On your surrogacy journey, there will be a variety of professionals and services that you can utilize to ensure that you have the best possible surrogacy experience. It can be hard to keep track of it all on your own. Fortunately, with a surrogacy agency, you don’t have to. Surrogacy agencies employ surrogacy professionals dedicated to helping people have a baby with the help of a surrogate.
Contact a surrogacy professional today to find out how an agency can simplify your surrogacy experience.
Although hopeful parents can go through surrogacy on their own (also known as independent surrogacy), a surrogacy agency provides intended parents and surrogates with many benefits. Continue reading to learn more about what surrogacy agencies can do for you.
What are Surrogacy Agencies?
A surrogacy agency provides professional support to intended parents and surrogates.
Unlike adoption agencies, surrogacy agencies are not licensed by states because, currently, there’s no surrogacy agency regulation. That’s why it can be a good idea to work with a surrogacy agency that employs licensed social workers, so that you can feel confident they are equipped to provide the best services on your family-building journey.
Commonly, surrogacy agencies are also called:
- Surrogacy groups
- Surrogacy programs
- Surrogacy centers
What do Surrogacy Agencies do?
Surrogacy agencies provide invaluable services to intended parents and surrogates.
Some of these services include:
Surrogate Match-Making
You’ve already waited a long time for your dreams of family to become a reality. Finding the right match (and finding it quickly) is the key to a successful surrogacy process.
Surrogacy agencies work with women who are already screened to start the surrogacy process. Surrogacy agencies also often have national outreach programs to ensure you find the right surrogate for your situation.
The length of your wait for a match can vary drastically depending on the surrogacy agency you work with. Some agencies currently have wait times of 12 to 18 months. Based on market research, we found that American Surrogacy is currently offering the shortest match times among surrogacy agencies — only 30-90 days from activation to match.
Practical and Emotional Support
A surrogacy agency will pair you with a surrogacy professional who will guide you throughout your journey.
- Practical guidance: Surrogacy professionals can refer you to other surrogacy professionals (fertility clinics, medical professionals, attorneys) essential to the surrogacy process.
- Emotional guidance: Surrogacy is a beautiful journey that’s emotional at times. Surrogacy professionals can direct you to infertility counselors who can help you work through grief and the excitement and stress of the surrogacy process.
In addition to providing this guidance, surrogacy agencies also provide continuous support throughout your surrogacy journey. Your professional will be by your side from the first moment to the last day of your surrogacy journey.
Surrogacy Screening
All intended parents must undergo various screenings before they are cleared for surrogacy. Your surrogacy professional will help make sure you’re prepared for the screening process and have all the information you need.
Surrogates also will need to fulfill medical, psychological, and physical screenings before they can start the surrogacy journey, too. You can rest assured that you’ll work with a woman who is ready and prepared for the journey ahead.
A History of Success
Try to work with a surrogacy agency that has many years of experience and isn’t new to surrogacy. Surrogacy agencies should be able to refer you to past clients who have successfully had a child through their surrogacy program.
How to Find the Best Surrogacy Agencies
Surrogacy is a life-changing process, and finding the best surrogacy agencies is the key to ensure you have the surrogacy experience you deserve. There are a few things you should look for in any surrogacy agency:
- Fixed fees: This assures your family financial clarity
- Short wait times: The shorter your wait time from activation to match, the quicker you will have your baby
- Personal support: Agencies that quickly reply to your requests are more likely to answer the phone when you need them during your surrogacy journey
Start With a Google Search
The easiest way to start your surrogacy agency search is to google phrases like:
- Surrogacy agencies near me
- Top surrogacy agencies near me
- Best surrogacy agencies near me
- Best gestational surrogacy agencies near me
- American surrogacy agencies
When you start to look at each agency’s reviews, consider the following:
- Pay attention to the surrogacy agencies with the most and the highest reviews
- Take time to read through the good and bad feedback to get a better idea of how the agency handles its clients
Make Some Phone Calls
Take an afternoon to call different surrogacy agencies to find out how they can help you. You can ask some of the following questions to help determine if you want to work with an agency or not.
- What’s your surrogacy screening process like for intended parents and surrogates?
- Does your agency work with surrogates from all over the country? What states do you work in?
- Do you provide support and educational services about surrogacy to help me through the process?
- Will my surrogacy professional be available to answer my questions or concerns relatively quickly?
- What happens if my surrogate match doesn’t work out?
- Will you protect my finances?
- How much will my surrogacy journey cost?
- Are you a full-service agency?
- What’s the average wait time at your agency?
Start Your Journey With the Help of Surrogacy Agencies
Deciding to grow your family with the help of a surrogacy professional is an exciting first step toward growing your family! Contact a surrogacy professional today to start your journey now.
