When considering your surrogacy options, you’ll be faced with two main paths of moving forward: taking the independent path, or working with a surrogacy agency. Although both paths have the ability to get you to your ideal outcome, you’ll of course want to choose the journey that fits your unique needs the best! 

At a high level, it’s pretty simple. Coming into the unknown and life-changing process of working with a surrogate, you’ll likely feel one of two ways right away. 

You might feel a bit overwhelmed and realize that you want a lot of hand-holding throughout the entire process. This might make agency surrogacy a great fit for you. In this scenario, you’ll be working with seasoned experts along the way that can help you manage any obstacle that might pop up.

It’s also possible that you think that working with a network of professionals at an agency is more guidance than you’re looking for. You might have strong opinions about agencies, or specific professionals you already know you want to work with. In this case, independent surrogacy might be the better option for you. It really just depends of how knowledgeable and comfortable you are with the surrogacy process.

 Keep reading to learn more about both surrogacy options available, and how to decide which path will be best for your needs.

What is an Independent Surrogacy Journey?

Considering handling the surrogacy process on your own? The agency surrogacy path is not for everyone, and that’s where some Intended Parents might start looking into a more independent path. Here’s what you’ll need to know.

Intended Parents who are considering independent surrogacy are often feeling more comfortable with the process, or may just want to control more of the details involved. They often already have a surrogate in mind, or clinics and lawyers they want to work with. In this scenario, you will be coordinating everything from finding your own fertility lawyer, IVF clinic, gestational carrier, etc, and managing all the communication and paperwork involved. 

Pros of Independent Surrogacy

So what’s the benefit of pursuing surrogacy without an agency when you have to do all the work? Well, you’ll be saving thousands of dollars at the end of the day.

Working with a surrogacy agency is expensive, and many Intended Parents will opt in favor of piecing together the process in a more a personalized and affordable way. Saving money in this department will give Intended Parents more wiggle room later when there are more baby related expenses as well.

Cons of Independent Surrogacy

Taking the independent route is not without its own obstacles, however. When you're organizing so many details while also extremely emotionally invested in the outcome, things can easily go sideways. It is incredibly time consuming to manage the journey independently. Families providing their own surrogate may not have done their due diligence in making sure that every last detail lines up before starting the process. Legal conversations can be misinterpreted or skipped over entirely. These small missteps will inevitably lead to disappointment and big problems later down the line.

What is an Agency-Assisted Surrogacy Journey?

Wanting to experience the full guided experience? Working with an agency could be for you! A surrogacy agency will handle every detail of your journey, including helping you match and connect with a surrogate. 

For Intended Parents with no clue where to start, no network of professionals on their side, and those who have a little more disposable income, working with an agency can reduce a lot of stress and make for a much more pleasant surrogacy experience overall. For more information on how to choose a surrogacy agency, read this post next!

Pros of an Agency-Assisted Surrogacy Journey

One of the most valuable services that an agency can provide to Intended Parents is the process of connecting them with a surrogate. In this scenario, you can be assured that the matching process will be extremely thorough.

Any surrogate you meet with will have already gone through background checks, mental health evaluations, financial review, and many other screenings to ensure a perfect fit. Agencies will also provide you with access to their network of trusted professionals, including, but not limited to legal advisors, insurance experts, clinics and doctors, and more. Before committing to an an agency, ask them what type of professionals they can connect you with so you can make sure they can provide the assistance you need.

Cons of an Agency-Assisted Surrogacy Journey

Despite the many benefits of working with a surrogacy agency, the fact is that having that kind of guidance and access is extremely expensive. However, before writing off the option, do your research. Surrogacy agencies vary greatly on their fees, and you might be able to even do some of the work on your own before starting with them in order to lower the fee. For example, some agencies will charge thousands of dollars less if they don't have to help you find a surrogate.

Choosing a Surrogacy Path

While there are a few important factors to consider when making the decision between going independent or using an agency, every Intended Parents journey is unique. No one can tell you which path is best for you except for you. Finances will likely play a huge factor in your decision as well, so make sure to do your research and have a clear vision of your goals before jumping in.

At Surrogacy Simplified, no matter which path you choose, we are here to help guide you through the process. We have extensive experience walking Intended Parents through both agency and independent journeys successfully, and would love to connect with you to learn more about where you are in the process, and how we can help.

Reserve your free 30 minute consultation call here to get started.