What questions should I ask a surrogacy agency that I am considering hiring?
When you’re starting your surrogacy process, the first thing you have to do is choose a surrogacy professional to help you complete the process. If you know you want a professional to guide you through every step of your surrogacy, you’re probably interested in a full- service surrogacy agency. When deciding to work with an agency, you should have a list of questions to ask the surrogacy professional ready. That way, you’ll know whether or not that Surrogacy Agency is the right fit for you.
Here are the tops questions I would ask an agency you’re considering to work with:
What requirements does your agency have for surrogates and intended parents when applying?
Both surrogates and intended parents must meet a number of requirements per agency and these requirements will change slightly from one agency to the next.
There are also often state-mandated requirements that an individual may need to meet in addition to the agency and/or fertility clinic requirements. A good agency should be able to walk you through all of this and discuss whether or not you’re a good candidate for the program based on your individual situation. An agency should emphasize the importance of those requirements and why they exist, primarily to keep everyone safe.
How do you ensure that potential surrogacy matches have the best interest for all parties in mind?
Ask what is the agency’s screening process like for prospective surrogates and intended parents? One step to the matching screening process consist of multiple questions that sort people into groups based on the answers, these questions would be your deal breakers on a blind date. Some examples of these questions may include but are limited too: How do you feel regarding termination? How do you feel about traveling for medical appointments? What is your preference regarding being in the room during delivery? What type of contact would you prefer with your surrogate/intended parents during and after pregnancy?
Another question to ask the surrogacy agency is how they work to minimize the physical, legal, financial and emotional risks of surrogacy for you and your partner. If an agency ever says there are no risks, or to not worry about it, that’s a bad sign. A good agency should be able to talk to you about how they work to reduce risks and what their thorough screening practices include.
Surrogacy can be a legally and emotionally complicated process, so the top agencies make sure to fully screen all prospective intended parents and surrogates to make sure they’re ready for the challenges of the surrogacy process.
What services do you provide to surrogates and intended parents?
Agencies, like most professionals, will provide different services. A good agency should be able to at least provide:
- Screening services
- Matching services
- Counseling services
- Coordination of information and services between fertility clinics and surrogacy attorneys to make sure the process is completed correctly.
- And more …
Does the agency provide services before, during and after the process, or just during the time in which they’re being paid? The services an agency provides and the compassion and thoroughness behind those services, will say a lot about a surrogacy professional.
Whether you’re an intended parent or a surrogate, ask about the services that this agency provides for your future surrogacy partner, as well. It’s important to know that everyone is taken care of in this process – physically, legally, emotionally and financially.
What kind of emotional support do you have available? Does your support continue after the birth?
Counseling and support isn’t just important if something goes wrong; it’s important for all surrogates and intended parents before they even begin their surrogacy journey. A good agency will provide counseling to both parties during the screening process. The specialist will talk to everyone about the potential risks and what to do if they occur. This will provide all parties to feel 100 percent prepared for the journey ahead. Also, a good agency will provide emotional support for all parties throughout the surrogacy pregnancy and beyond.
What happens if something unexpected happens?
Embryo transfer failures, medical complications, issues within the relationship and more – like any pregnancy, sometimes something unexpected will happen in your surrogacy journey. Ask the agency how does their agency plan to protect you in the event of these unexpected circumstances? A good agency will know that surprises in surrogacy are rare but that the best way to handle them is to be prepared to protect everyone involved in advance – just in case.
How does your agency provide protection during the legal portion of the process?
Even though the legal steps won’t be the responsibility of the agency, your agency should still have a thorough understanding of the laws you’ll need to meet. Also, they should be able to confidently explain to you how they’ll coordinate the process with you and your attorneys. Your agency should also recommend that intended parents and surrogates work with separate attorneys to ensure fair and equal representation of both parties.
Can you break down the agency’s costs and compensations?
Ask them to get detailed about finances. This will likely help answer a lot of surrogacy interview questions you have.
Intended parents: A good agency should be able to explain exactly where your money is going. They may not be able to give you an exact dollar amount (surrogacy has a lot of variable factors) but they should be able to provide an outline for everything involved, so there are no surprises.
Surrogate: A good agency should be able to provide a detailed compensation outline, including how and when you would be paid. During this conversation make sure to discuss what escrow account they recommend and how that works.
How many staff members do you have and how available will they be for us?
Knowing if the agency has plenty of staff to handle your case is important. If current staff is overwhelmed then you will not be ensuring enough attention to everyone. What’s the agency after hour policy? What happens if a surrogate goes into labor suddenly at 2 a.m.? How frequently will the agency be in touch with updates for you throughout the process? A good agency should emphasize its availability to personally help you and your surrogate partner.
A few additional questions that may also be important to you could be:
- How long have you’ve been in business?
- Which states do you work in?
- On average, how long does the surrogacy process take with your agency?
Make sure to pay attention to how the surrogacy professional responds to these surrogacy interview questions. Do they seem prepared for the “what if” situations, or do they struggle to come up with an appropriate response? The more transparent and honest an agency is with you about all matters the better.