About The Surrogacy Insider
The Surrogacy Insider is an independent guidance platform for intended parents exploring international surrogacy. I created it to help people make informed, realistic, and protected decisions before committing to a destination, agency, clinic, or legal pathway.
International surrogacy can feel overwhelming. You are not just choosing a path to parenthood, you are navigating legal systems, medical procedures, providers, timelines, costs, and emotional uncertainty across different countries. My role is to help you understand the bigger picture, ask the right questions, and move forward with clarity.
I am Olga Pysana, founder of The Surrogacy Insider. My journey in international surrogacy began in 2019, when I became part of a global surrogacy agency. Over the years, I have been directly involved in the creation of over 250 families, supporting journeys in Ukraine, Mexico, Colombia, Cyprus, Georgia, Armenia, and Albania.
Working behind the scenes gave me insight into every layer of the process - legal, logistical, medical, and emotional. In 2024, I noticed a serious gap in the industry: intended parents often did not have access to truly unbiased, transparent, and realistic information. That is why I created The Surrogacy Insider.
A surrogacy agency usually works within its own program, country, clinic network, or internal process. The Surrogacy Insider is different because I provide independent, unbiased guidance across multiple international surrogacy destinations.
I am not here to push you toward one agency or one country. I help you compare options, understand risks, review the information you are receiving, and connect with trustworthy professionals I know and have worked with. My loyalty is to you and your family’s best interests.
Because one size never fits all in surrogacy. Every destination comes with advantages and risks, and every intended parent’s situation is different.
An independent consultant helps you slow down before making expensive or life-changing decisions. I help you understand your options, compare countries, review agency or clinic packages, identify red flags, and ask the questions that often get missed when you are overwhelmed or under pressure.
My goal is simple: to help you feel safe, informed, and empowered, wherever your family begins.
Agency advice is often focused on the agency’s own destination, program, and process. Independent guidance looks at the wider picture.
I can help you understand whether a country, provider, quote, timeline, or promise makes sense for your specific situation. I am not tied to one agency, clinic, or destination, so my guidance is focused on helping you make the decision that serves your family best.
That is exactly why I created The Surrogacy Insider. Many intended parents find online information confusing, outdated, overly optimistic, or sales-driven. I provide independent advice based on real experience across multiple destinations and years of working behind the scenes in international surrogacy.
You can start with a free Discovery Session if you are unsure where to begin, or book a One-Time Consultation if you already have specific questions.
Yes. This is one of the most important moments to ask for independent guidance.
If you are already speaking with an agency or clinic, I can help you sense-check the offer, understand what questions to ask, compare packages, and identify possible red flags before you commit. This can be especially helpful if you feel rushed, confused, or unsure whether the information you received is realistic.
No. I do not replace your agency, clinic, or lawyer. My role is to help you understand the process, compare options, ask better questions, and connect with trustworthy professionals.
I can help you identify legal, medical, agency, or logistical questions that need attention, but legal advice should always come from qualified legal professionals in the relevant jurisdiction, and medical decisions should always be made with your fertility clinic or doctor.
Getting Started With International Surrogacy
The first step for an international surrogacy journey is not choosing an agency. The first step is understanding which destinations may actually work for your situation.
Before you commit, you need to consider your family structure, country of residence, legal position, budget, medical background, donor needs, timeline, and risk tolerance. During a Discovery Session or consultation, I help you map out your options clearly so you know what to explore, and what to avoid.
You should know that every country is different. Legal frameworks, costs, timelines, medical processes, provider quality, and parental recognition can vary significantly.
You should also know that low prices, fast timelines, and guaranteed promises need to be approached carefully. International surrogacy is too important to navigate with hope alone. You need realistic information, trustworthy professionals, and a clear understanding of risks before you sign anything.
No. Many intended parents come to me because they do not know which country is right for them.
That is completely normal. My role is to help you understand which destinations may or may not fit your situation, based on your legal, financial, medical, and personal circumstances.
Not necessarily. Some intended parents begin researching surrogacy before creating embryos, while others already have embryos or are speaking with a clinic.
