Surrogate Parenting Services, often shortened to SPS, is a full-service surrogacy agency based in Laguna Niguel, California. It works with intended parents and gestational surrogates across Southern California, and it also takes on intended parents coming from outside the United States.
The agency was founded by Cristie Montgomery, a former surrogate, who serves as its chief executive. Business records list several other principals alongside her — Michelle Montgomery as an officer, Mark Montgomery as secretary, and Katie Bravo as office manager — and the agency's website also introduces case managers who work directly with matched parties. It is a for-profit company and a small team, on the order of half a dozen people, which means intended parents and surrogates tend to deal with the same familiar staff throughout a journey.
As a full-service program, SPS handles the parts of a surrogacy journey that surround the medical care itself: screening and matching intended parents with gestational carriers, then case management and support through the pregnancy and delivery, with coordination of the legal and financial steps along the way. Surrogate candidates are expected to have had at least one prior pregnancy and to be raising a child in their own home, and the agency does not work with smokers; the full eligibility criteria, along with published fees and surrogate compensation ranges, appear further down this page.
The agency has been an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau since December 2014 and holds an A+ rating from the BBB. It lists two addresses in Laguna Niguel, including a post office box used for mail.
AI summary of 134 reviews · can make mistakes
Reviewers, both surrogates and intended parents, are overwhelmingly positive. They most often describe a dedicated case manager who stays involved from start to finish and careful matching that leads to lasting relationships. A few reviewers were unhappy, raising concerns about how much the agency directs legal and appointment arrangements, how carefully matches are screened, and how surrogates are supported when things go wrong.
134 reviews match these filters.
Definitely had an amazing experience with this agency! My case manager, Ashley, was an absolute gem! I never felt alone or left in the dark. I had full support from start to finish. I would feel honored and grateful if I am able to be a surrogate for them again.
View on Google (opens in a new tab)I have recently just delivered a healthy baby girl for a beautiful family. I worked with Surrogate Parenting Services. This was my first journey being a surrogate and it was everything I hoped for! All the ladies I worked with were so dedicated to making sure I felt supported and reassured during the whole journey. Ashley was my case manager and was there every step of the way! Answered all my questions and guided me through everything. She made my journey so so special. Cristie the owner is truly amazing and made me feel so comfortable. She is doing such an amazing job. Thank you to all the girls in the office who also helped guide me through everything. I feel so blessed and thankful that I am able to do this for a family. I would do a new journey all over again in a heartbeat!! Thank you SPS for everything !!!
View on Google (opens in a new tab)After years of walking the infertility journey with close friends of ours, my husband and I thought surrogacy would be an amazing experience. This was my first surrogacy journey and I can’t say enough positive things about SPS. The team was professional and encouraging during each stage of the journey. I spoke with the agency, who offered a lot of helpful information like what it could be like to be a surrogate and some things I could expect. After some consideration, but mostly excited conversion, my husband and I decided to move forward with the experience. We were the most fortunate to have Daryl as our case manager. I could go on and on about how amazing Daryl is!!! She is the most kind, considerate and loving human. She walked with me through some very difficult times of our journey, and laughed with me through the good. She met me at all of my appointments and made it so easy for me to be a surrogate. She was the best advocate for me as my situation was unique (my husband had to be out of state for the second half of the journey). Daryl was not only my case manager, but my person to share anxieties and frustrations with. She was always in my corner and I would be lying if I said I didn’t make a lifelong friend out of this ❤️ I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with SPS, and should I decide to walk this walk again, SPS will be my first call ❤️
View on Google (opens in a new tab)We worked with Surrogate Parenting Services as intended parents and had a generally very positive experience, with a few realities worth noting for anyone considering them. We signed with the agency in December 2022, at a time when post-COVID wait times were still quite long. We were initially told to expect about a 9-month timeline to match, and we received our first potential match in August 2023, which aligned with that estimate. However, our journey to a successful match was longer than average—we ultimately went through three potential surrogates before matching with the gestational carrier who carried our daughter. In fairness, this seemed to be a combination of factors rather than an agency issue. Our doctor had particularly high standards, and there were also complications on the surrogate side that were outside anyone’s control. While it felt drawn out at the time, it was likely just an unlucky series of events rather than a reflection of the agency’s process. One thing we really appreciated was how reasonable the agency was when it came to fees. Per our contract, we technically should have incurred additional costs due to the extended matching period. However, the owner waived those fees, recognizing that the failed matches were not our fault. That level of fairness and discretion stood out. We matched with our surrogate in August 2024, completed the embryo transfer in June 2025, and welcomed our baby girl in January 2026. Our gestational carrier was incredible—truly one of the highlights of this entire journey—and she has remained a meaningful part of our lives. From an operational standpoint, the agency is extremely knowledgeable. They guided us through all the complexities—insurance, legal steps, financial considerations, and the many “unknowns” that come with surrogacy. Having that expertise made a complicated process feel much more manageable. The single most important factor in our experience, though, (besides our incredible GC) was our case manager, Ashley. She was exceptional—highly organized, proactive, and deeply knowledgeable. She stayed on top of every detail and made even the more tedious parts of the process feel smooth and manageable. Her communication and responsiveness made a huge difference for us. Overall, we would recommend Surrogate Parenting Services, especially if you can work with Ashley as your case manager. Like any surrogacy journey, there can be unpredictability and delays, but the agency provides strong guidance and support throughout, and in our case, handled challenges with professionalism and fairness.
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
$72,000 – $75,000
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 youSurrogate Parenting Services accepts gestational surrogates between 21 and 40 years old.
Surrogate Parenting Services requires surrogates to have a BMI of 30 or lower.
Yes. Surrogate Parenting Services requires surrogates to have had at least 1 prior pregnancy.
Yes. Surrogate Parenting Services requires surrogates to be raising at least one child of their own.
No. Surrogate Parenting Services requires surrogates to be non-smokers.
