Essential Boundaries in IVF, Egg Donation & Surrogacy

IMA ART Fertility
Aug 23
3 min read

Updated: Sep 13

Why setting clear boundaries protects intended parents, donors & surrogates.

Black background with white text: "HAUTE FERTILITY," "Fertility Governance," and "IMA ART." Minimalist and formal design.At IMA ART Fertility, we championed the principle of Fertility Governance®—a framework that ensures accountability, transparency, and ethical rigor in assisted reproduction.

At IMA ART Fertility, we championed the principle of Fertility Governance®—a framework that ensures accountability, transparency, and ethical rigor in assisted reproduction. Our Co-Founder and CEO, Michelle Tang, brings a distinguished career in corporate governance to the fertility space, having advised multinational corporations and boards on compliance and risk management prior to leading IMA ART Fertility.

This depth of governance expertise underpins our belief that IVF clinics and surrogacy or egg donor organizations must remain independent. By establishing clear boundaries, private clients, surrogates, and donors alike are protected through an elevated model of integrity and trust.

Text on a dark background reads: "HAUTE FERTILITY," "Checks & Balances," and "IMA ART." The mood is formal and minimalist. t IMA ART Fertility, our Fertility Governance™ model applies a structure of checks and balances to every stage of the family-building journey.

The Importance of Checks and Balances

When surrogacy and donor organizations are closely aligned with IVF clinics through shared ownership or overlapping executive management, true accountability may be compromised. At first blush, the entities appear distinct - their leadership integration dilutes the independence required to safeguard the interests of intended parents, surrogates, and donors. Intended parents deserve the assurance that medical decisions are free from external influence, while surrogacy and egg donor organizations should remain dedicated advocates for the individuals they support. Maintaining genuine independence allows each side to hold the other accountable should any failures or disputes arise.

At IMA ART Fertility, our Fertility Governance™ model applies a structure of checks and balances to every stage of the family-building journey. This ensures that responsibilities are not conflated, but rather held to rigorous oversight—safeguarding the best interests of all parties.

Preventing Conflicts of Interest

An IVF clinic’s responsibility is to deliver the highest standard of medical care. A surrogacy or egg donor organization’s role is to facilitate matches, provide advocacy, and ensure emotional support throughout the journey. These responsibilities should remain independent. However, when the same executives oversee and or are involved in both entities—or when ownership is closely intertwined—the boundaries between medical and coordination services may be blurred. In such cases, decisions risk being influenced by financial or operational priorities rather than the exclusive welfare of intended parents, surrogates, or donors.

With her governance background, Michelle Tang brings an institutional mindset to IMA ART Fertility: separating duties, ensuring accountability, and mitigating risks before they occur. This is the essence of Fertility Governance®—a disciplined approach that elevates decision-making and strengthens trust.

Protecting Transparency and Trust

For discerning private clients, transparency is non-negotiable. Surrogates and egg donors must be assured that medical decisions are independent and unbiased, free from contractual or financial entanglements. Likewise, intended parents should retain the freedom to select both their fertility specialist and surrogacy partner independently, without pressure to commit to bundled services.

IMA ART Fertility’s Fertility Governance® framework enshrines this independence. Each party operates within its proper sphere of responsibility, creating a transparent environment where integrity, discretion, and trust are paramount.

Black background with white text reading "HAUTE FERTILITY," "Standards in Fertility," and "IMA ART." Clean, professional design. Through Fertility Governance®—informed by Michelle Tang’s distinguished governance background—we set a higher standard.

Toward Higher Standards in Fertility & Surrogacy

At IMA ART Fertility, we see accountability not as a regulatory minimum but as the foundation of trust. In parts of the fertility industry, blurred boundaries arise when IVF clinics and surrogacy or donor organizations appear separate yet share ownership or executive leadership. Such entanglement can compromise transparency, leaving intended parents, surrogates, and donors without true recourse should concerns arise.

Through Fertility Governance®—informed by Michelle Tang’s distinguished governance background—we set a higher standard. Our model ensures that medical providers and coordination services collaborate with clarity, independence, and mutual accountability. This disciplined separation strengthens outcomes and preserves confidence at every stage of the journey.

We call this our savoir faire of excellence—a Haute Fertility® approach where governance, discretion, and integrity are not optional ideals, but the very framework by which we serve our private clients.

To initiate a confidential consultation with our co-founders, please contact us.

IMA ART Fertility. The savoir faire of excellence in family-building.

Private Fertility Concierge. Haute Fertility & Surrogacy. Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.