If embryo creation, egg donation, sperm donation, or medical screening is part of your journey, I can help you understand what questions to ask and connect you with fertility specialists who can guide the medical side of the process.
To guide you properly, I usually need to understand your family structure, country of residence or citizenship, budget expectations, medical situation, donor needs, timeline, and any countries you are already considering.
The goal is never to give a generic answer. The goal is to understand your specific situation so we can look at realistic, safe, and suitable options.
Who I Help
I support intended parents through many different family-building journeys. This includes heterosexual intended parents, LGBTQIA+ intended parents, single intended parents, HIV-positive intended parents, and international parents exploring surrogacy across borders.
Every family is different. My role is to help you understand which options may fit your situation and connect you with trustworthy professionals who understand your needs.
Yes. I support heterosexual intended parents who are exploring surrogacy because traditional pregnancy may not be possible or safe.
This can include unexplained infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, medical conditions preventing pregnancy, age-related fertility challenges, egg donation, sperm donation, or male factor infertility. I can help you understand the process and connect you with fertility specialists who can advise on the most suitable medical approach.
Yes. I support LGBTQIA+ intended parents exploring international surrogacy and donor-assisted family building.
For gay couples, this may involve gestational surrogacy with egg donation. For lesbian couples, this may involve sperm donation or other fertility options. For transgender intended parents, the pathway may need to be customised around legal, medical, and logistical considerations.
Because legal recognition varies by country, I help you understand the questions you need to ask before choosing a destination.
Yes. I support single intended parents who are pursuing surrogacy independently.
Single women may need guidance around egg freezing, sperm donation, or clinic options. Single men often need support navigating international surrogacy, choosing an egg donor, and understanding which destinations may be available to them.
Solo parenting journeys require careful planning, strong support, and trusted professionals. I help you move through those decisions with clarity.
Yes, HIV-positive intended parents can explore surrogacy with the right medical guidance and specialised protocols.
Recent medical advancements have made safe family building possible when there is proper viral load management, medication adherence, screening, and, when relevant, sperm-washing techniques. I can connect you with experienced medical teams familiar with HIV-positive surrogacy protocols and the questions that need to be addressed.
Yes. I work with intended parents worldwide who are exploring international or cross-border surrogacy.
Many journeys involve more than one country. For example, where you live, where treatment happens, where the surrogate is based, where the birth takes place, and where legal recognition is needed. My role is to help you understand that bigger picture before you move forward.
Contact to learn more
about where to start and what to do next
Countries and Cross-Border Surrogacy
I offer guidance around surrogacy destinations including Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Mexico, the UK, Ukraine, and the USA.
Each destination has its own legal framework, cost expectations, timeline, provider landscape, and risks. I help intended parents understand which options may be suitable for their specific situation.
I help intended parents choose a country based on their specific situation, not based on what looks attractive online.
We look at your family structure, citizenship or residence, budget, legal considerations, medical needs, donor requirements, timeline, and comfort level with risk. Some destinations may look promising at first but may not be suitable once the legal, medical, and practical details are reviewed.
No. This is one of the most important things to understand.
A destination that works for one family may not work for another. Eligibility, legal recognition, parental rights, donor needs, clinic requirements, agency practices, and travel logistics can all vary. This is why personalised guidance is so important before you choose a country or sign with a provider.
International surrogacy in Europe is not one single process because every country has its own rules, risks, and practical realities.
Some intended parents based in Europe may need to look beyond their home country. Others may compare several European or non-European destinations before deciding. The key is to understand not only whether surrogacy is possible somewhere, but whether it is realistic, legally safe, and suitable for your family.
That depends on your situation. Intended parents based in Europe may explore different destinations depending on their family structure, budget, medical needs, legal position, and desired timeline.
I can help you compare possible options and understand which destinations may or may not make sense before you invest time, money, and emotion into the wrong pathway.
Costs, Quotes, and Budgeting
International surrogacy can range from around $30,000 to $250,000+ depending on the destination, medical requirements, legal complexity, provider structure, donor needs, and travel or logistical factors.
