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Circle Surrogacy

Surrogacy Agency  | 
Egg Donor Agency  | 
Legal Service Provider
Boston, MA - HQ  |  New York, NY  |  Burlingame, CA  |  Los Angeles, CA  |  Raleigh, NC  |  Washington, DC  |  London, GB
About
Last updated on May 23, 2024 11:17 AM Advisory Circle Logo
Circle Surrogacy is the leading full-service surrogacy agency with an impressive thirty-year track record. To date, Circle has delivered over 3,200 babies to parents via surrogates, guiding each to develop meaningful relationships with a 99.3% success rate. Circle has a dedicated team of tenured experts, including lawyers, social workers, case managers, and accountants. Additionally, we have the invaluable perspective of parents, surrogates, and egg donors on staff, with 44% of our team members having personal fertility journey experience. Circle helps intended parents and surrogates navigate all aspects of the surrogacy journey beyond matchmaking — from legal counseling to insurance coverage to financial planning. We've been there, we understand, we're experienced and ready to help you every step of the way.
Services
Last updated on May 25, 2023 03:11 PM

Surrogacy Agency Services
GC Recruitment / Advertising
GC Screening

  • Criminal Background Check - GC
  • Criminal Background Check - GC's Family
  • Financial Review
  • Psychological Screening
  • Medical Records Review
  • Carrier's Insurance Review
GC Matching
Case Management

  • 3rd Party Coordination (medical, legal, insurance, escrow)
  • Journey Guidance & Support
  • Travel coordination
  • Birth arrangements guidance / coordination
  • Postpartem Coordination
Billing Management
GC insurance review
GC insurance placement
Escrow Oversight
Insurance and billing support
Support Group for GC
Support Group for IP
Mental Health Counseling
GC Ancillary Wellness Services

  • Nutritional Counseling
  • Acupuncture
  • Massage Therapy
Egg Donation Services
ED Matching
ED Non-medical Screening

  • Psychological Screening with a Mental Health Professional
  • Review of Past Egg Donation
  • Medical Questionaire
  • MMPI / PAI testing
Law Services
Donation Agreements (known and unidentified gamete/embryo donation agreements)

