Thinking about working with a surrogacy agency?
Whether you are looking for a surrogate to help grow your family or you are considering becoming a surrogate yourself, your research should begin with surrogacy agencies. A great surrogacy agency will provide the guidance and network needed to chart your journey and navigate the obstacles with the least difficulty. Some agencies offer help through specific stages; others act as full-service agencies and remain by your side from start to finish.
It is of prime importance that you start working with a surrogacy agency fully aligned with your unique wants and needs. A comfortable process is a successful process. Open communication with experts in the field is the best way to make this happen. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, most of our staff have been surrogates themselves. Our knowledge of the industry combined with their unique experience has made us one of the best surrogacy agencies in the U.S.
1. Matching
Perhaps the most common reason why people decide working with a surrogacy agency is for the quality of their matching services. Agencies are able to match intended parents and surrogates at a high level of compatibility. Both intended parents and surrogates are able to provide their preferences in a partner, so partnerships are not random but instead highly tailored to each party’s wants.
2. Screening
If you are applying to become a surrogate, there is a screening process before you are eligible to partner with intended parents. As you may expect, the screenings are simply to ensure that the surrogacy journey is safe and as pleasant as possible for all parties involved, especially for YOU as a surrogate. Here is an abbreviated version of our screening process.
The first step a candidate surrogate should take to start working with a surrogacy agency like ours is to ask many, many questions. Get all your most pressing questions answered before the process begins. Once you gathered all the information and decided to pursue the journey, the screening process officially begins. You will fill out a profile that consists of basic information such as name, address, phone number, email, date of birth, marital status, your citizenship status, and the number of children you have.
Then, you go through a physical examination. The physician will ask for your age, your BMI, and a detailed medical history, including past pregnancies and current childcare plans. You will also be asked to provide details on any past or current illnesses, and possible drug use. Any gynecological issues or menstrual cycle irregularities may be addressed here. Lifestyle choices may be discussed as well, including diet and exercise.
From there, the intended surrogate and her partner may undergo a psychological assessment. This is often very simple and focuses on thoughts about surrogacy and the journey ahead. It matters to you, when working with a surrogacy agency, that your agency fully understands your feelings and your coping abilities so as to serve you best all along this adventure.
For both intended surrogates and intended parents, the screening process typically includes:
- Background checks
- Proof of employment
- Mental & emotional health screening
- Drug testing
- Proof of living arrangement
The screening process undergone by each party helps to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and comfort of everyone involved. It also gives us the best chance for not only a successful pregnancy, but for a beautiful partnership.
3. Legal matters
The process of signing all legal documentation is much more streamlined today than it once was. At Los Angeles Surrogacy, we are grateful to have competent legal partners that educate both parties on all legal aspects involved, including all paperwork being signed.
In addition to the background check that may include criminal records, educational milestones, employment and credit history, driving records, and even social media, the legal team ensures that the intended parents have full custody of the child once the baby is born. The legal team also makes sure that the surrogate has everything needed to carry out a healthy pregnancy, including a fair compensation package in addition to appointments, vitamins (if needed), and more.
A list of legal paperwork requirements will be presented to you and discussed freely with you before the day you sign them. There are no secrets and we want all surrogates and soon-to-be parents to feel secure and knowledgeable when signing.
4. Support
Both intended parents and surrogates are also required to have:
- The support of their partner
A pregnancy involves major lifestyle changes. For this reason, the partner of a surrogate mother must be willing to support her all along. Also, if an intended parent is applying as a single parent, it is required that their significant other is in full support of their decision. This helps ensuring that the baby arrive in the happiest of homes!
- Great respect for each other
The partnership between surrogate mother and intended parent(s) is unique and strong. For a successful pregnancy and delivery, both parties must respect each other’s needs and wishes. The surrogacy journey is a joyful, memorable experience when both parties communicate and work as a team.
5. Pregnancy
Once you complete the initial inquiries, the pre-screenings, and the contract work, your next step as a surrogate is to undergo the embryo transfer. Gestational surrogacy does not involve the use of the surrogate’s own eggs, so intended parents may use their own egg/sperm, or those of donors.
There is a “two-week wait” between the embryo transfer and the pregnancy test date. If the surrogate mother becomes pregnant, the embryo transfer was a success and it is time to start preparing and celebrating the arrival of the baby! If the surrogate does not become pregnant, the embryo transfer may be tried again.
Working with a surrogacy agency of the right kind
All candidate surrogates and intended parents who have had an experience working with a surrogacy agency will testify of the improtance of the guidance and connections provided by their agency. The best surrogacy agencies know all of the “ins and outs” of the industry and they provide proper guidance to experience a safe pregnancy. Without their help, it would be significantly more difficult to access the right legal and medical teams. Without their help, surrogates and intended parents wouldn’t benefit from the vast network of connections needed to find a great match.
Before making up your mind working with a surrogacy agency, do your research to ensure your needs are met. Though each person is unique in what they are looking for, consider some of the aspects listed here.