Expecting Blog

Diana Olmeda, President and CEO, Surrogate Alternatives, Inc.
Providers Close Up

Surrogate Alternatives Inc. Review: Matching, Screening, Fees & Support - 3 min read

In a nutshell. Owned and run by women who have been surrogates and egg donors themselves and have a deep understanding of the emotional and operational aspects of the journey; industry pioneers and the oldest operating agency in San Diego. Founder, President and CEO. Diana Olmeda Surrogate Alternatives, Inc. (SAI) is a true veteran in the fertility industry, with 23 years experience under its belt.…

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Parents

How to Choose the Right Egg Donor: Screening, Genetics & Fit - 4 min read

There is no manual that tells you exactly how to select the right egg donor because the process of choosing and the choice itself are very individual. Still, there are some criteria you might want to consider when you choose an egg donor. 1. Similar physical appearance Many intended parents want to find a donor who shares some similar physical characteristics to themselves. Although you…

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Surrogates

Surrogate Disqualifications: Smoking, Miscarriage, BMI & Pregnancy History - 3 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. There is no single nationwide list of automatic surrogate disqualifications. Agencies may use preliminary criteria, but the treating fertility clinic makes the final medical decision after reviewing the candidate's full pregnancy and health history. Psychological readiness, legal compatibility, insurance and practical support are separate parts of the screening process.What factors can affect surrogate eligibility?Common areas of review include age, prior pregnancy…

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The small baby lies on the bed
Egg Donors

How to Become an Egg Donor? The Complete Breakdown - 3 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. Becoming an egg donor involves medical treatment, informed consent and a structured screening process. Exact eligibility criteria, testing and timelines vary by fertility clinic and donation program.Choosing an agency or fertility clinicEgg donors may work through fertility clinics, donor programs or egg-donation agencies. Before applying, ask what screening is completed before matching, who makes the final medical decision, how compensation and…

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Woman looking back on road
Parents

Where Are All The Surrogates? - 3 min read

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…

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Twin feet
Parents

Twin Surrogacy: Can a Surrogate Carry Twins? Risks, Costs & Transfer Decisions - 3 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. A twin pregnancy can occur in gestational surrogacy, but it carries more medical risk than a singleton pregnancy. Current professional guidance strongly favors reducing the chance of multiple gestation, including using single-embryo transfer when medically appropriate.How can twins occur in surrogacy?Twins can occur if more than one embryo is transferred and more than one implants, or if a single transferred embryo…

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IVF. Artificial insemination concept
Parents

The Egg Donation Process – From Start To Finish - 4 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. Egg donation is a form of assisted reproduction that may be used when a person cannot or chooses not to use their own eggs, or when intended parents need both donor eggs and a gestational carrier. The exact process differs between fresh and frozen eggs and among fertility clinics.Published success rates should be interpreted carefully. Outcomes depend on factors including donor…

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Surrogacy Roadmap
Parents

Surrogacy Journey Timeline: Key Milestones From Match to Birth - 4 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. A gestational-surrogacy journey has several major stages, but there is no reliable universal timeline. Matching, medical screening, legal work, insurance, embryo-transfer outcomes and pregnancy can each add or reduce time. Plan for flexibility rather than relying on a fixed 19- or 22-month estimate.Step 1: Prepare embryos and your overall planSome intended parents create embryos before searching for a gestational carrier, while…

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Hands exchanging gist
Parents

Egg Donors and Surrogates: Motivations, Compensation and Informed Choice - 3 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. Egg donors and gestational carriers help other people build families through very different medical processes. Their motivations also vary. Some describe a strong desire to help others, compensation may be an important consideration, and many people are motivated by both. No donor or surrogate should be expected to present herself as purely altruistic in order for her decision to be respected.Egg…

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Woman counting six
Egg Donors

How Many Times Can You Donate Eggs? Cycle Limits & Safety - 2 min read

How many times can a woman donate her eggs? This question is answered here. How many eggs can you donate? During a natural menstrual cycle, a group of follicles begins developing and usually one becomes dominant and ovulates. In an egg-donation cycle, fertility medications are used to stimulate multiple follicles to mature at the same time. Before spontaneous ovulation occurs, a physician retrieves eggs from…

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woman thinking
Egg Donors

Is Egg Donation Painful? Injections, Retrieval, Anesthesia & Recovery - 3 min read

Last reviewed: August 2026. Egg donation can involve discomfort, but the experience varies substantially from person to person. Donors undergo ovarian stimulation, monitoring and an outpatient egg-retrieval procedure, and they should receive clear information about both common side effects and uncommon but important complications before consenting.What do the hormone injections feel like?Ovarian-stimulation medications are usually given by injection for several days, with the exact schedule…

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Donating Egg Risks
Egg Donors

Egg Donation Risks: Side Effects, OHSS & Long-Term Questions - 2 min read

The egg donation process requires the egg donor to take hormone injections for stimulating the release of multiple eggs. The egg retrieval requires anesthesia as well. Therefore, the process includes some health risks which may appear later on in life. Let’s start from the top… Physical Risks of Donation Egg donors might want to bear complication and some unwanted side effects. The process starts with…

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