Finding the best surrogacy agency is essential because your surrogate professional will often dictate how the rest of your surrogacy journey will proceed.
You will want to work with a professional who can:
- Offer all of the services you want
- Help you feel comfortable and supported through every step of the surrogacy process
This may seem like a tall order, but the following three steps can help you find the best surrogate agency to help you complete the surrogacy of your dreams:
- Look for certain criteria
- Compile a list of questions to ask a surrogacy professional
- Conduct an interview to learn more
If you want to start the surrogacy process, you can reach out to us today. But, if you’d like to learn about the three steps that can help you find the best surrogacy agencies to work with, continue reading.
Step 1 to Working With Top Surrogacy Agencies: Look for Certain Criteria
Unlike agencies in other family-building processes, a surrogacy program does not have to meet regulations or certifications to call itself a surrogacy agency.
Finding the best surrogacy agencies to work with can be confusing – especially when many of these programs offer a similar range of services.
As you start researching and reading surrogacy agency reviews, there are essential criteria to look out for:
- A clear outline of responsibilities and steps: Top surrogacy agencies will detail what services they provide and which they outsource (including whether they help coordinate those other services). The surrogacy agency you choose should list the responsibilities, expectations, and steps of the surrogacy process for all involved — surrogate and intended parent — before you ever commit to their program. Understanding a program’s process and offered services will help you determine whether surrogacy with that agency will be efficient, safe, and organized.
- History of success: Because surrogacy can be so complicated, you will want to work with a surrogacy agency that has a proven record of success and expertise. The best surrogate agencies can refer you to past clients who have successfully been a surrogate with their program. You may even request to speak with those former surrogates to learn more.
- Thorough screening process: One of the advantages of working with a surrogacy agency is the screening that takes place before matching with intended parents. When you and prospective intended parents are confirmed to be physically and mentally ready for the surrogacy process before you match, your surrogacy process will likely proceed without delays. Therefore, you should look for a surrogacy agency that completes extensive screening to put you at ease.
- Experienced legal counsel: The best surrogacy agencies will refer you to a trusted lawyer. It’s much easier to work with a surrogacy agency that coordinates directly with your surrogacy lawyer, so look for these mediation services when choosing a surrogacy agency. Remember: You and the intended parents will need separate surrogacy attorneys for the required legal process.
You can start your surrogacy research by taking a look at these surrogacy agencies’ sites:
Step 2 to Working With Top Surrogacy Agencies: Compile a List of Questions to Ask
Once you find a few surrogacy agencies that meet these criteria, you’ll want to look at their informational materials to learn as much about the companies as possible.
As you are viewing this information, you should also start writing down questions you have. These questions should address different aspects of your “best surrogacy agency” goals and preferences, and help you determine whether a prospective company is the best surrogacy agency for you.
Consider asking questions like:
- What are your screening processes for intended parents and prospective surrogates?
- What are the services you offer intended parents and prospective surrogates?
- How many intended parents and surrogates have you worked with? How many successful surrogacies have you completed?
- What are the requirements to be a surrogate with your agency?
- What states do you work in?
- What does your surrogate compensation package look like?
- What professionals do you work with for the medical and legal processes? Will you coordinate with those professionals?
- Will I need to work with any additional professionals not coordinated by you?
- How involved will I be in the surrogacy process?
- How do you match surrogates with intended parents? How do you find surrogates and intended parents?
- And more
These questions will be integral in the next step: Speaking with the professionals at these surrogacy agencies.
Step 3 to Working with Top Surrogacy Agencies: Conduct an Interview to Learn More
Before committing to a specific surrogacy program, you should have an in-depth phone conversation or in-person talk with the specialists at that agency. This gives you the chance to get to know the program better and determine whether it can offer you everything necessary to be the best surrogacy agency for your journey.
As you speak with a surrogacy specialist, ask all the questions you have and take notes. Write down any additional questions that come up during your conversation or after your interview is over. If necessary, schedule a follow-up conversation.
Also, be prepared for a specialist to have questions for you. This is so they can get to know you and ensure you’re a good fit for their program.
Next Steps to Working With the Best Gestational Surrogacy Agencies
If you think you’re ready to start your surrogacy journey, reach out to us today. We have a lot of resources that can help you get the process started.
