How to Choose the Best Surrogacy Agency and Clinic?
If you’re reading this article, the chances are that you’ve decided that surrogacy is the right path for you. Choosing surrogacy isn’t an easy choice. We’re sure that you have carried out all the necessary research and discussed coming to this decision with your physician, friends, and family. Now, the next thing to do is to find a surrogate mother through a reliable and best surrogacy agency. Also, you will need to find out how much a surrogate mother costs among those top surrogacy agencies.
A simple Google search for ‘find Surrogate mother’ will show you that there’s a huge variety of agencies that you can use. Many hopeful families have chosen to work with us because of our experience in the field, friendly staff, and devotion to employee and customer satisfaction. We want to educate you on how to choose the best surrogacy agency by providing some important criteria and questions you should consider. Use this article to gain the knowledge you need to identify what differentiates a mediocre surrogacy agency from a good one.
Reputation
- How long has the agency been in business?
- What do their previous clients and employees say about them?
Learning about the reputation of the agencies you’re looking at is a good starting point. Does the agency look legitimate? What type of awards or accomplishments have they earned? Are they certified? The last question is an important one. You should make sure that the agency you’re choosing to sign with follow the guidelines for surrogacy stipulated by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. With hundreds of surrogacy agencies available all around the country, filtering out the unpopular or unqualified ones will help narrow down your search.
A good way to gauge an agency’s reputation is by checking out their reviews on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media websites. This is not to say that you should judge an agency based on the number of their reviews, but the quality instead. Go through each comment left by Intended Parents and Surrogates explaining their experience with the agency. Some social media websites also allow you to leave comments on reviews, so you can ask past clients any questions you may have.
Expertise
- What does their screening process look like?
- Who works there?
- Do they work together with legal experts or fertility agencies?
- Who are the experts that determine the suitability of a gestational Surrogate?
As important as reputation is, an agency’s expertise is equally valuable. It’s important to find out exactly what work the agency does, and where their expertise lies. Begin with their Surrogate screening process and requirements – what criteria do they consider when choosing their Surrogates? Do they allow them to have separate legal counsel, or do they have to use the company’s counsel? What costs are they willing to cover? What is their framework for contracts between Intended Parents and Surrogates? These are all questions that’ll have different answers depending on which agency you apply to. It’s important to already have an idea of what kind of expertise you’d like the agency you’re signing with to have and then look for one accordingly.
A successful baby delivery and healthy Surrogate experience both depend on the way an agency treats the parties involved. For the agencies you’re considering, check their LinkedIn pages to know more about their past work and client profiles. See what other agencies they employ. For example, it’s a good idea to check what law firms and fertility clinics an agency works with. If the other companies have a lot of experience and expertise, chances are the surrogacy agency will too! Our agency is the Only OB-Managed surrogacy agency in the nation that offers a full OBGYN managed surrogacy journey to ensure the baby’s health. Steer clear of agencies that do not list the companies they work with. Surrogacy is no easy business to be part of, and you should make sure that you’re not dealing with inexperienced people.
Values
- What are the agency fees you will have to pay?
- How comprehensive is the agency’s team?
- How many tasks do they outsource to be “comprehensive”?
- Are there any protections in place for both Intended Parents and Surrogates?
Instead of asking how much the surrogacy cost is, ask for the value of the services rendered by the agency. This is because a lot of planning and resources go into the surrogacy process, and it can sometimes be pricey. For example, agencies carry out fertility tests for potential surrogates to find the best one for you. Try to find out what costs the agency will cover, so you can plan accordingly.
If you’re wondering about the Surrogate mother cost, don’t take on too much stress! A top surrogacy agency will walk you through all the expenses incurred during the process and let you know what they cover and what they don’t. Sometimes they’ll just provide you an overall cost but will happily tell you what their price breakup is. When you’re comparing fees and prices between agencies, don’t forget to balance it out with the brand’s reputation and expertise.
Services
You may also want to consider what additional services the agency will provide you with. Some agencies, like ours (Physicians Surrogacy), don’t ask for upfront payments. This means you won’t have to pay the agency any fee to sign up with them; all fees are paid only after you have been matched to a Surrogate. If an agency is asking you to pay a fee beforehand, that’s usually a big red flag.
As the largest surrogacy agency in the country, Intended Parents can also benefit from no wait time. Our priority is getting your process started as soon as possible. On average, we take only a week to match our Intended Parents with a Surrogate. So, if you’re in a hurry, it’s a good idea to look for an agency with low wait times.
The average cost of surrogacy can also be quite high, and many unprofessional agencies will attempt to scam you out of more money than you need to pay. Professional agencies, like ours (Physicians Surrogacy), offer absolute pricing to ensure you never pay beyond what is necessary. These pricing strategies make the surrogacy process more affordable and bring the average cost of surrogacy down considerably.
Here are six important questions you need to ask yourself before selecting the best surrogacy agency for you:
1. How does the agency choose Surrogates?
Most agencies work with Intended Parents and Surrogate Mothers in the U.S. that support surrogacy. Potential Surrogates undergo extensive screening, and with a large candidate pool, you stand a better chance of finding a woman whose personality traits match what you are looking for.
