Where Are All The Surrogates?

Historical article — last reviewed August 2026. This page was originally published during the COVID-19 period, when many surrogacy programs reported unusual matching and travel disruptions. It should not be read as a current market-status report. Carrier availability, compensation, agency wait times and demand can change quickly by state, program and intended-parent criteria.

Why can finding a gestational carrier take time?

There is no single national wait time for matching. The time required depends on factors such as the intended parents' legal and medical circumstances, communication preferences, embryo readiness, budget, desired location and the number of medically appropriate carriers available through the programs being considered.

A profile should also not be treated as a fully cleared match. A prospective gestational carrier may still need record review, psychological evaluation, fertility-clinic medical clearance, insurance review and legal screening before embryo transfer can proceed.

What happened during the pandemic?

During the early COVID-19 period, clinic operations, travel, hospital access and personal willingness to begin a pregnancy changed frequently. Those conditions affected some matching programs and created delays, but pandemic-era explanations—such as vaccination rules, quarantine restrictions or temporary clinic closures—should not be assumed to explain today's availability.

Why matching is about more than supply and demand

Gestational surrogacy is not a simple marketplace transaction. A workable match requires mutual agreement and alignment around communication, pregnancy expectations, travel, medical decision-making, legal feasibility and practical logistics. The fertility clinic must also independently determine whether the carrier is medically appropriate for treatment.

How technology can help

Online platforms can make it easier for intended parents to review profiles, compare providers and organize preferences across a broader set of options. Technology can improve discovery and reduce repetitive searching, but it does not replace professional medical screening, psychological evaluation, independent legal advice or insurance review.

About Expecting.Ai

Expecting.Ai was created to help intended parents navigate third-party reproduction by making it easier to discover gestational carriers, egg donors and fertility-related providers in one place. The platform and its services have evolved since this article was first published, so readers should rely on the current Expecting.Ai website for today's product features, pricing and available services rather than historical descriptions preserved in older articles.

Questions to ask when a program quotes a matching timeline

• How is the quoted wait time calculated?
• Does it refer to receiving a first profile or completing a mutual match?
• What screening has already been completed before profiles are shown?
• What happens if the carrier does not receive medical or legal clearance?
• Are rematches included, and what fees apply?
• How often is the available-carrier pool updated?

Bottom line

Carrier availability is dynamic, and old claims about a nationwide “surrogate shortage,” fixed wait times or rapidly rising prices should not be treated as current fact. Compare current programs, ask what stage their timelines refer to and verify screening, rematch and fee policies before making a decision.