  • Egg Donation
  • Embryo Donation
Surrogacy Agreements

  • Gestational Surrogacy
Establishing Parentage

  • Parentage Order
  • Related Adoption Services
Promotions
GPAP Stage I Discount: 30% Annual quota: 4
GPAP Stage II 1 pro bono Agency Service(s) per year
Membership Benefits Program
  • $1,000 off GS or GSED program
  • $500 off EDO program
Team Members
Last updated on Jan 04, 2024 04:01 PM
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Sam Hyde - President
Advisory Circle Logo
Sam Hyde is the President of Circle Surrogacy. Having experienced fertility challenges when starting his own family, Sam understands firsthand the importance of support and help to fulfill dreams of parenthood. Sam and his wife are now blessed with two beautiful girls with the help of IVF. Sam earned his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and his MBA at the University of Michigan. He then spent time with both Deloitte Consulting and McKinsey & Company helping advise and build a variety of businesses. At Circle, Sam is responsible for the overall management of the business, including meeting with prospective parents during consults. He finds the most joy both in supporting Circle's staff in their own growth and in seeing the many beautiful baby pictures that come across his desk as a result of all the hard work from the team.
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Anthony Brown - Manager of Client Services
Anthony Brown is the Manager of Client Services for Circle Surrogacy, as well as an Attorney and the Chairman Emeritus of Men Having Babies. He graduated from Brooklyn Law School, where he served as research assistant to Nan Hunter, the founder of The Gay and Lesbian Project at the ACLU. Anthony and his husband were the subjects of CNN's, "In America, Gary and Tony Have a Baby”, a documentary about their journey of having a child through surrogacy. He is also a member of The Family Law Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers Association, and the Committee for Assisted Reproduction of the American Bar Association. Anthony enjoys meeting with intended parents and sharing his personal experience with surrogacy.
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Attorney John Weltman - Founder and former President
John Weltman is the Founder and former President of Circle Surrogacy, as well as the Managing Partner of the Boston law firm, Weltman Law Group. John is recognized worldwide as an expert in the field of reproductive law, including surrogacy and gay parenting. John and his husband were the first gay couple in the US to have two children through surrogacy, each man fathering a biological son. Their sons are now 27 and 26, one a radio frequency engineer and the other a paleontologist. John has been interviewed by and appeared in numerous publications, TV programs, and conferences throughout the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, China and Israel. John studied at Yale, Oxford and the University of Virginia and holds a Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree in History and a JD. He is licensed to practice law in MA, NY and CA. John is fluent in French and is a member of ASRM, the ABA and one of the five Board members of SEEDS.
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Brett Griffin-Young - Head of International Client Services
Brett, who is based in the United Kingdom with his husband Matt, is Head of International Client Services for Circle Surrogacy. He serves as a resource and support for Intended Parents from more than 25 countries around the world. Brett has more than twelve years of experience in surrogacy and has two sons, Sebastian born in 2009 and Frederick born in 2020, through the Circle Program. After his first surrogacy journey in 2009, he was inspired and compelled to join Circle. “I’m so appreciative that Circle has given me the opportunity to draw on my personal experience to help others understand surrogacy as a family building option. To be able to assist Intended Parents from all around the world and bring the dream of parenthood to a reality is a true honor”. Brett has shared his experience and expertise with numerous publications and TV programs, and has presented at conferences throughout Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
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Carlos Dolan - Outreach Associate
Carlos joins the Circle Surrogacy team after he and his husband became parents through Circle's surrogacy program. Carlos has a degree from New York University and resides in Seabrook, NH with his husband and daughter. Through his own journey to parenthood, Carlos became passionate about helping other couples (especially those in the LGBTQ+ community) explore their options to become parents. In his spare time, Carlos enjoys fishing, boating and would never pass up attending a Zumba class!
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Dean Hutchison - Vice President of Legal Services
Dean has been part of the Circle Surrogacy family since 2004. In addition to being Circle’s Vice President of Legal Services, Dean is also an Attorney and the former Chairman of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Richmond and his Law Degree from Suffolk University. Dean has managed thousands of ART matters over the course of his career and has organized and presented on many panels – both US and International - on the legal aspects of surrogacy and egg donation. Dean is also very involved in surrogacy and third party reproductive advocacy, drafting and testifying in support of legislation before the Massachusetts Legislature. In his current role as the Vice President of Legal Services, Dean oversees Circle Surrogacy’s full legal team, and works closely with Intended Parents on their journeys. He enjoys meeting with Intended Parents, whether in Circle’s offices or via Zoom, as well as visiting them in their hometowns throughout the world.
