Not all surrogacy agencies are created equally. Choosing the company solely based on the highest compensation rate may mean that you are going to take a hit in other areas. The agency you choose can make or break your experience as a GC (gestation carrier), so it’s important to ensure you pick an agency who is dedicated to making your experience go smoothly. Before deciding who to sign contracts with, write down a list of questions to ask or things to look for. I suggest looking into at least 3 agencies before making your decision. This list should help you narrow down your search!
1. Knowledgeable, dependable staff
The easiest way to start the weeding process is to see how smooth communication is from the get-go. If a company is difficult to get a hold of or slow to respond when trying to get your business, how will it be once they’ve already got your business? Take note of how quickly and enthusiastically they respond to your questions and concerns. Some unexpected hurdles can (and probably will) happen during your journey, and it‘s vital that they address these things properly and in a timely manner. Ask how many years they’ve been in business, and if any of their staff has experience as GCs. Many agencies hire women who have been through the process of becoming a surrogate themselves. Having support from someone who has real-life experience can be extremely helpful as you navigate the process. This also means that the company likely is full of mom bosses- and who doesn’t love to support a business run primarily by women?!
2. A solid matching process
You will be working closely with the IPs (intended parents) throughout the entire process, and it will be infinitely more enjoyable if they are someone you get along with well. Ask if they have an employee who is dedicated to seeing you through the matching process. Ask what their process entails. On my surrogacy journey, the agency I chose had me fill out a detailed profile (below are some screenshots of pages from my profile!). This contained information about me and my family. Questions ranged from how I felt about selective reduction and what my age & BMI were, to the fun things like what my hobbies are. I was sent similar profiles of IPs, and my husband and I were able to decide if we felt compatible with them. From there we scheduled a Zoom call with the IPs and agency (to facilitate and guide the call). No definitive decisions were allowed to be made on the call, that way both parties made this big decision without the pressure from the other party.
3. Good reviews & willing to let you speak with past surrogates
A quick & easy way to get some honest opinions is to hop online and check their reviews. Some good places to look are Google, Yelp, and their Facebook page. Do they have reviews from surrogates who have completed a journey? If there is any negative feedback, how did the agency respond to it? Did they respond at all?
Any reputable surrogacy agency will be more than happy to let you speak to their experienced GCs. This can also be a great time to ask questions such as: “What did you like about being a surrogate?”, “What would you have done differently?”, or “What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did the agency handle them?”. Speaking to a GC who has used that agency should give you a good inside look at what it's like to work with them.
4. Plenty of support throughout the process
Qualifying to be a surrogate and signing your contract should be the beginning of your relationship with the agency, not the end. A first-rate agency will have plenty of resources for their GCs to support them at every stage of the process. Here are some examples of support that I found helpful and comforting through my journey:
-A dedicated surrogate coordinator. Someone who's job was solely to ensure every surrogate was happy and felt supported, no matter what was thrown her way.
-Check-in texts. My surrogate coordinator would often send texts to check up on me for milestones, appointments, and even "just because".
-Mental health Zoom calls. Every month I had the opportunity to attend a group Zoom meeting with other surrogates that was run by a wonderful, licensed mental health professional. This was available throughout the pregnancy and post-partum period, and was financially covered under my contract.
-Care packages. I received multiple care packages. From stress balls, t-shirts & cookies, to anti-nausea candy, stretch-mark lotion, and a surrogacy book for my children. My favorite gift was a sweet necklace from Peapod Jewelry (pictured below) that represented the birth of my 2 children and the surrogate baby.
-FB support group. A private Facebook group, created just for the current and past GCs to share their journey, connect, and find support. It's my favorite! :)
5. Thorough contracts
Contracts are a very vital portion of your surrogacy journey. They will protect both you and the IPs if anything messy were to happen during your time as a surrogate. The agency you choose should have a good working relationship with attorneys that are ASRM certified (familiar with the specifics of surrogacy contracts). The last thing you want to do is get stuck in a sticky legal situation because the contracts were not up-to-par. Yuck.
6. Upfront & honest about compensation
Compensation should be laid out in a clear and specific way. Usually their website will have this information. If not, they should be more than happy to send you a detailed page. See an example here. If they are not willing to send this to you right of the bat, or they are not able to go into specifics beyond the base pay, this is a red flag.
7. Extensive screening process
Find out what the screening process entails. You'll want to make sure that both the surrogates and IPs are thoroughly screened. You want to make sure that all potential parties are responsible and healthy people who are prepared for the journey ahead. Screening should include making sure the individual can pass a background check as well as a medical and psychological screening.
There are plenty of great surrogacy agencies to work with out there! After researching a few different companies, the one that fit all my needs and then some was All Families Surrogacy. Head to their website to learn more! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Happy agency-hunting, and good luck! :)
Ready to apply! I'd love to see your name come through!
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