Shared Conception is a surrogacy and egg donation agency located at 5444 Westheimer Rd, Suite 1000, in Houston, Texas. As an agency rather than a fertility clinic, Shared Conception coordinates the matching of intended parents with gestational carriers and egg donors; it does not perform medical procedures. Intended parents work with Shared Conception for case management, legal coordination, and carrier or donor matching, while clinical treatment—egg retrieval, embryo creation, embryo transfer—is performed by a partnering reproductive endocrinologist and IVF laboratory. Houston is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States and home to a broad network of fertility practices. For a full list of Texas fertility options, visit the Texas fertility clinics page.
Physicians and Clinical Team
Because Shared Conception is an agency, its team consists of case managers, matching coordinators, donor coordinators, and administrative staff rather than physicians. The agency guides intended parents through carrier or donor screening, facilitates communication between parties, and coordinates with the fertility clinic and reproductive attorneys to ensure all parties comply with Texas law and the medical timeline. Physicians involved in the IVF cycle are employed by the partnering fertility clinic chosen by the intended parents.
Services and Treatments
- Gestational carrier matching for intended parents (single, coupled, same-sex)
- Egg donor matching and coordination
- Carrier screening and background review oversight
- Legal coordination referrals (gestational carrier agreements under Texas law)
- Psychological evaluation coordination for all parties
- Financial escrow management guidance
- Communication support throughout the surrogacy journey
- Newborn legal process guidance post-birth
Laboratory and Success Rates
Medical outcomes in a surrogacy arrangement depend on the IVF clinic and embryology laboratory selected by the intended parents. Shared Conception, as an agency, does not have its own laboratory. Success rates for gestational surrogacy are generally reported at the clinic level—specifically the live birth rate per embryo transfer in a gestational carrier. Because eggs are typically from either the intended mother or an anonymous donor, embryo quality and the carrier's uterine environment are the primary outcome drivers.
Patients should review the most current cycle-level data published by the CDC's ART Surveillance program and the SART Clinic Summary Report.
Patient Experience
Surrogacy through an agency like Shared Conception involves a multi-month matching and legal process before any medical treatment begins. Intended parents can expect to review carrier or donor profiles, participate in interviews, complete psychological evaluations, and execute a legal agreement before proceeding to an IVF cycle. Shared Conception's Houston location is convenient for intended parents in the greater Houston area including The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Pearland, Katy, and Clear Lake.
Considering At-Home Insemination?
Not every fertility journey begins in a clinic. At-home intracervical insemination (ICI) is a lower-cost, private option that suits patients with no known fertility diagnosis — including single parents by choice, same-sex couples, and people who want to try a few cycles before committing to clinical treatment.
At-home insemination kits like those from MakeAMom come with step-by-step instructions designed for donor or partner sperm. Kits are a one-time purchase that can be reused until conception succeeds, require no clinic visit, and arrive in plain, discreet packaging. Many patients use them as a first step while working toward a fertility consultation — or alongside ovulation tracking while they wait for an appointment slot.
If you have a known fertility diagnosis, have been trying for 12 months without success (six months if you're over 35), or your physician has already recommended IUI or IVF, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist is the right next step.
Insurance and Financing
Texas does not mandate fertility insurance coverage. Surrogacy costs are substantial: agency fees, legal fees, carrier compensation, medical expenses, and escrow management together typically total well into the six-figure range. Some intended parents use fertility financing companies or personal loans. Egg donor fees are separate. Intended parents should consult a reproductive attorney early to understand Texas parentage law, which is generally favorable to intended parents in gestational surrogacy arrangements established by written agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a surrogacy agency and a fertility clinic? An agency like Shared Conception manages matching, screening, legal coordination, and communication among all parties. A fertility clinic performs the medical procedures—egg retrieval, embryo creation, and embryo transfer. Intended parents need both; Shared Conception can refer to partner fertility practices.
Is Texas a surrogacy-friendly state? Yes. Texas allows gestational surrogacy agreements under the Texas Family Code. Pre-birth orders are available in many counties, allowing intended parents to be named on the birth certificate without adoption proceedings. A reproductive attorney should draft and review the gestational carrier agreement.
Can same-sex couples and single parents use a surrogacy agency in Texas? Yes. Texas law does not restrict surrogacy based on marital status or sexual orientation. Shared Conception works with single intended parents and same-sex couples.
How long does the full surrogacy process take? From initial consultation to birth, gestational surrogacy typically takes 18 to 24 months, accounting for matching, psychological and medical screening, legal agreement drafting, IVF cycle, embryo transfer, pregnancy, and delivery.