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Emily Sonier - Vice President of Culture and Program Support
Emily Sonier is the Vice President of Culture and Program Support and LICSW at Circle Surrogacy. Emily earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked at Circle for 10 years and prior to that she worked with individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia and as a family therapist in a residential program outside of Boston. Emily oversees many of the teams that support the egg donors, surrogates and intended parents at Circle.
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Eva Yu - Chinese Liaison and International Outreach Associate
Eva Yu is the Chinese Liaison and International Outreach Associate for Circle Surrogacy. Eva received her MBA in Marketing and Finance and BA degree in Economics from New York State University at Stony Brook. She also has an Extension Chinese-English Legal Translation certificate from the University of California Los Angeles. Originally from Hong Kong, Eva is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. At Circle, she uses her native languages to help provide support to Chinese speaking intended parents in their initial engagement with the agency. She also helps guide these intended parents through the surrogacy process and ensure they understand Circle's values and culture. Eva is passionate about the role she plays in facilitating intended parents' care in their surrogacy journeys.
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Fabien Gaudry - International Outreach Associate
Fabien, who is both French and Belgian, joined the Circle Surrogacy team as an International Outreach Associate after becoming a dad through surrogacy. Fabien earned his Master's Degree in European Law, and has worked as a lawyer in the insurance industry in France, as well as in the communication department of a non-profit organization. His passion for surrogacy and willingness to share his personal story, allows him to easily connect with International intended parents as part of the consultation legal team. Fabien is active in the gay community, and loves spending time with his daughter and son.
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Jen Rachman - Outreach Coordinator & LCSW
Jen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, cancer survivor, and mother through gestational surrogacy. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from New York University and has over a decade of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and their families. A former Circle client, Jen is excited to combine her professional and personal experience. At Circle, she provides consultations, outreach, and serves as a resource and support person for Intended Parents around the world.
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Ryan Peterson - Senior Parent Intake Associate
Ryan Peterson is a Parent Intake Associate for Circle Surrogacy. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. Upon graduation, he began working at Circle as a Program Coordinator where he provided support to intended parents and surrogates throughout their surrogacy journey. Ryan, inspired by his mother who is in the medical field, enjoys his role as Senior Parent Intake Associate where he supports intended parents that are new to surrogacy and helps guide them through Circle’s programs.
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Scott Buckley - Vice President of Client Services
Scott Buckley is the Vice President of Client Services at Circle Surrogacy. He received his bachelors at Boston College and his law degree from Boston College Law School. In his current role as the Vice President of Client Services, Scott oversees the Circle team, as well as serving clients. He enjoys meeting with Intended Parents, whether in Boston, on Skype, or in their hometowns throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia. Scott has moderated and presented on panels focused on different aspects of surrogacy and egg donation; including legal, budgeting and insurance across the world. He has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers each year since 2012.
Provider Costs
Last updated on Feb 29, 2024
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Attributes & Policies
Attributes
Number of matches in the last calendar year that resulted in a pregnancy:   587
Percentage of international Surrogacy Cases (last calendar year):   26%
Percentage of LGBTQ Surrogacy Cases (last calendar year):   44%
Number of Families per Coordinator:   16
Average wait time for surrogate match (in months):   12 months
Description - "Additional Attributes":   Your wait time will depend on several factors, including Intended Parents' Covid 19 vaccination requirements, termination preferences, geographical and other restrictions. Match times range from 10-15 months for a singleton and 16-20 for twins.
Languages (Business/Case Mgmt)?:   French, Mandarin
Policies
Conducts IP Background checks:   Yes
Recruits surrogates open to carrying twins:   Yes
Requires embryos to be PGT-A tested:   No
Agency fee payment schedule:   Surrogacy Program: First payment due at sign on - $48,500 Second payment at Surrogate Match - $109,250 Surrogacy and Egg Donation Program: First payment at sign on - $58,500 Second payment at match with Egg Donor - $17,000 Third payment at match with Surrogate - $109,250
Requires a non-refundable commencement/retainer fee:   Yes
Monthly allowance duration policy - start milestone:   At medication commencement
Monthly allowance duration policy - end milestone:   Delivery
