What are the characteristics of a typical Egg Donor? Surrogate Mother? Your typical donor is between the ages of 19 and 32, in good health with a normal health history, does not smoke or use drugs, and drinks rarely or never. Most donors are college educated, bright, attractive young women with a deep desire to help. Most Surrogate Mothers are between the ages of 21 and 42 for Gestational Carriers and 21 and 34 for Traditional Carriers. These women are in good health, have delivered at least once previously, have the OK from their OB, love being pregnant but do not want more children of their own and wish to help a couple in need. Back to top
	Will I be required to pay a retainer fee to your agency? Absolutely not! You are not "tied" to our agency financially until you find the right Egg Donor or Surrogate for you. We will allow you to view available donors online as well as view their profiles. You are not required to pay our agency fee until a donor is chosen. We will, however, ask you to fill out an Intended Parent Profile prior to allowing you to view detailed profiles of our donors. This profile gives us basic information on who you are, your reasons for needing a donor, and what it is you seek in a donor. For our Surrogacy service, you will be able to view profiles on Surrogate Mothers to see if we have any who interest you. If we have a Surrogate Mother you like, we will arrange for a three way phone call between you, our agency and the surrogate. Prior to this call, we will ask for half of our agency fee. Once the call is complete, we will arrange a face to face meeting with the surrogate and you. The last half of our agency fee will be due after you meet with your surrogate. Back to top
	Some agencies offer a Shared Risk Program? Do you? NO, and let me tell you why. Most Shared Risk Programs will cost you extra. For example, for an extra $350, you can enroll in an agencies Shared Risk Program so that, if a pregnancy does not result from your donors eggs or your surrogate's IVF procedure, you can be rematched with another donor or surrogate for only 50% of the agencies original fees. At BABY STEPS, we won't ask an extra fee for this benefit. Quite simply, if a pregnancy is not achieved with your donors eggs,(and you dont have any frozen embryos to try again with), or your surrogate does not conceive via IVF, we will match you with another donor or surrogate and only charge you 25% of our original agency fee. (Request must be made within 30 days of failed cycle)You do not need to purchase any "Plans" for this benefit. If, for some reason, your egg donor does not produce enough eggs to warrant retrieval and the cycle is cancelled, we will rematch you with another donor at no extra charge. Back to top
	Do we have to use one of your associates? NO. While we highly recommend the professional men and women listed on our "Associates" page, you are free to use whichever attorney and/or clinic you choose. BABY STEPS will assist in the coordination between your donor and your attorney and/or clinic. Back to top
	What is the process/timeline for working with an egg donor? The first step is to review egg donor information and select your donor. Once your selection is made, we will submit all donor records to your clinic an donor will have her screening completed. You will also enter into contracts with your donor. Once contracts are signed and testing complete, your donor and the recipient will have their cycles synced, begin taking stimulating medications and eventually move into the egg retrieval procedure and the recipients following IVF procedure. From the time a donor is selected until the time the process is complete is typically two to three months, depending on your clinics protocol. Back to top
	What is the process/timeline for working with a surrogate? You will begin by viewing profiles/photos of available surrogates. Once you select a surrogate who interets you, we will arrange a phone call with your surrogate. First half of the agency fee will be collected at this time. After the phone call, we will arrange for a meeting to occur between you and your surrogate. Once this meeting takes place, you will be officially matched and the last half of the agency fee is due. Once you are officially matched with your surrogate, we send all of the surrogates records to your clinic and an appointment will be set up for all screenings. You and your surrogate will enter into a legal contract. Once contracts are signed, you will move into cycle with your surrogate. All funds payable to the surrogate, per the contract, must be deposited into the Client Fund at this time. Your surrogate will begin her injections. If the cycle goes well, you will soon receive the news that your surrogate is pregnant. At approximately 6 months of gestation, your attorney will file paperwork with the courts to obtain your pre birth order, thereby allowing your names to go directly on the birth certificate. (Whether a PBO is possible depends on the state your child is delivered in and the courts in that state/county. We will confirm the details of this issue prior to your choosing a surrogate) Finally, the day you've waited for! Your child enters this world and your surrogate's job is complete! Back to top
	How do we get started? Easy! Just click on the "CONTACT US" link, fill in your information and request a password. Don't forget to include information regarding what you seek in your donor or surrogate. Once we receive your email, we will provide you with a password so you can view photos/general information on the donors listed on this web site. (Surrogate Mothers are not listed on the site. Instead, we will email information on all surrogates who fit your criteria) We will also email or mail an Intended Parent Profile to you . Once you have filled in your information, we will allow you to view detailed profiles of any donors who interest you. Back to top