Choosing a surrogacy agency: Helpful guidance for potential surrogates

1. Agency reliability criteria
2. Surrogate mother compensation
3.  Legal security, insurance

Feskov Human Reproduction Group doesn't take agency fees, however, it employs professional managers, consultants, psychologists. It also provides access to databases of verified surrogate mothers and donors of all phenotypes. In addition, our programs are guaranteed - we cover all risks and ensure a successful result - the birth of a child.

Agency reliability criteria

Before contacting this or that agency, you need to check its official and unofficial data:

• availability of the necessary documents and certificates for consulting and intermediary activities (in the case of a clinic - medical);
• number of years in this business, experience;
•  position in the reproductive industry;
•  reviews of people who applied;
•  a wide range of services provided - legal, consulting, psychological, etc.;
•  databases of verified surrogate mothers and donors;
•  international offices;
•  partnership with serious centers for reproduction.

In addition, there will be an undeniable advantage for both the agency and the clinic, cooperation and regular participation in the events of the American Association for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the American Bar Association, the European Association for Human Reproduction (ESHRE) and other thematic organizations. By the way, the founder and director of the Feskov Human Reproduction Group is a doctor of medical sciences and a member of ESHRE.

Surrogate mother compensation

Despite the final reward and the efforts of the agency's or clinic's specialists to make the surrogacy journey as comfortable as possible, it will not always be easy for the gestational carrier.

Top reasons to be a surrogate mother:

• pure altruism and a desire to help people - the main motive of the way;
• pleasant sensations from a pregnant state;
• a sense of the significance and nobility of their mission, the desire to be needed and be useful;
• financial reward - not a fundamental factor.

It is important that not only age, medical, legal, psychological and other requirements for the surrogate mother are met, but also full transparency of the procedure and, especially, understanding of what is happening is ensured.

But, for some surrogate pregnant women, the key factor in making a decision was precisely the money issue. This is compensation for the woman's time and efforts, as well as reimbursement of all expenses incurred. A distinction should be made between these two concepts, which can be compared in different organizations.

Reimbursement of expenses is compensation for expenses during the process of gestation and childbirth (food, vitamins, medicine, transport, clothing, etc.), and financial compensation is the amount of the fee that parents present to her after meeting with their baby and holding him in their arms.

Transparency involves separating these amounts for specific options. With regard to transparency, we can use special additional services for a more informed passage of the program. For example, talk personally with a donor of genetic material for IVF or a transfer of a pregnant woman to any clinic in the world for childbirth.    

 Legal security, insurance

During the transfer, the surrogate mother must have a trusted person from an independent legal office for additional security, whose services must be paid by the future parents.

Insurance is also not the responsibility of the surrogate mother or intended parents. The clinic or agency, as part of the program, must arrange for a pregnancy insurance policy that meets all of her needs. Who, apart from an expert in the field of health insurance and surrogacy, will be able to choose a policy that covers all risks as much as possible? Moreover, insurance plans change every year, ordinary people may not know all the specificities of the procedures.

Support

With a professional agency or clinic, a surrogate pregnant will never be alone. Round-the-clock support of a personal consultant, as in our Center for Reproduction, will provide a woman with both psychological and physical support. This attentive person will be attuned to the individual needs of the pregnant woman with a response to an emerging question at any time of the day or night, not just during working hours.

At the same time, during the organization of the first meeting of the mother and future parents, the preferences and wishes of not only the couple, but also the surrogate mother are always taken into account. Because this long process should be as comfortable as possible for all participants in the process. In conclusion, it will not be superfluous to know if the surrogate mother received answers to the following questions:

1. Will her opinion be considered when choosing intended parents?
2. How are expenses reimbursed and what about the fees?
3. Does the amount of benefits increase in case of twin pregnancy or complications?
4. What is the compensation payment schedule?
5. To protect the pregnant woman, will her funds be kept in an independent deposit account?
6. Will a woman have the opportunity to seek help from a personal coordinator? Who will work with her?

The main thing is that the agency / clinic has experience in all aspects of the process and all the details are clearly defined and understandable. Finding a suitable organization is not difficult, you just need to be critical of the information you receive.

Feskov Human Reproduction Group has been helping childless couples find long-awaited parenthood for over 20 years!