Gift of Life Surrogacy Agency, LLC, which operates as Gift of Life Surrogacy, is a for-profit, surrogacy-only agency founded in 2018. It works from two offices: Sylvania, Ohio, near Toledo, and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in metro Detroit. The agency was founded by reproductive endocrinologist Dr. F. Nicholas Shamma, who serves as president and is also a founding member of IVF Michigan Fertility Center. Zein Shamma is founder and CEO and directs the intended parent program and matching. The team is small, with roughly seven named staff covering recruitment, outreach and coordination alongside the founders.
According to its website, Gift of Life offers a full-service program for both intended parents and gestational carriers, including pre-screening of applicants, matching, verification of medical requirements, financing resources and legal compliance throughout the journey. The agency says it works with heterosexual couples, same-sex couples and single intended parents.
Gift of Life is listed in Men Having Babies' Surrogacy Advisor provider directory, a resource aimed at gay and prospective LGBTQ+ parents. It has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since June 2024 and holds an A+ rating. The agency publishes its fees; those figures, along with surrogate compensation ranges and the requirements it sets for applicants, appear in the tables further down this page.
Intended parents and surrogates who work with the agency are generally based in the United States, and the program is oriented around carriers who are U.S. citizens. The agency's marketing highlights its Michigan presence following that state's 2024 change in surrogacy law.
AI summary of 21 reviews · can make mistakes
Reviewers, both intended parents and surrogates, overwhelmingly describe a warm, personal experience with Gift of Life Surrogacy, often mentioning responsive communication and support at every step. Many say matching felt thoughtful and the process ran smoothly alongside the partner fertility clinic. A small minority of intended parents report serious dissatisfaction, including disputes over contract terms and fees.
21 reviews match these filters.
Few people anticipate they will need a surrogate to carry their child. It's an uncertain and terrifying situation that requires trusting another human to carry a baby for you. Zein and her team were able to accomplish that and invariably more. They found the most wonderful and caring woman to be our surrogate. They made an otherwise daunting process feel accessible and intimate. Zein is kind, caring, supportive, proactive, and always there for you. We can't thank Zein and Gift of Life Surrogacy enough for the joy they helped bring us. We would highly recommend them to anyone looking to begin their own surrogacy journey.
View on Google (opens in a new tab)After research I decided to go through Gift of Life Surrogacy for my surrogacy journey. Zein and Dr.Shamma were so supportive and were there for me every step of the way. I was matched with the perfect family and had consistent communication throughout my pregnancy with the agency. Since having the baby I look back at this experience with such joy and appreciation. Thank you Gift of Life!!
View on Google (opens in a new tab)Going through the process of surrogacy can be incredibly stressful. Zein took all of the stress out of the experience and ensured we understood every step of the process, being available for questions whenever needed. The caring, compassion and communication made the experience above any other. Gift of Life Surrogacy is hands down the best!
View on Google (opens in a new tab)*The following was how we shared our happy news to friends and family online. I feel it explains just how important Gift of Life Surrogacy was in our journey. It’s no secret fertility treatments, especially surrogacy, is expensive. I can without a doubt say our experience never felt transactional but transformational and from a place of genuine care and compassion.* Long post ahead, but it’s a story worth telling 🌈 ☀️👶🏼 Before we share this joy, I want to acknowledge what it took to get here. Infertility is heartbreaking, complex, and deeply personal. I know not every family gets the ending they hope for, and those still walking that path are never far from our thoughts. 🩷Our Baby Girl🩷 Born via surrogate on Sunday August 2nd, 2026 weighing 6 lbs 7 oz and measuring 19 inches long. Welcome to the world, sweet girl! You are already so loved. Your dad and I cannot wait to show you all the beauty, adventure, and love this life has to offer. I have known since I was a teenager that becoming a mother would not be a straightforward journey. While that knowledge came with its own heartbreak, it also gave me something invaluable: time. Time to prepare, to hope, to pursue treatment, for science and statistics to improve, and to keep believing that someday this moment would arrive. I am also incredibly grateful for a partner who understood from the beginning. Three dates in, I told Kyle I was starting another egg retrieval the next morning. Instead of running, he simply asked, “How can I help?” That same empathy has made watching him become a father that much sweeter. This dream became reality because of so many incredible people. To our family and friends, thank you for loving and supporting us through every step. To Dr. Shamma, Zein, Stacy, and the teams at IVF Michigan (Pinnacle Fertility) and Gift of Life Surrogacy: you have been so good to me and my unique situation for years. Never once did you think I was crazy—just an anomaly. Sometimes we have to accept that not everything can be explained. We call that fate. And most importantly, to our surrogate and her family: there are not enough words to express our gratitude. You carried our greatest blessing and helped make our dream of becoming parents come true. We will forever be thankful. It was not lost on us that you could see my high school in the background of our hospital room where this journey for me began 20+ years ago. The happiest ending and the best new beginning all tied together as one ♾️💕
View on Google (opens in a new tab)Google reviews are shown as written and link to the original. Forum, Yelp and Trustpilot entries are our short summaries of what was posted, linked to the source. Reviewer type is inferred from what each reviewer wrote.
Base compensation
$60,000 – $70,000
Published by the agency. Benefits and allowances are usually on top of this.
Requirements change — confirm with the agency before applying.
See which agencies fit youYes. Gift of Life Surrogacy requires surrogates to have had at least 1 prior pregnancy.
Yes. Gift of Life Surrogacy requires surrogates to be raising at least one child of their own.
Gift of Life Surrogacy's citizenship or residency requirement for surrogates: U.S. citizen residing in a surrogacy-friendly state.
