
• Baby Quest Foundation: Provides grants for single intended parents meeting specific criteria.
• The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation: Supports diverse family structures including single parents.

Employer benefits: Many companies now include surrogacy coverage in their benefits packages, available to single employees.

Financing Options Designed for Single Parents

Single surrogacy financing has evolved to accommodate solo parents’ unique situations:

• Extended payment plans: Longer repayment terms that work better with single incomes.
• Income-based qualification: Lenders who understand that single parents may have different debt-to-income ratios but stable employment.
• Flexible timing options: Financing that allows for career planning and timing considerations specific to single parents.
• Success-based programs: Some financing options offer partial refunds or adjusted terms if pregnancy doesn’t result in live birth.

How Agencies Match Surrogates with Single Parents

The matching process for single surrogacy involves unique considerations that experienced agencies understand and optimize.

Understanding Surrogate Motivations

Surrogates who choose to work with single intended parents often have specific motivations that create positive dynamics:

• Empathy for single parenthood: Many surrogates are single mothers themselves or have close relationships with single parents.
• Desire to help create families: Some surrogates are specifically motivated by helping someone become a parent who might not have other options.
• Previous positive experiences: Surrogates who have worked with single parents before often prefer these relationships.
• Simplified communication: Some surrogates appreciate the direct communication style that single parents often provide.

Matching Criteria Specific to Single Parents

Agencies experienced in single surrogacy consider factors beyond standard medical and psychological compatibility:

• Communication styles: Matching personality types and communication preferences for optimal relationship building.
• Support system alignment: Ensuring the surrogate is comfortable with the intended parent’s support network and delivery plans.
• Geographic considerations: Balancing proximity for relationship building with the single parent’s work and personal obligations.
• Experience levels: Pairing first-time single parents with experienced surrogates, or matching experience levels based on preferences.

The Relationship Dynamic

Single surrogacy relationships often develop differently than traditional couple-surrogate relationships:

• More direct communication: Without needing to coordinate through a partner, communication is often more frequent and direct.
• Deeper personal connection: Many single parents and surrogates report developing closer friendships throughout the process.
• Shared decision-making: Some surrogates feel more involved in decision-making processes when working with single parents.
• Extended support: Surrogates often provide emotional support and practical advice specifically relevant to single parenthood.

Agency Support for the Matching Relationship

The best agencies for single surrogacy provide ongoing support to nurture the intended parent-surrogate relationship:

• Regular check-ins with both parties throughout the pregnancy
• Conflict resolution services if communication challenges arise
• Educational resources about building positive surrogacy relationships
• Social opportunities for single parents and surrogates to connect with others in similar situations

Find a Surrogacy Agency for Single Intended Parents

Best agencies for single dads who want to become parents and single women share common characteristics:

• Documented experience with single-parent success stories
• Specialized support services beyond standard agency offerings
• Flexible communication and scheduling options
• Transparent pricing with no discrimination against single parents
• Strong surrogate networks genuinely excited about working with single intended parents

Stories from Single Parents Who Built Families Through Surrogacy

The experiences of single parents who have completed single surrogacy journeys demonstrate the unique joys and successes possible when working with the right agency and support system. These families highlight what’s achievable with proper planning and the right partnerships.

Practical Lessons from Real Experiences

Single parents who have completed their journeys offer valuable insights for those considering single surrogacy.

Nicholas originally thought that it was too complicated and risky to do surrogacy as a single, gay man, but he found his path forward with the help of an agency. (Read Nicholas’s story here.)

He was glad he had support that helped him with the details:

• Planning is crucial: Successful single parents emphasize the importance of thorough financial and logistical planning before beginning the process.
• Support systems matter: Having friends, family, or professional support people available during delivery and the immediate postpartum period is essential.
• Communication is key: Building strong, direct communication with surrogates often leads to more positive experiences for everyone involved.
• Agency choice impacts everything: Working with agencies that specialize in single parent support versus those that simply accept single parents makes a significant difference in the overall experience.

Ready to Start Your Journey as a Single Parent? Here’s How You Can Help

Beginning your single surrogacy journey might feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance and agency partnership, single parents successfully welcome their children every day.

Connect with Agencies That Celebrate Single Parents

Your decision to pursue single surrogacy is a brave and exciting step toward parenthood. The right agency will never make you feel like your single status is a limitation—instead, they’ll help you leverage the unique advantages that single parents often bring to the surrogacy process.

Ready to connect with a professional who supports single parents? Get in touch here.

We’ve found that single intended parents who work with agencies experienced in single surrogacy often report feeling more supported and confident throughout their journey than they ever expected. Your path to parenthood as a single person is not just possible—it can be incredibly fulfilling and successful with the right guidance and support.

Your family is waiting, and we’re here to help you find the agency that will support you every step of the way.