The average international surrogacy journey often involves a significant financial commitment, and one wrong provider choice or missed legal requirement can create serious delays and extra costs. That is why I always encourage intended parents to understand the full picture before committing.
Costs vary because every destination has a different legal framework, medical system, agency model, clinic pricing, surrogate support structure, donor process, travel requirement, and documentation process.
A lower headline price does not always mean a lower final cost. Sometimes important services are not included, or the risks are not clearly explained upfront.
Before starting surrogacy abroad, intended parents should consider agency costs, clinic costs, legal support, donor-related costs if needed, surrogate matching, embryo creation, pregnancy-related expenses, travel, documentation, logistics, and possible unexpected costs.
During my support programs, I help intended parents understand realistic budget expectations and identify where hidden or unclear costs may appear.
You may find general ranges online, but they are often incomplete, outdated, or too generic to rely on fully.
A transparent cost breakdown needs to be connected to your specific destination, provider, medical situation, legal needs, and family structure. I help intended parents understand what is included, what is missing, and what questions to ask before trusting a number.
Yes. This is one of the key ways I support intended parents.
I can help you review agency or clinic quotes, compare packages, identify unclear wording, and ask questions that may reveal hidden costs or unrealistic assumptions. The goal is to help you avoid surprises before you commit.
Yes. If you are already speaking with an agency or clinic, I can help you review the offer, compare what is included, and identify questions you should ask before signing.
This can be done through a One-Time Consultation or as part of a deeper support package, depending on how much guidance you need.
Sometimes a program looks cheaper because it does not include everything you will eventually need. In other cases, the pricing may not fully reflect legal, medical, travel, donor, documentation, or unexpected expenses.
A low price is not automatically a red flag, but it should always be reviewed carefully. My role is to help you understand whether the offer is realistic and what may be missing.
Yes. My job is to make sure intended parents are aware of the costs involved before making major decisions.
I help you understand budget expectations, compare destinations, review quotes, and ask providers the right questions so you can move forward with more confidence and fewer surprises.
Legal Risks and Professional Advice
Cross-border surrogacy can involve several legal questions at once: the laws of the destination country, your home country, parental recognition, documentation, citizenship, and the legal role of each professional involved.
I help intended parents understand which legal risk areas need attention and connect them with legal advisors where appropriate. My role is to help you avoid walking into a process blind.
Legal challenges can include whether surrogacy is permitted in a destination, whether intended parents are eligible, how parental rights are recognised, what documentation is needed after birth, and whether the process is recognised in the intended parents’ home country.
Because these issues can vary greatly by country and family situation, it is important to get proper legal guidance before committing.
I can help you identify legal questions, possible red flags, and areas where you need professional legal advice. I can also connect you with trusted legal advisors in my network.
However, I do not replace a qualified lawyer. Legal advice should always come from professionals who are authorised to advise in the relevant jurisdiction.
In many cases, it is wise to understand the legal picture before committing to a destination or provider.
You do not always need to have everything solved before your first consultation, but you should not sign contracts or make major commitments without understanding the legal implications. I can help you identify the questions that need to be asked and connect you with legal professionals where needed.
No. I provide independent guidance, practical insight, provider introductions, and red-flag support, but I do not replace legal advice.
I can help you understand which legal questions to ask and introduce you to trusted legal advisors, but final legal advice must come from a qualified professional in the relevant country.
Provider Verification and Vetted Network
Verifying international surrogacy providers requires more than reading a website or comparing prices.
You need to look at transparency, experience, communication, legal compliance, realistic timelines, ethical practices, medical coordination, pricing structure, and actual client experience. I help intended parents ask the right questions and avoid relying only on marketing promises.
A trustworthy agency should be transparent, realistic, legally aware, clear about costs, respectful in communication, and willing to answer detailed questions.
Be careful with agencies that pressure you to sign quickly, promise guaranteed outcomes, avoid legal details, offer unclear pricing, or make the process sound simpler than it really is. In surrogacy, what you do not know can cost you everything.
