Your Guide to Surrogacy in Modesto

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Why Modesto Is an Ideal Location for Surrogacy for Both Surrogates and Intended Parents

Whether you’re seeking a surrogate to help grow your family or are hoping to serve as a surrogate yourself, Modesto — located in the heart of California’s Central Valley — offers a wealth of resources and a strong local support network. Offering convenient access to international airports and many well-respected hospitals, fertility clinics, and providers, including those in San Jose, San Francisco, and Stockton, Modesto is an ideal hub for the full range of surrogacy needs.

Surrogacy Law in Modesto, California

Surrogacy law in Modesto follows the guidelines set forth by the state of California, designed to protect all involved parties. To learn more about California’s surrogacy laws, click the button below.

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Becoming a Surrogate in Modesto

At GSHC Surrogacy & Egg Donation, we’ve had the privilege to work with many surrogates from Modesto and surrounding areas, including Turlock, Ceres, Manteca, Ripon, and Oakdale. Many of our coordinators have been surrogates themselves and are passionate about guiding others through their journey, building lasting relationships over a unique experience. As a testament to our care and expertise, many surrogates return to GSHC for their second or third journeys, and also refer their friends to become surrogates in our network.
Modesto offers proximity to many renowned medical facilities in the Bay Area. Our Sacramento office is less than an hour and a half away, and our San Jose office is just a bit farther, making it easy to get hands-on support and in-person assistance when needed.

Surrogacy Compensation in Modesto

GSHC prides itself on offering surrogates highly competitive compensation, plus wellness benefits, travel support, and child care stipends. With many of our own coordinators having been surrogates themselves, we understand the deep commitment involved in the process and provide commensurate pay.

  • First-time surrogates usually receive base compensation of $60,000 to $65,000, as well as allowances for major surrogacy milestones such as embryo transfer, medication start, and heartbeat confirmation, and necessities such as maternity clothing. These allowances usually total $8,000 to $15,000.
  • Estimated total: $70,000 to $80,000
  • Experienced Surrogates can receive $90,000 to $100,000, and our GSHC VIP Surrogates can earn over $100,000.

These estimates do not include reimbursed expenses like medical insurance, lost wages, and travel; these are covered separately. GSHC will ensure you have everything you need for a healthy and fulfilling experience.

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Surrogate Requirements in Modesto

California law sets basic requirements for all surrogates, centered around age and legal representation. As with other agencies, GSHC maintains its own stringent guidelines for anyone considering surrogacy in Modesto. These are designed to safeguard the well-being of the surrogate and help ensure a healthy, happy pregnancy. Our requirements take into account physical and mental health, financial stability, housing stability, U.S. citizenship status, prior pregnancy experience, and more.

Learn More About Surrogate Requirements

Become a Surrogate in Modesto

Do you live in Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, or anywhere else in the area? Do you dream of helping someone grow their family? The path of surrogacy may be your calling. Connect today with GSHC and answer the call to become a surrogate.

Contact GSHC

Find a Surrogate in Modesto

If you’re looking for a surrogate in the Modesto area to help fulfill your dreams of parenthood, the team at GSHC is here to help. We have years of expertise pairing intended parents with surrogates, and are proud to welcome people of all backgrounds. California law allows intended parents to pursue surrogacy regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status, and also does not require a genetic connection to the baby. We work closely with all intended parents to ensure they get the personalized attention they deserve, and are proud to have worked with many LGBTQ+ intended parents.

Surrogacy Costs in Modesto

We understand that pursuing surrogacy involves a serious financial commitment, so we’ll go over all anticipated costs in great detail at the outset of the process to ensure a smooth journey and avoid any surprises along the way. Although total costs will depend on various factors — including the specifics of the surrogacy contract and any special or unexpected medical needs — most intended parents can expect to pay at least $1550,000 in total, encompassing base pay, allowances, legal fees, medical expenses, and reimbursements.

Learn About Surrogacy Costs

Benefits of Working with a Surrogate in Modesto

Working with a surrogate in Modesto offers a wide range of benefits, including:

  • World-Class Medical Care: Nearby hospitals, including Kaiser Permanente-Modesto and Memorial Medical Center, offer best-in-class care, with dedicated NICU units and caring staff with direct experience in surrogacy cases. Modesto is also an ideal central location for access to the huge range of facilities and specialists in the Bay Area.
  • Accessible Transit Options: Modesto is just an hour and a half drive to San Francisco International Airport, and is even closer to Oakland International Airport and Sacramento International Airport. The domestic Stockton airport is only half an hour away, and the Modesto Amtrak station provides quick access to the Bay Area. Local public transit is available as well.
  • Efficient Post-Birth Paperwork: The Stanislaus County Court Clerk regularly handles surrogacy birth certificates and understands the unique legal aspects involved.

Monitoring Clinics & Delivery Hospitals for Surrogates in Modesto

GSHC works in partnership with several trusted clinics in the Modesto area to allow for easy in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and fertility monitoring:

There are also several well-respected delivery hospitals in the Modesto area, including:

Find a Surrogate in Modesto

Modesto is one of the best cities in the U.S. to find a surrogate, and GSHC is here to guide you every step of the way. Connect with us and let us help you find your ideal surrogate match.

Contact GSHC

The Surrogacy Process in Modesto

The surrogacy journey in Modesto encompasses several key steps:

Step 1. Matching

Creating a harmonious match between intended parents and surrogates is critical to a happy, healthy experience. To create these pairings, we ask all surrogate candidates to fill out a profile detailing their experience, expectations, preferences, personality, lifestyle, and more. We’ll review these carefully before meeting with candidates who progress to the next round. From there, we’ll review the profiles intended parents create and identify potential matches. Our team will facilitate meetings with both parties so they can get to know one another and decide if it’s the right fit. Once everyone is aligned, legal and medical processes can begin.