Minimum GC life insurance coverage amount:   $250,000
Rematch Fee Required under the following terms:   Never
Supplemental agency fee for multiples:   No
Supplemental agency fee for multiples amount:   Not provided
Work with independent matches for a discount:   Yes
Refund Policy:   If Intended Parents cannot create embryos for transfer prior to matching with a Surrogate, they would receive a refund of all but $9,000. If Intended Parents leave the program prior to matching for any other reason, they will receive a refund of all but $28,250. The Journey Protection Guarantee program provides for the replenishment of any third party funds that have been previously expended in a failed transfer, miscarriage or still birth if the Intended Parents have remaining embryos, or are willing to create more embryos for transfer. If Intended parents leave the program after unsuccessfully attempting to transfer all embryos in their possession, they will receive a refund of $95,500. If any of those transfers resulted in a pregnancy that ended in miscarriage or termination and they left the program, any costs expended for that pregnancy would be deducted from the $95,500 refund. If Intended Parents join the Surrogacy and Everie Donation's Egg Donation Program and do not find an Egg Donor in Circle's database, they would receive a refund of all but $2,000 of the $10,000 first Egg Donation payment.
Timing of refunding unused journey funds:   N/A
Available financing options:   Circle works with third party financial support organizations to assist Intended Parents in discovering their individual financing options.
Sibling journey policy
Intended Parents receive a sibling journey discount of $13,000 and an additional $8,000 if they return with the Surrogate who assisted them in a previous Journey with Circle.
Additional Policies / Clarifications:   Circle Surrogacy is the largest and most experienced Surrogacy agency. Circle has been in existence for 30 years and over 3,000 children have been born through it's programming. Circle is a full service, single fixed cost program, making the journey as seamless as possible, both emotionally and financially. The Journey Protection Guarantee program covers the non-medical fees for unlimited transfers until you take a child home from the hospital and also covers all complications and contingencies in a pregnancy. It also covers non-medical fees for unlimited egg retrievals until you have embryos for those parents in the Egg Donation program. Our goal is to help you grow you family!
Reviews
(2024, International Parents)
L’équipe de Circle a été très disponible et nous a parfaitement encadré tout au long de notre parcours. On a été très bien conseillé et nous avons rapidement reçu les réponses à toutes les questions qui se posaient. L’équipe de Circle a fait preuve de gentillesse et de professionnalisme tout au long du parcours!
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2024, USA Parents)
Circle was reliable and attentive. Seemed the safest option, even if expensive compared to some agencies. Very few bumps along the way in our case. Legal aspects were especially handled quickly and efficiently.
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2024, International Parents)
Circle provided us with accurate information at the beginning so we understood the process and costs and set the right expectations as well. They also provided us with great advice for the process and also different aspects during our considerations of the donor. The process was very smooth. We definitely recommend Circle.
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2023, USA Parents)
We dealt with a lot of people at Circle, some of whom were better than others. Our matching coordinator seemed to pay no attention to our few (very simple) requirements. I'm sure there are much worse agencies than Circle but I would hope there are better ones. I would encourage people to try to find a better one. If you can't, Circle is probably a safe but not great option.
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2023, USA Parents)
Circle Surrogacy guided us through this process — from our initial intake call all the way through the delivery — with expert care. Everyone on their staff that we spoke with was helpful and professional. Monthly support groups helped ground us in the process and meet people in every stage of the journey. We truly felt like we became experts in the process, which is helpful because there are a lot of questions to answer from friends and family — and even acquaintances who are interested in embarking on a surrogacy journey themselves.
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2023, International Parents)
The sibling journey was even easier with Circle. They were just as supportive and helpful and I would recommend them to anyone.
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2023, USA parents) Circle has been very supportive for the most part. There were some small difficulties when selecting the egg donor and also the first surrogate matching processes. And then COVID hit, and everyone was operating in a completely unknown context which halted all the traveling. They were also very supportive when we had to choose another surrogate due to impact from COVID. The team was very helpful and updated us along the way (even though we understood there was nothing happening at the peak of COVID). The legal person was particularly helpful, and always walked us through all the legal documents clearly. The explanation of the costs was mostly clear, though I wish they could be more clear, or at least have an estimate, for the costs from the IVF clinic which could be substantial if one has to go through multiple transfers.
Approved
