The Pros of Working with a Local Agency
Preparing to welcome a baby into the family is a magical experience! Preparing the nursery, picking out baby names, sharing news with loved ones, and countless other moments are something every parent should get to enjoy. For any expectant parent, the excitement and happiness of a pregnancy doesn’t come without its less-than-ideal moments. Add the nuances of navigating a surrogacy journey on your own, and the experience can be downright stressful!
A great way to think about a surrogacy agency is like a party planner. People have celebrations every day without the help of a planner, and things go well. Some intended parents and surrogates choose to embark on their journey without the help of an agency, which is completely okay and should be a decision they make based on what is best for everyone involved. Independent surrogacy journeys can work out well! However, having the help of a professional surrogacy agency can help ease anxiety and make things more relaxing for everyone.
Here are some pros of working with a local agency for a surrogacy journey:
1. They coordinate
Surrogacy journeys involve a lot of steps and a lot of people! Aside from the intended parents and the surrogate, other parties include fertility clinics, OB offices, mental health professionals, attorneys, insurance companies, escrow companies, and hospitals/delivery centers, to name a few. Ensuring that everyone is working together and is aware of the status of the journey can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Local agencies have people on the ground ready to track progress and ensure things are done that individuals might not otherwise think of. It could be easy for an independent match to forget a crucial step or miscalculate a deadline and get started on something later than they should, such as the pre-birth order (PBO) which is the legal document that establishes parentage.
2. Communication services
Along with coordination comes communication. Having one centralized entity tracking everything and updating everyone can help mitigate issues along the way. Sometimes, communication can break down, but agencies have processes to ensure that everyone is notified as progress is made. Case managers regularly check in with surrogates and intended parents to ask how things are going. They offer help and lend a listening ear when needed. They provide support when it comes to upcoming appointments or procedures, general questions about what to expect or how to handle unexpected hurdles. Many case managers with local agencies are experienced surrogates, some of which have done independent journeys, and can provide insight for surrogates and intended parents alike.
3. Thoughtful matching and screening
When intended parents and surrogates choose to go independent, they sometimes know each other, thus eliminating the need for matching services. While it’s great for those who already have someone in their life willing to do something this amazing together, it can sometimes strain relationships. Everyone may have good intentions with an independent match, sometimes surprises or disagreements along the way can unexpectedly cause issues that can be stressful. Local agencies do background checks on everyone and help match intended parents and gestational carriers based on their similarities and viewpoints on various factors. An experienced agency can foresee potential points of contention and bring them up early in the matching process to make sure everyone has discussed the major factors and is ready to embark on the journey together.
4. You can feel how much they care
Local agencies are great at making the surrogates and intended parents feel cared for and taken care of. They can provide exceptional service because of their familiarity with the area and knowledge of nearby resources. There have been situations when surrogacy agencies have shown up in a pinch or helped figure out a nearby location where the surrogate may need unexpected services. Some local agencies contract with a social worker who can provide regular mental health check-ins to ensure that surrogates and intended parents have access to the support they need.
5. They think of every detail!
Perhaps one of the most fun things about a local agency is that they remember everything and sometimes send cute little gifts throughout the journey. They recognize milestones, such as the match, medication start date, embryo transfer, beginning of each trimester, and of course the birth. Some agencies even send birthday cards to you and your immediate family. Attention to these details makes surrogates and intended parents feel special and valued.
Each set of intended parents should analyze their needs and research the surrogacy process when making the decision whether to go through an agency or to go solo as they grow their family. While surrogacy journeys are unique to each match and can be done independently, local agencies provide a level of service that is unmatched!