Step 2. Legal and Medical Procedures

After a match has been made, the surrogate can begin medical evaluations. These will include blood panels, physical exams, and other tests, as well as comprehensive mental health evaluations. Doctors will also screen for any communicable diseases that could be passed on to the baby. All of these tests are crucial for ensuring the health and well-being of both the surrogate and the baby.

The intended parents, meanwhile, will begin working with their attorney to draft a detailed surrogacy contract. This will serve as a legally binding document, clearly outlining the responsibilities and requirements of all involved parties. Contracts will cover lifestyle and dietary restrictions, medical requirements, communication cadence during the process and after delivery, and more. The surrogate will work with her own attorney to review the contract and request any changes. When everyone is in agreement and happy with the arrangement, the contract will be finalized and signed by all parties.

From there, the surrogate will begin seeing a fertility doctor and start medications that will prepare her body for embryo transfer.

Step 3. Pregnancy and Birth

The surrogate will take a blood test to confirm pregnancy about two weeks after the embryo is transferred to her uterus. She’ll continue seeing her fertility doctor for a couple of months and will begin seeing an OB/GYN of her choice after that.

The surrogate will also have the freedom to choose the hospital where she’ll give birth. When the big day arrives, most intended parents come to the hospital to offer support and be there at the time of birth. The surrogate usually has some time to hold the baby before saying goodbye, and the new parents will take their child home with them. The specifics of the setup are typically detailed in the surrogacy contract ahead of time to avoid any confusion or miscommunication.

Surrogacy in Modesto FAQs

  • Surrogacy requirements in Modesto adhere to those set by the state of California; these basic guidelines are primarily centered around age and legal representation. As with all agencies, GSHC also maintains its own stringent requirements to help facilitate a successful journey for all involved. We require all surrogates:

    • Be between the ages of 21–38
    • Have had at least one child of her own
    • Have had no more than five previous pregnancies
    • Have had no more than three C-sections
    • Have a stable living and financial situation
    • Be physically healthy, with a BMI of 31 or less
    • Be mentally healthy
    • Be a U.S. citizen
    • Have no criminal record

    If you’re a healthy mom between the ages of 21–38 living in Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Oakdale, Manteca, or surrounding cities, and would like to help others realize their dreams of parenthood, the team at GSHC encourages you to apply.

  • GSHC considers many different factors when matching surrogates and intended parents. We thoroughly screen all surrogate candidates to ensure a healthy, diverse pool of candidates. Medical history, prior pregnancy and surrogacy experience, reasons for pursuing surrogacy, lifestyle, and values will all be considered, and surrogates will create detailed profiles for our team to compare against those created by intended parents. Once we identify a potential match, we’ll set up a time for them to meet.

  • Surrogacy costs in Modesto will differ from case to case, with various factors coming into play, including special or unexpected medical needs and the specifics of the surrogacy contract. Compensation will cover base pay, typically beginning around $60,000, plus additional allowances for major milestones in the surrogacy journey, maternity wear, housekeeping, and more. Reimbursements will also be provided to surrogates for lost wages, childcare, and more as applicable. On average, most couples can expect to pay at least $155,000 in total. We’ll work closely with you to ensure you’re clear on all anticipated expenses before embarking on the process.

  • Both gestational and traditional surrogacy are permitted in Modesto by California state law. Gestational surrogacy — in which the surrogate does not use her own eggs and therefore is not genetically related to the baby — has a clearly defined legal framework in place to protect all parties.

    Traditional surrogacy, on the other hand, in which the surrogate uses her own eggs and therefore is genetically related to the baby, is permitted simply because there are no state laws prohibiting it. This can make for more ambiguous, complex legal processes. Because traditional surrogacy also tends to be much more emotionally complex, it is not common and not usually recommended. At GSHC, we work solely with gestational surrogacy cases.

  • Exact surrogacy compensation amounts are unique to each specific legal agreement, drawn up by fertility attorneys and signed by intended parents and surrogates at the beginning of the partnership. Base pay, the basic compensation given to cover a surrogate’s time and effort, is paid in 10 regular monthly installments, supplemented by allowances given throughout the process to cover insurance premiums, prescription costs, maternity clothing, surrogacy-related travel and transportation, and other expenses along the way.

  • A surrogacy contract is a legally binding document that specifies the rights and responsibilities of both the surrogate and the intended parents. The intended parents will draft the contract with their attorney, laying out all requirements and expectations; this could include dietary restrictions based on ethical or religious beliefs, travel and exercise limitations, medical appointments and monitoring, mode and frequency of communication, and more. The surrogate will review the draft with her own attorney and request any changes she wants to make. When everyone is aligned, the document will be signed.

    These contracts are crucial to ensuring a harmonious relationship between the surrogate and intended parents and reducing the risk of surprises or miscommunications along the way. When everyone is clear and aligned on what’s required of them, the process can proceed more smoothly and with less stress.

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Why GSHC: About Our Surrogacy Agency

GSHC Surrogacy Agency is an internationally recognized, full-service boutique agency dedicated to helping families grow through surrogacy and egg donation. With a core ethos centered on a passion for assisted reproduction and family building, we prioritize the highest level of service for both intended parents and surrogates. What sets us apart is our unique approach — 100% of our Case Managers are former surrogates themselves, providing unparalleled empathy and expertise. Our extensive pool of surrogates, close relationships with elite professionals, and commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity ensure a seamless journey toward parenthood. With GSHC Surrogacy Agency, you're in safe hands every step of the way. Learn more about how we can help facilitate your surrogacy journey in Modesto.

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