What services do the Surrogacy Agencies offer?

The choice of a surrogate pregnancy agency is a very important decision, and we will give you some tips to take into account for a better decision.
The Agencies are companies or organizations specialized in surrogating that, generally, provide two very important services:

-Organize the process of surrogating, including advice on procedures, contact with specialized lawyers who will make legal presentations and fund trusts, contact with the reproduction center that will carry out the embryo transfer, contact with translators when the parents they do not speak the language of the country and more. Normally they are not in charge of organizing trips or stays, for the future parents.

-To obtain a suitable pregnant woman and donor of ovules for the process, and to be in charge of carrying out the medical analysis of health, verifying the non-existence of pending issues with the justice, carrying out interviews about her lifestyle, etc. When contracting with an agency, the agency will provide us with a database of profiles of women who have applied to act as pregnant women, in order to choose the most appropriate one.

How to choose which agency to hire?

1) Website.

It is very important to carefully analyze the agency’s website and get all the information about it. It is good to take the time and carefully read each of the articles, publications, and history of the agency.

Observe if they have experience, who is responsible, where exactly is located, if they serve heterosexual couples only, if they have databases of pregnant women, and all the necessary information (see below).

An untidy website, with spelling errors, with links that do not work, etc. may be a sign of carelessness.

2) Skype interview.

It is a must, contact the agencies and request a Skype interview or similar, to be able to answer questions and queries, and learn more about the company we are analyzing.

In this step, we can ask everything we want to know and verify if they have translators, what the payments are like, what guarantees they offer, what happens if medical treatment fails, etc.

3) Recommendations.

If we receive recommendations from someone who has already done the surrogacy process in one or another agency, or who knows them and knows they are good in their work, it will be very good, since we can confirm the seriousness of it and that will give us more peace of mind.

4) Making the decision.

After having obtained all the information we need about the different agencies, we will be able to decide which is the most appropriate for us.

Important information to ask

Whether researching the website, in the Skype interview, through references or via email, we recommend consulting the following information and asking the following questions:

-Experience in surrogacy.

What experience do they possess in surrogating? How many years have you been engaged in it? How many cases work per year?

-Responsible for the agency.

Who is the responsible or owner of the agency? Why is he dedicated to surrogating? Do you have training on the subject?

-Travel and stay.

Do the budgeted costs include the tickets or the stay? Are they responsible for making our stay or hotel or should we reserve it? How many times should we travel there, and how long should we stay on each trip?

-Different programs and guarantees.

Do they have different surrogating programs? What does each one include? What is the difference between them?

-Cost, values, and forms of payment.

What values should we pay to the agency? What is the total cost of the entire process? Is it a closed value or can it have modifications? What are the differences in money that may exist? Do the costs include medical fees and expenses? Do the costs include legal fees and expenses? Do the costs include compensation payments to the pregnant woman? What forms of payment do they have? Should everything be paid at the beginning or paid as the process progresses?

-Election of the medical center.

Does the medical center choose the agency, or do we choose it? Do they have their own medical equipment?

– Selection of the law firm.

Does the law firm choose the agency, or do we choose it? Do they have their own lawyers?

-Election of the pregnant woman (and donor of ovules)

How do we choose the pregnant woman? Do you provide us with a database? Can we communicate with them before choosing it? Can we communicate with them during pregnancy? What procedure do they do if the pregnant woman does not become pregnant? How are the studies performed on the pregnant woman to determine if she is suitable for the process?

-Laws of the country and documentation.

What do the laws in that country say about surrogating? What procedure should be carried out before the birth? What procedure should be carried out after birth? Will the baby’s documents go to our name or the pregnant woman’s name? Will the baby have the nationality of his country? Should we carry out an adoption process towards the baby?

Yes, you are trying to get some genuine help to form or grow a family. Therefore, you must make sure you are working with a reputable agency or an in vitro fertilization clinic that supports and will help you protect your family and your future baby.

Well, after all these questions you will ask the agency, depending on the answers, you will have a lot of useful information to determine which is the most appropriate agency for you and your family.  However, remember there are no correct answers, only answers that make you feel supported and strengthened.

Author: Edel Pons, General Director of Pons Medical Group