My network is built through years of direct experience in international surrogacy. I personally know many of the providers I introduce to intended parents and have worked with professionals across different destinations.
I evaluate providers based on experience, transparency, ethical practices, legal awareness, communication, and real-world client outcomes. I do not simply hand you a list. I connect you with people I have worked with.
Where appropriate, yes. I can introduce intended parents to fertility specialists, clinics, agencies, legal advisors, logistics providers, and other trusted professionals in my network.
The right introduction depends on your destination, medical needs, family structure, and stage of the journey.
Yes. I can help you understand which questions to ask, what red flags to watch for, and which providers may be suitable for your situation.
I cannot remove every risk from an international surrogacy journey, but I can help you approach provider conversations with more clarity, preparation, and protection.
Yes. Many intended parents come to me after they have already spoken with an agency or clinic but still feel unsure.
I can help you review the offer, compare the information you received, identify unclear points, and prepare questions before you move forward.
Yes. My network includes trusted professionals internationally, including legal advisors, clinics, agencies, logistics providers, and other specialists involved in the surrogacy process.
The goal is not just to introduce you to someone. The goal is to connect you with the right professionals for your situation.
Ethics, Safety, and Red Flags
Ethical surrogacy requires transparency, respect, realistic expectations, legal compliance, and careful protection of everyone involved.
For intended parents, this means understanding the full process, working with trustworthy professionals, avoiding rushed decisions, and choosing providers who take the wellbeing of the surrogate, the child, and the intended parents seriously.
Red flags can include unrealistic promises, unclear pricing, pressure to sign quickly, vague contracts, poor communication, lack of legal clarity, hidden costs, and timelines that sound too good to be true.
If something feels rushed, confusing, or overly polished, pause before committing. My work is often about slowing the process down so intended parents can move forward safely.
Start by asking who created the information and what they are trying to sell.
Many online resources come from agencies or providers promoting their own programs. That does not mean the information is always wrong, but it may not show the full picture. Independent guidance helps you look beyond one provider’s perspective and understand the risks, costs, and alternatives more clearly.
Yes. I help intended parents recognise when an offer, timeline, price, or promise needs closer review.
International surrogacy is too important to rush. You deserve time, clarity, and honest answers before making decisions that affect your future family.
Services and Support Options
I work independently with intended parents worldwide to explain how gestational surrogacy works in different jurisdictions, offer expert insight on legal, medical, agency, or logistical questions, organise direct introductions to trusted professionals, and raise red flags around pricing, timelines, contracts, and unrealistic promises.
My goal is to help you feel safe, informed, and empowered.
The Free Discovery Session is a 30-minute call designed to help you find your path without pressure.
You will leave with a clearer understanding of which countries may or may not work in your case, awareness of common risks and early red flags, and a calm expert voice to walk you through next steps. There are no sales pitches — just clarity.
After the session, I send a short written summary covering your current stage, countries discussed, and key notes from our conversation.
It is perfect for first-timers, overwhelmed researchers, or intended parents who feel burned by confusing information found online.
If you are not sure where to begin, this is the safest first step.
The One-Time Consultation is a focused 1-hour session for intended parents who need clarity on specific questions.
You get one-on-one advice based on your current situation, expert insight on legal, medical, or agency questions, and a sense-check on offers, quotes, or next steps you are considering.
The cost is €190. If you upgrade to a full package later, this amount is deducted from the total.
It is ideal if you are already speaking with an agency or clinic and want an unbiased second opinion before moving forward.
It is also useful if you have specific questions about a destination, quote, provider, or next step.
Safe Start is a 2-month research support program designed to protect your time, money, and heart before you commit.
It includes 4 one-hour consultations, an honest assessment of country options, personalised questions to ask agencies, direct introductions to trusted partners, ongoing WhatsApp and email support, and access to a closed Facebook community group.
The cost is €1,900.
Safe Start is best for intended parents who are still researching and want to make a safe, informed decision before signing with an agency or clinic.
