By Dr. Arnold Mahesan
Fertility SpecialistBeverly Hills Babies
Dr. Arnold Mahesan is a board-certified fertility specialist with extensive experience in IVF, fertility treatment, and gestational surrogacy. He is committed to helping intended parents navigate their journey with personalized care and expert guidance
A single man can become a father through egg donation, IVF and gestational surrogacy. An egg donor provides the eggs, your sperm can be used to create embryos, and a gestational surrogate carries the pregnancy. The donor and surrogate have different roles, with separate screening and preparation.
At Beverly Hills Babies, Fathers First™ brings these steps into one physician-led family-building pathway. The starting conversation is about your health, your priorities and the family you hope to build.
1. Begin with medical preparation
A semen analysis helps assess sperm available for IVF. We also review your medical history, medications and the required screening for using your sperm in a gestational-carrier arrangement. Previous fertility does not remove the need for current evaluation.
If a sample presents a concern, the next step depends on the finding. Some men benefit from further assessment or treatment before embryo creation. It is better to address that question before coordinating an egg-donor cycle.
2. Choose an egg donor with a family plan in mind
Donor selection includes medical history, family history, genetic carrier screening and the practical details of treatment. Personal preferences matter, but the clinical evaluation needs its own weight.
If you want more than one child, consider whether preserving embryos from the same donor is important to you. Depending on the arrangement, returning to that donor later may not be possible. Planning early gives you a clearer understanding of your options.
3. Create embryos before planning the transfer
Following retrieval or thawing of donor eggs, the laboratory uses sperm to attempt fertilization and monitors embryo development. The final number available for use can be lower than the starting egg count. An initial plan should account for that uncertainty.
Once the embryos are available, their records guide the transfer discussion. Surrogate matching and screening then proceed in coordination with legal, insurance and counseling requirements.
4. Build practical support around fatherhood
Being a single father makes the preparation after birth particularly important. Think about who can help during the first weeks, how you will manage parental leave and what childcare you may need. If delivery is away from home, plan where you will stay and how you will travel with a newborn.
These are useful conversations to have while the medical journey is progressing. You do not need a particular household arrangement, but you do need a realistic support plan.
5. Understand the complete budget
Your budget may include egg donation, IVF, surrogate compensation, transfer treatment, coordination, legal services, insurance and pregnancy expenses. Ask what is included and what is billed separately. Specific costs should be based on your proposed arrangement rather than a generic online estimate.
The first step is a consultation, even if you have not yet chosen a donor. Fathers First™ can help you connect the medical plan with your goals for fatherhood and future siblings.