(2022, USA parents) Circle was great and very supportive. This journey took a long time, but I never felt rushed or pressured in any way. Once everything was set, the entire remainder of the process was as smooth as can be. Highly recommended.
Approved
(2022, USA parents) This was our second journey with Circle, and once again our experience was smooth in every way.
Approved
(2022, USA parents) We felt completely supported by Circle during the entire Journey. We felt like we could rely on them for any issues that would arise and that they would be there to assist us. We felt especially well matched with the surrogate they matched us with. Everything went very smoothly and methodically, and resulted in the birth of our son. Their process seems time-tested and sound. Absolutely would recommend 10/10!
Approved
(2022, International parents) La qualité du service de l'agence Circle Surrogacy est exceptionnel. Toutes les étapes du processus ont été pris en charge de façon extrêmement professionnel. La qualité du service d'aide juridique est excellente. Je recommande Circle Surrogacy sans hésiter.
Approved
(2022, USA parents) Circle was very warm and welcoming. From start to finish everyone we worked with at Circle was knowledgeable and professional. They made each step clear to follow and answered all questions we had as we moved through our journey. We would definitely recommend to other prospective parents.
Approved
(2021, International parents) Agence très sérieuse et efficace. Très bon choix de mères porteuses (dans tous les USA) et bon support en particulier juridique tout au long de la procédure.
Approved
(2021, USA parents) We could not have been happier with Circle or our surrogate from the agency. We tried another agency first and they presented three options that all failed our clinic's screening process. Our journey with Circle was transparent, supported, and went as smoothly as we could have dreamed. Their model of a single one-time payment seemed like sticker shock at first, but it was such a relief to have all contingencies covered and we did not have the stress of coordinating the moving pieces ourselves. I highly recommend going through Circle.
Approved
(2021, USA parents) 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. They provided us with LGBTQ couples Zoom sessions where we could meet other LGBTQ intended parents and discuss issues relating to our circumstances. 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. The first surrogacy we used did not offer this approach and the entire journey was clouded in confusion and stress. I can't recommend the great LGBTQ-friendly folks at Circle Surrogacy enough. They made us feel welcome and heard as intended parents, not customers. I'd also like to commend the Circle team for responding to a last-second delivery crisis when our surrogate was taken to a different hospital than planned. The team over there responded promptly to our early morning emails and calls and handled everything with the new hospital in a timely manner, which made us feel relaxed while we enjoyed those first few moments with our new son. I can't recommend this agency enough for all LGBTQ folks.
Approved
(2021, USA parents) Great experience. The team at Circle was responsive, knowledgeable, resourceful, and empathetic during the process. It was great to have an organization that took care of the whole process and had resources available during every step of the journey.
Approved
(2021, USA parents) We went through Circle Surrogacy with both children. We are delighted to have both children and grateful to Circle for giving us a chance at a family.
Approved
(2021, International parents) We had a fantastic experience working with Circle Surrogacy. Our THREE children were born safe and healthy and Circle Surrogacy was amazing in the support and efficiency. I personally feel grateful and I appreciate so much for their assistance in the three journeys. We still have embryos left and we will not hesitate to use Circle Surrogacy again if we want to have one more baby to get our family even larger.
Approved
(2021, International Parents)
Circle was awesome. There were the ups and downs you would expect on a complicated surrogacy journey and they assisted me through all of them. They also helped me meet the awesome lady who was the surrogate for both of my daughters (did two separate journeys). Would recommend Circle to anyone considering surrogacy.
Approved by Vanessa Breedlove
(2021, USA parents) With a first Low Beta of 30 HCG, Vasa Previa pregnancy complication that required that my Surrogate be in the hospital for over a month (all during the covid pandemic). I was thankful every day that I went with Circle. I always felt everything was under control and being done in the best interest of my unborn child. It all worked out beautifully. Not to mention work my Circle Attorney and Team did as the C-Section date approached. The Hospital wanted to have me wait in the parking lot while C-Section was being done. I read online that many other surrogacy births from other agencies experienced the same. I received a call from the VP of Patient care at the hospital apologizing to me and saying that I could sit in the waiting room and during the hospital stay they would make an exception and myself, my child, and the surrogate to meet in the hospital (previously they had said we could not meet). I think the pandemic and the unplanned complications showed me without a doubt of how important the agency selection is.
Approved
