APM carefully prescreens all gestational surrogate applicants and only accept approximately 10% of those who apply. We use the following criteria when screening potential surrogates for our program: Surrogate must be between the ages of 21-38; She must have given birth previously and she must maintain custody of her children; She and/or her spouse/partner can’t have any criminal record; She can’t be receiving welfare or using government health insurance; She must live in a stable and clean living environment as determined by our surrogate coordinator during our visit to the potential surrogate’s home; She must be physically and psychologically healthy and within the acceptable BMI percentage accepted by most IVF Physicians. We also require all the medical records from each of the surrogate’s previous births. After our initial criteria are met, we arrange for a professional background check of the surrogate and her spouse/partner as applicable. Once we receive a favorable background report, we arrange for the surrogate to be screened and evaluated by a psychologist. If the psychologist recommends the surrogate for a cycle, we may also send her to a local IVF center for an ultrasound to make sure the uterus is in good condition and suitable for an embryo transfer and pregnancy. Only after the candidate passes all these steps will she be accepted into our program and matched with a family. Once a match is made, we send all the relevant information to your chosen IVF center and they will make the final determination if the surrogate is a suitable candidate for you. Your IVF center will also have its own protocol for a more extensive screening of the surrogate.

APM always has available gestational surrogates who are located in S. California. The time it takes for a match is dependent upon the expectations of both the surrogate and IP. Sometimes it takes a few days, but other times it may take a few months depending on your requirements for a surrogate. The following is a general list of criteria most Clients will use when selecting a surrogate: marital status, ages of and amount of children in the home, employed or stay at home mom, insurance that covers surrogacy or not, right to termination, selective reduction, etc.

Each surrogate also has her own desires and willingness to be matched with specific types of families (heterosexual, gay, single male, single female, international, etc.) and each surrogate informs us about her preferences regarding selective reduction, termination, amount of children they are willing to carry, etc.

The goal is to match your expectations with the surrogate who is most able to meet those expectations, so we carefully assess each party’s needs when we present surrogates for your consideration.

Initially, you will have a phone conversation with your potential surrogate and then we will arrange for a personal meeting whenever possible. Once there is an agreement to work together you will be given the surrogate’s home number, cell number, address and email address and she will be given yours. You will be able to have a mutually respectful and personal relationship that meets your needs and hers throughout the pregnancy and delivery. APM is always available to help with any communication needs of either party.

Yes, APM surrogates are willing to travel to your chosen IVF center. The costs associated with travel, however, will be paid by Client.

We provided our first gestational surrogate and donor coordination services in 1998 while operating under the Law Office of Thomas Pinkerton. In the year 2000, A Perfect Match, Inc. was incorporated and we acquired our own separate offices, while still maintaining a continued working relationship with the law office.

Our basic agency fee is $15,000 for the matching process, cycle coordination services, attendance at the embryo transfer (within San Diego County) and support services provided throughout the entire pregnancy with one APM gestational surrogate. We can also design our program to meet specific client needs should the Client request additional services from APM. For example, we charge an additional fee if Client requests an agency representative’s travel outside of San Diego County. We also charge an additional fee if the Client is unable to attend an appointment with the surrogate, but they request that an agency representative attend on their behalf. Please keep in mind, however, that the additional fees are only assessed based on Client’s request and not because the Agency makes a decision to provide services that would cost the Client additional money.

APM never charges an additional fee for international families. International families are very easy to work with and we find that our families are great at communicating through email and they are respectful in calling us instead of asking us to incur the charge to call them. If we have to incur additional expenses in order to send documentation via Fed Ex, etc. then we charge only for the actual cost of that service.

The costs of the surrogacy will vary depending on the location of the surrogate to your IVF center, if she is a first-time or repeat surrogate, and if she carries a singleton or multiples, if she is required to have a c-section, etc. Please see our sample estimate and surrogate benefit package for a more detailed explanation of expected costs.

Yes, before we will allow you to speak with any of our qualified gestational surrogates, APM requires that you sign our retainer and pay $5000 of the agency fee. If you decide not to work with the surrogate you have chosen to meet, APM will continue to provide other qualified candidates without additional charge or you may request a refund of the agency fee less $1000.00, which APM keeps as a processing fee and the agreement will terminate.

Yes. As part of our services, we provide Client and Surrogate with a surrogate benefit packagehat outlines the benefits and costs for the surrogacy cycle. Each party is required to sign this agreement once they agree to work together for a surrogacy cycle. An attorney referral and a copy of the signed Benefit package is sent to the attorney, so the attorney can put appropriate language in the contract that you will sign with the surrogate. We do this ahead of time so that your contract negotiations with the surrogate will go quickly and smoothly. This means everyone enters into the contract stage with an agreement as to the majority of terms that will be addressed within the contract. If either party attempts to “significantly” change the previously agreed upon terms the cycle without the other party’s agreement the cycle will be canceled. For example, the surrogate and Client agree to a base compensation of $25,000 and sign the Benefit Package with that amount in it, then the surrogate can’t come back and ask for a higher fee, but the Client also can’t ask for a lower fee. This is meant to keep “surprises” to a minimum.

NEVER, but we do carry liability insurance.

APM refers all our clients to Reproductive Law Office (RLC) for the handling of trust funds needed for surrogacy and/or egg donation cycles. Please read the following for more information about the reasons we use RLC and also read Things to Consider before choosing an agency.

APM believes in the right of all people to become a parent as long as they demonstrate an ability and desire to bring a child into a loving and stable home.