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Surrogacy is one of the many ways to start a beautiful journey into parenthood. No matter the reason for your journey taking you onto the path of surrogacy, you deserve to know the best options available to you. Opening up your pregnancy to a third party can lead to many questions, such as where does one find a surrogate? How are surrogates vetted? What is the involvement of parents in the surrogate’s life? And even financial questions about what is paid for during the pregnancy by parents. Don’t worry, we have those answers for you and more when it comes to surrogacy in Phoenix, AZ.
There are a few ways to find a surrogate. One is looking for someone you personally know and feel comfortable with, who is willing to undergo not only a full pregnancy and birth, but an in-depth medical screening. The other way is to use a surrogate agency that has pre-screened surrogates through a long and detailed process. It’s important to find someone you’re extremely comfortable with, as this person will be carrying your child, often outside of your home and daily observation.
Using someone you personally know has its pros and cons. On the one hand, knowing someone that you explicitly trust and have a history with can be helpful to put you at ease, especially if a family member is willing to step in. However, it is still extremely important for a personal connection to be willing to undergo a medical, sexual and mental health screening before progressing. They should also be open to a criminal background check if you feel it’s necessary. You will also need to involve not only a fertility clinic, but surrogacy attorneys and potentially an agency to help figure out payment. This route can have less costs associated with it, mainly medical costs including appointments, scans, supplements, prescriptions and lost wages but it can also take a toll on your personal relationship. Be sure to evaluate if your relationship can handle the stress of surrogacy as well as if your general views of birth, pregnancy and involvement post surrogacy align before committing.
Using an agency to find a surrogate can also create a mixture of emotions. It is important to make sure you personally vet each clinic to see what their process is for hiring surrogates. Looking into reviews, reaching out to previous clients and even asking online forums about certain places is a way to ensure the clinic is legitimate and has your best interest at heart. Surrogate clinics should have options for you to choose from, all of which have had a background check, a detailed medical, drug and birth history available, a mental health assessment, in-home assessments and support staff available for them. They should also have a strict list of requirements that include but are not limited to, age, prior successful pregnancies, no felony convictions and more.
General baseline Cost without IVF or an egg donor can vary between locations and clinics but usually starts around $168,000. This is a rough breakdown of what expenses can look like for a surrogate agency. Each agency should provide you with their personalized breakdown of their expenses.
Surrogacy Expenses Include:
- Agency fees: Roughly $64,000
- Surrogate matching: $10,000
- Journey protection: $9,000 (refundable if a baby is not brought home)
- Surrogate screening and legal fees: $10,000
- Surrogate expenses: $68,000
- Insurance expenses: $22,000
Surrogacy Agencies in Phoenix, AZ:
- Family Tree Surrogacy Center
- Fertility Source Companies
- CCRM Fertility
- Newborn Advantage Surrogacy
- Circle Surrogacy
There are many different agencies and surrogates available, but the most important thing is that they share your values, you feel comfortable with them and they have a strategy that you feel will provide you the safest route to a healthy and happy pregnancy and baby.