(2020, International parents) The initial contact and handling from the agency was very professional. We breezed through many of the initial steps. The matching and choosing of Egg Donor was quite efficient, even though we would have wished that they had been more informative about looking at other databases etc for a egg donor. In the beginning the team was quite responsive which changed over time as we advanced on our journey (in the negative). We could easily wait for over 72 hours for replies, even too quite pressing matters. Several times our staff members were switched out which made new introductions exhausting. Some staff like coordinator and in-house lawyer gave of quite a negative vibe when questioning some of the aspects of their work (later quit). While we felt that the agency started out having our backs our inquiries of asking surrogates for changes in reimbursement schedules etc which would have helped our financial situation (before match) were declined and very harshly worked against. In the end we demanded they work for our best interest and not only the surrogates they extended the question and the surrogate was totally fine with our request. The management of costs were handled efficiently through a portal, which made overview easier. On the other hand we felt that travel arrangements and other costly items were handled pretty naively and with no respect for our finances, which is never a pleasant feeling. The 3rd part lawyers worked great with establishing our parental rights. Our surrogate expressed that she did not feel adequately supported by the agency, which was hard for us to handle. All in all there were many strong traits like matching, but also quite a lot of issues which made us not consider a second journey. Neither did our surrogate.
Approved
(2020, International parents) Circle have helped with both my surrogate children and both times were exemplary in their service. Having a baby during the Covid-19 Pandemic as an international parent was challenging and even more emotional than normal, Circle supported us the whole way in every possible way. Ensured we were supported in getting the US in time for the birth and then while we were in the States and ensured we got home safe and sound!
Approved
(2020, USA parents) We cannot say enough positive things about Circle Surrogacy. All of the services we received were unbelievable. Everyone we encountered on our journey was friendly, helpful, and genuinely interested in our story. We love how they responded so quickly and thoroughly to all questions. Also, they always kept us informed. We highly recommend Circle and we hope to use the agency again in the future.
Approved
(2020, USA parents) We are so grateful for everything the wonderful people at Circle did to help make our dream of becoming parents a reality. Everyone was extremely helpful and friendly; they truly made us feel so comfortable. They answered all of our questions promptly and we love how thorough they were. We only have positive things to say about Circle and highly recommend Circle to anyone looking to use a surrogacy agency.
Approved
(2019, International parents) We were pleased with everything except the surrogate matching. We were expecting, based on what we'd been told, a 2 month surrogate search. It turned into a 5 month search that ended with us switching agencies to find a surrogate.
Approved
(2019, International Parents) The agency were awesome! Very nice and kind people who we felt supported us throughout. Even when hurdles came they helped us overcome them. They were flexible and willing to move people and dates and other things around as we wanted and needed. Just the best agency!
Approved
(2018, International parents) Circle Surrogacy was amazing. They are extremely knowledgable and took great care of us throughout the journey. Our case was unique (as a lot are) and they made us feel at ease with everything we had to deal with. Extremely professional agency, the best we could find!
Approved
(2018, International parents) My husband and I have been on this great and wonderful journey with Circle and we are happy to say we are happy parents of a lovely beautiful boy, born 4 days ago! The amazing thing about it is that we only signed end of April 2017!!! A little more than a year ago! We have been helped throughout the process and always been so easy to discuss with the team and they have always had a comforting reply without changing facts! And the process with our egg donor was very smooth and the same with our carrier! Both of them are amazing! If we were to start again, we would not change a single thing! When you have your baby in your arms, it is so magical that all the stress you have been through just disappear leaving place for just emotions. Having the team at Circle accompany you though all the process makes it even better! Thank you Circle for having helped our family grow :)
Approved
(2018, International parents) Circle was amazing to work with. The staff are truly passionate about creating families are invested in your journey the whole way through and after.
Approved
(2018, USA parents) I needed better and more communication more often. Did not feel like the agency was with me thru the journey.... only in parts.
Approved
Stats
No Statistics Available
Surrogacy Advisor Logo
GPAP I
GPAP II
MBP

Surrogacy Agency Satisfaction

9.09
Overall Score 107 Reviews

Egg Donation Satisfaction

100%
Recommendation Rate 5 Reviews

Law Firm Satisfaction

100%
Recommendation Rate 9 Reviews
Surrogacy Experience
Overall Rating
9.1
Effective (contribution to the success of the journey)
9.5
Responsive and supportive throughout the journey
9.2
Surrogate screening and matching
9.4
Gay friendly and knowledgeable
9.8
Accommodation of international parents
9.7
The degree to which your actual overall cost matched the estimate/guidance from your agency
9.5

Agency Recommendation Rate
96%
Egg Donation Experience

Egg Donor Recommendation Rate
100%
Law Firm Experience

Law Firm Recommendation Rate
100%