About Surrogacy Agencies
Surrogacy agencies are in the business of connecting prospective parents unable to conceive a child--or carry a pregnancy to term--with women willing to carry the couple's child and give birth to it. Surrogacy agencies are known to screen both parents and also the surrogates ahead of time. This makes it a carefully orchestrated transaction that serves to minimize the risks and heartaches that could potentially come with a surrogacy arrangement.
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Considerations
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Surrogacy agencies screen the women who will potentially carry other couples' children. The minimum requirements any prospective surrogate mom must meet include having attained the age of 21 years, has prove that she does not rely on welfare for financial support, and that she has given birth and is currently parenting at least one child. Some agencies are very specific about the kinds of health issues they are willing to accept and those which automatically disqualify the candidate from surrogacy. Generally speaking, if the health issue is one that could lead to a genetic problem and if there is a chance that it might adversely affect the pregnancy, the health of the fetus, or the viability of the baby after birth, it also will disqualify the applicant. Many agencies even require a statement of health for the surrogate mom's own biological child. Some surrogacy agencies, such as Alternative Conceptions (a link is provided in the resources section), also stipulate that the potential surrogate mother cannot be using alcohol in any form, must not be using drugs, and also cannot be using nicotine.
Features
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Surrogacy agencies provide two distinct forms of surrogate experiences. One is referred to as the traditional surrogacy; the surrogate mother is artificially inseminated with the sperm of the intended father. Since she uses her own eggs, genetic testing is required. The other form of the surrogate experience is the gestational surrogacy. In this case, the eggs of the intended mother are harvested, fertilized, and implanted into the uterus of the surrogate mother. At times, this might involve the use of an egg donor.
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Warning
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Although not necessarily on the forefront of the prospective parents' minds, the names that will appear on the birth certificates can create some headaches and court battles later on. If you want to see your name on the baby's birth certificate, it is wise to opt for a gestational surrogacy arrangement and then petition the local family court to issue an order recognizing your parentage as the birth draws close. In the case of a traditional surrogacy, your name will not be on the birth certificate; instead, you will need to apply for an order granting a step parent or third-party adoption. Discussing this ahead of time with a surrogacy agency counselor is a good idea.
Benefits
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Prospective parents working with a surrogacy agency can reap the benefits of dealing only with screened surrogate mothers. This greatly cuts down on the potential for unpleasant interactions and awkward questions, as might be the case when would-be parents try to hire an independent surrogate mother. Prospective surrogate mothers know that their medical expenses will be taken care of, and that the promised remuneration is also covered. Moreover, should there be any complications or problems, the surrogacy agency has contracts in effect that cover virtually any eventuality.
Geography
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The Doc Shop website (a link is provided in the resources section) reports on a new trend that now sees American prospective parents contracting with surrogacy agencies in India rather than staying local. At the heart of this trend is the great reduction in price that this business venture offers. Whereas an American surrogacy agency may charge about $80,000---this covers the medical expenses of the surrogate, her remuneration, agency fees, screening fees, and sundry other charges---an Indian agency charges only about $10,000 or less. One agency that acts as an intermediary is Surrogacy India (a link is provided in the resources section).
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Resources
- Photo Credit Martin-D/Wikimedia Commons