You will not feel rushed, sold to, or pushed into bad decisions. I slow things down so you can move forward safely.
Full Support is a 3-month program for intended parents who want deeper guidance before making major commitments.
It includes everything in Safe Start, plus 2 extra consultations, deeper comparison of agency or clinic packages, detailed contract and fine print analysis to spot risks and hidden clauses, hands-on support through pre-contract decision-making, red-flag checks, and impartial advice if a serious issue arises during your journey.
The cost is €2,500.
Safe Start is focused on the research stage. It helps you compare countries, prepare questions, understand risks, and connect with trusted professionals before committing.
Full Support goes deeper. It includes additional consultations, package comparison, contract and fine print analysis, pre-contract decision support, and more hands-on protection before you sign.
Yes. If you book a One-Time Consultation and later decide to upgrade to a full package, the €190 consultation fee will be deducted from the total.
Yes. All packages include the option to continue with monthly support beyond the initial service period.
If you need support after the 3 months included in the Full Support package, you can extend month by month for €900 per month.
You can continue with extended monthly support if needed.
Sometimes intended parents need help beyond the initial research or pre-contract stage. You deserve continuous support when you need it most, especially if something important or unexpected comes up.
Communication and Ongoing Support
During the support period, I am available by WhatsApp and email for your convenience.
We also schedule video sessions to catch up regularly, discuss progress, review decisions, and make sure you are not navigating the process alone.
Yes, if your package includes ongoing WhatsApp and email support, you can ask follow-up questions between scheduled consultations.
This is especially helpful when you are speaking with agencies, reviewing offers, or trying to make sense of new information.
Safe Start includes 4 one-hour consultations over 2 months.
Full Support includes 6 one-hour consultations over 3 months.
Additional support can be extended month by month if needed.
After the Free Discovery Session, I send a short written summary covering your current stage, countries discussed, and key notes from our conversation.
For support packages, the exact follow-up depends on the nature of your work together, but the goal is always to keep you clear, organised, and confident about next steps.
Community and Booking
Yes. You can join The Surrogacy Insider Facebook group for ongoing support, community connection, insider tips, and updates about international surrogacy.
Surrogacy takes a village, and it can make a huge difference to feel less alone while you are exploring your options.
You can join The Surrogacy Insider Facebook group if you would like to stay informed about international surrogacy and connect with a supportive community.
It is a place for intended parents to access ongoing support, updates, and practical insight while exploring their journey.
Yes. You do not need to have everything figured out before joining the community.
Many intended parents join while they are still researching, comparing countries, or trying to understand what questions they should ask next.
You can book a Free Discovery Session through the form on the website. It takes less than 30 seconds to get started.
You can share your name, email, phone number if you wish, and a short note about your concerns or where you are in the process.
You do not need to prepare anything perfectly. But it helps if you can share where you are in the process, which countries you are considering, your main concerns, and any agency, clinic, legal, budget, or timeline questions already on your mind.
The session is not about pressure. It is about clarity.
Yes. The Free Discovery Session / Clarity Call is free.
It is designed to help you understand possible next steps, common risks, and whether working together may be useful for your journey.
Yes. In fact, this is exactly why many intended parents come to me.
International surrogacy can feel confusing, emotional, and risky when you are trying to piece everything together from online research. I help you slow down, understand what matters, and move forward with clear, honest guidance.
That is completely okay.
You do not need to come with perfect questions. We can start with your situation, your hopes, your concerns, and what you have already seen or heard. From there, I can help you understand what needs to be explored next.
Because international surrogacy involves decisions that can affect your finances, legal security, emotional wellbeing, and future family.
I have seen beautiful successes, but I have also seen the heartbreaking pitfalls that happen when intended parents are rushed, misinformed, or not properly protected. My role is to help you see what others may miss before it costs you time, money, or peace of mind.
One size never fits all.
The right surrogacy path depends on your family, your circumstances, your legal position, your medical needs, your budget, and your tolerance for risk. You deserve guidance that sees your whole story - not just a program, a price, or a promise.
