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Nov 3, 2025
One Embryo, One Chance
Last Friday at 5:30 p.m., I received a call from a prospective client.
She told me she was about to sign a surrogacy service agreement with another agency but felt uneasy — the agency had no physical office, and many of its fees were unclear. She found us online and asked if she could come by the next day, even though it was Saturday.
At noon on Saturday, I met her in my office.
She was cautious at first, but as I introduced our company — our team, our office, our full-time staff, and the number of cases we’ve successfully managed — she gradually began to relax. I explained our surrogate screening process and how our teams collaborate to ensure transparency and safety for everyone involved.
Then she shared her situation. She had only one embryo, created many years ago overseas. She didn’t know its grading or quality, and she was worried that if a surrogate transferred this embryo and the transfer failed, there might not be another chance.
She asked, almost hesitantly, whether we would even accept such a case.
I told her honestly: it’s not that we cannot help, but we must be transparent. If a client has only one embryo, that information must be disclosed to the surrogate. She has the right to know that there may be only one opportunity for transfer. A surrogate invests months of time, medication, and effort in preparation — so transparency is not only ethical, it’s essential for trust.
When I asked whether she had told this to the other agency’s surrogate, she said no — they never discussed it during their meeting.
That was concerning.
We talked about what would happen if the transfer failed — would she make more embryos? Would she ask the surrogate to wait? Would the surrogate be willing to wait? These are questions that must be answered before any contract is signed.
She looked discouraged. She feared that no surrogate would want to help her. But then she said something that stayed with me:
“This embryo has been frozen for years. I see it as a life — and I just want to give it a chance to be born. I’m willing to pay all the expenses; I just don’t want the surrogate to do it only for money.”
I told her that this is not something money can buy, but our agency also won’t allow a surrogate to take all the money if she is not pregnant. Things need to be fair and agreed upon from the beginning of the match.
Her words carried sincerity and respect for life, but also the uncertainty and vulnerability that come with it. I told her: If you share your real story, the right surrogate will understand. There are women who help not only because of compensation, but because they feel the meaning behind it.
Surrogacy is built on shared truth — mutual understanding, fairness, and transparency. When both sides are clear and honest, trust can grow. Only then can the process truly honor the life everyone is working so hard to bring into this world.
At GSHC, we follow a clear protocol for intended parents who have only one embryo:
- We ask for the embryo grade, if available.
- We ask if the intended parent plans to create more embryos.
- If yes, we confirm how long the surrogate is expected to wait for new embryos.
- If not, we ask whether they are willing to offer additional compensation to the surrogate, since she will only have one opportunity for transfer and base compensation is typically paid after confirmed pregnancy.
- We ask the intended parent to write their story and plan, which we share with the surrogate so both sides can understand the full situation before moving forward.
Every case is unique, but the principle remains the same:
honesty, respect, and transparency — the foundation that makes surrogacy meaningful and humane.