Global Surrogacy Inc. — An Honest Editorial Review
Intended parents researching surrogacy among fertility clinics in California will frequently encounter Global Surrogacy Inc. (GSI), a Pasadena-based matching agency with a dedicated international intended-parents track. GSI is not a medical clinic — it is a third-party reproduction agency that recruits, screens, and matches gestational carriers (GCs) and egg donors for intended parents (IPs) who then cycle at a partnered reproductive endocrinology practice.
About the Agency
Global Surrogacy Inc. operates out of Pasadena with a secondary office in Irvine. The agency is led by Agency Director Julie Andrews, a two-time former surrogate and published author, with Jenny Fu serving as International Intended Parents Coordinator (over a decade in fertility coordination and a nursing background) and Abbie Drinan as Case Manager (nurse, 7+ years in fertility services). The agency describes a combined 20+ years of staff experience. GSI does not publicly list membership in SEEDS (Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy) or ASRM — prospective clients should ask directly about voluntary-ethics adherence.
Services Offered
The agency's published service menu covers the non-medical scaffolding of a donor or GC cycle:
- Gestational carrier (surrogate) matching and placement
- Egg donor matching
- Sperm donor coordination
- Dedicated international IP coordination (translation, travel, documentation)
- Psychological evaluation coordination (via licensed MHPs)
- Legal coordination with California reproductive-law attorneys (GSI does not itself practice law)
- Escrow management for GC/donor compensation and expenses
- Case management from intake through delivery
Who This Serves
Agency-assisted third-party reproduction is typically pursued by IPs who cannot carry a pregnancy with their own gametes. Common scenarios include same-sex male couples and single fathers (LGBTQ+ family building), patients with uterine-factor infertility (absent uterus, severe Asherman's, prior hysterectomy), medical contraindications to pregnancy, and patients needing donor eggs after diminished ovarian reserve. GSI's international-IP desk makes it especially relevant for families outside the US pursuing California surrogacy for its favorable legal framework.
What an Agency Does vs. What a Clinic Does
This distinction is often blurred in agency marketing. GSI recruits, screens, and matches GCs and donors, and coordinates the legal, psychological, and financial logistics around the cycle. The agency does not perform medical care. Retrieval, fertilization, embryology, and embryo transfer all happen at an REI clinic chosen by the IPs. Families working with GSI still need to independently select an REI from the fertility clinics in California list and contract with that clinic separately.
Typical Cost Ranges
California has a partial insurance mandate for infertility diagnosis and some treatment, but surrogacy and donor-egg expenses remain largely out-of-pocket (see IVF cost by state). GSI does not publish fee schedules. Per SEEDS and ASRM industry ranges, donor-egg cycles (agency + donor compensation + clinic) commonly total $35,000–$60,000; gestational surrogacy journeys (agency fees, GC compensation, legal, escrow, insurance, medical) commonly total $120,000–$200,000+ in California, often at the higher end given GC compensation norms. Confirm all fees in writing.
Patient Experience
At publication, Global Surrogacy Inc. holds a 5.0-star Google rating across 36 reviews. The rating is strong; review volume is modest for an agency of this tenure, so reference calls with prior IPs remain advisable.
Legal Landscape in California
California is broadly regarded as the most surrogacy-favorable jurisdiction in the United States. Under California Family Code §§ 7960–7962, gestational surrogacy agreements are explicitly enforceable when executed before embryo transfer, and intended parents — including unmarried and same-sex parents, and non-genetic parents — can obtain pre-birth parentage orders regardless of marital status or genetic connection. This statutory clarity is a material reason international IPs route to California. Retain independent reproductive-law counsel; the agency coordinates but does not represent either party.
Considering At-Home Insemination?
For the narrow subset of prospective parents who do not need a GC or donor egg — typically single women or same-sex female couples with no uterine or tubal factor, using donor sperm — at-home intracervical insemination is a lower-cost first step before clinic-based IUI or IVF. MakeAMom kits are a commonly cited option in this category. This does not apply to IPs pursuing gestational surrogacy or donor-egg cycles, which require a clinical setting.
Location and Contact
- Address: 21 Miller Alley, Suite 210, Pasadena, CA 91103
- Phone (IPs & Donors): (858) 888-6371
- Phone (Surrogates): (858) 999-7582
- Website: globalsurrogacyinc.com
FAQ
How do agencies differ from fertility clinics? Agencies match donors and GCs and coordinate legal, psychological, and financial logistics. Clinics perform the medical ART work (stimulation, retrieval, IVF, transfer). IPs engage both in parallel.
Does GSI work with international intended parents? Yes — the agency maintains a dedicated International Intended Parents Coordinator and is oriented toward IPs routing to California for its favorable surrogacy law.
What are typical matching timelines? Egg donor matches can move in weeks once a donor is selected. GC matches commonly take 3–12+ months depending on IP requirements, GC availability, and insurance screening — ask the agency for its current average.
Editorial note: Fertlo reviews are independent and not paid placements. See our editorial policy. Agency details verified from the agency's public website at publication; confirm current fees, services, and legal requirements directly with the agency and independent counsel.