Following thorough screenings, that include background checks, interviews, and additional medical and health evaluations, only a small percentage of the applicants are typically accepted into a program.
2. What sort of legal services are provided?
The inconsistencies in surrogacy laws across the U.S. and overseas make professional legal counsel very important in order to ensure a successful journey.
Professional surrogacy agencies must be able to refer you to seasoned attorneys who are familiar with the laws, depending on where you reside. Some agencies, such as Physician’s Surrogacy will provide legal counsel for both the Surrogate and Intended Parents.
3. Do I feel like the surrogacy agency is transparent?
You need to feel confident in the communication with the surrogacy agency right from the first interaction, be it via a phone call or on their website. Proceed with caution if an agency appears to be hiding information about costs or processes.
To make the surrogacy process as transparent as it can get, you should work with an agency that’s honest about the services they offer and how the surrogacy process works, from the application stage to delivery of the baby.
4. Are the matching and screening processes clear?
You need to be sure you know what you are getting yourself into before committing to an agency.
Ensure that the distinction between your role and that of the agency is very clear. If you are worried about how the matching process works, look at a sample Surrogate’s profile so you’ll have an idea of what to expect before being matched.
5. What kind of support is provided for Intended Parents and Surrogates?
A lot of people don’t know the value of good emotional support for both the Surrogate Mothers and Intended Parents. One of the benefits of an agency is their vast knowledge and support emotionally and psychologically throughout the process and after the baby is born.
You should choose an agency that welcomes you and is ready to answer any questions you might have.
6. Do you have doctors on staff?
Surrogacy is a medical process, which is why we believe that you should have full medical support during your pregnancy. While other agencies are managed by previous Surrogates or past Intended Parents, we are an OB managed agency.
Former Surrogates and past Intended Parents may understand the emotional aspects of surrogacy. However, they often lack the clinical background and business skills to manage the complexities of a pregnancy process.
Other important questions that you need you to ask yourself
- Do they have a proven track record of providing comprehensive agency services?
- Do they employ rigorous and evidence-based pre-screening protocols (in-house physician review of records, preliminary lab testing prior to referral to IVF center)?
- What is their success rate and can you talk to past Surrogate Mothers of the agency?
- Based on the size of their program, how long will you have to wait for a potential match?
- Do their screening criteria meet or far exceed FDA standards?
- Are they following guidelines set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)?
- Are they accountable for all facets of the process?
- Does their program have physician management and oversight from selection to beyond delivery?
- Do they offer peer-to-peer physician communication: physician liaison to IVF clinic and OB providers?
Why Choose Physician’s Surrogacy
1. Accelerated Timeline
With the largest surrogacy program in North America and extensive resources, our Intended Parents enjoy little to no wait time. Our all-inclusive service model allows us to reduce the average time of an Intended Parent’s journey by 200% or more
2. Stringent Surrogate Screening and Selection
Our selection standards are much more stringent than the widely accepted FDA standards. Prior to our Intended Parents spending money on travel and medical screenings, we require a preliminary diagnostic screening to ensure physical readiness and commitment of the Surrogate.
The process also includes a medical records review by an OB physician, medical screening, psychological evaluation, and a background check. This eliminates drop-off rates and disappointment.
3. Physician Monitored Pregnancy
One of our experienced physicians will closely monitor the Surrogate and baby through reports and physician-to-physician interaction with their OB and IVF specialist. Detail reports will be sent to the parents who can communicate directly with our in-house physician.
4. Clear Legal Guidelines
All parties are represented by independent legal counsel, eliminating any conflicts of interest. The contract created will establish clear terms and guidelines for both the Surrogate and Intended Parents.
Our independent counsel will also assist in the Establishment of Parental Rights puts your name on the birth certificate.
5. Dedicated Personal Support
We understand that needs may differ for each party, which is why we provide both parties with 4 distinct support teams, who work together to ensure a successful outcome for all parties involved. Intended Parents enjoy multilingual support from their dedicated case manager.
The Surrogate enjoys support from a dedicated team that is responsible for constant communication and dedicated support. Our clinical team works directly with the IVF clinical coordinators to ensure adherence to protocols. Also, our team of psychologists monitors Surrogates to ensure continued emotional stability and healthy lifestyle.
Also at Physicians Surrogacy, we are transparent about surrogate mother costs and fees.
Conclusion
Considering the number of available options, selecting the “ideal” surrogacy agency is a matter of choosing the one that is best for you and your family. You would want to work with an agency that treats both the Intended Parents and Surrogate with respect and fairness. With our range of multilingual staff and absolute pricing, we guarantee an excellent surrogacy experience from finding a surrogate mother to good and reliable surrogate mother costs and fees.
If you’re interested in becoming a parent with Physicians Surrogacy, you can call us at (858) 345-3273 to book an appointment or visit us at physicianssurrogacy.com to know more about how to become a parent with our surrogacy agency.
