Surrogacy agencies take the guesswork and the unknown out of the surrogacy process, ensuring that you, the intended parents, and the baby you carry are legally, medically, and emotionally protected from the challenges of surrogacy.
When you work with a surrogate agency, you will:
- Work with a surrogacy specialist who can detail the surrogacy process from start to finish
- Have the support of experienced professionals throughout your surrogacy journey
You can contact us today if you know you want to work with a surrogacy agency and are ready to start your surrogacy journey. But, if you want more information about surrogacy agencies and what surrogacy professionals do, continue reading.
What Exactly is a Surrogate Agency?
Surrogacy agencies — also called surrogacy groups, surrogacy centers, surrogacy programs, and surrogacy companies — are essentially “one-stop shops” for surrogacy. This is because surrogacy agency professionals will help you through every step of the surrogacy process. Their expertise means you will have the knowledge and protection you need to feel safe and comfortable throughout your surrogacy journey.
Surrogacy agencies’ wide range of services often includes:
- Medical and psychological screening
- Matching with intended parents
- Case management
- Emotional and practical support
- Contact mediation with intended parents
- Referrals to trusted surrogacy attorneys and fertility clinics
An Important Note About Surrogacy Agencies
Unlike agencies that complete adoptions, there are no regulations or standards a company must meet to call itself a “surrogacy agency.”
Because surrogacy is still a relatively new family-building process, state laws have not yet established methods of regulating and certifying surrogacy professionals. You should take extra care when choosing a surrogate agency that meets your needs and expectations.
How Do I Find a Surrogate Agency?
With so many surrogacy agencies, how do you find the right one for you?
First, all surrogates should seriously consider what they want from their surrogacy journey:
- Do you want to work with intended parents located nearby or intended parents from a different state or country?
- Do you want to meet your surrogacy specialist in person, or prefer to let them handle the details from afar?
The more you solidify your surrogacy goals and preferences, the better you can determine whether a surrogacy agency can help you reach these aspirations.
To start your research, take a look at this list of surrogate agencies below:
Why Should I Work with a Surrogate Agency?
Surrogacy is a process that includes many detailed steps, and it can be overwhelming to try to complete all of those steps on your own. This is especially true if you are a first-time surrogate.
Here are two key benefits to working with a surrogacy agency:
Benefit 1: Dedicated Surrogacy Professionals
The experienced professionals at surrogacy agencies will guide you through every challenge and accomplishment of your surrogacy journey. Over the years, surrogacy programs have created unique, well-crafted processes that address every part of the surrogacy journey.
Compare this to an independent surrogacy, where you will be responsible for all of those details yourself, as well as coordinating with necessary surrogacy professionals and the intended parents.
Benefit 2: Intended Parent Screening
Private surrogacy agencies also provide another advantage. Because every surrogate and intended parent is screened before matching, you can be sure that your partner through your surrogacy process is physically and mentally ready to begin their surrogacy journey with no delays.
This is not often the case when you find intended parents on your own. For example, you may find intended parents who seem like the perfect match but do not end up earning approval from an appropriate surrogacy professional.
For a quicker and safer surrogacy process, it’s recommended that all surrogates work with a surrogacy agency instead.
Why Can’t I Find a Traditional Surrogate Agency?
As you research your options for surrogacy agencies, you will find many gestational carrier agencies and no traditional surrogacy agencies. Why is this the case?
Understanding Traditional Surrogacy
Traditional surrogacy is much more legally and emotionally complex than gestational surrogacy. In traditional surrogacy, a surrogate uses her egg to create the intended parents’ embryo, which means she is genetically related to the child she carries. Because of the emotional and legal complications, modern surrogacy agencies completely avoid the traditional surrogacy process, and it’s illegal in most states.
If you want to become a traditional surrogate, keep in mind that you will likely need to complete an independent surrogacy in which you have more responsibility. Traditional and independent surrogacy is not right for everyone, so it’s a good idea to at least speak with a surrogate agency before choosing which surrogacy path to take. For most women, gestational, agency-assisted surrogacy will be the way to go.
Are You Ready to Work With a Surrogate Agency?
If you’ve decided that you want to become a surrogate and are interested in working with a surrogate agency, you can contact us today. We can help you work with a professional surrogate agency that will provide the professionals you need for a successful journey.
