What is Happening at the Surrogacy Agency-Getting Your Application Approved

"What does it take to get a surrogacy application approved around here anyway"? It's amazing how many women put in applications, mostly filling it out online, and leave very important information out. It's almost a 'if they don't ask, don't tell' policy. I am focusing on the Gestational Surrogates today and I'm telling you that there is more then just filling out an application. To get a surrogate approved to the point of having her profile shown to Intended Parents, there are many steps that the agency needs to take. Below are the most common questions for applications that are filled out online. Case Manager (CM) reviews the application making sure that the applicant for a Gestational Surrogate (GS) at least meet the standard qualifications:

Is the GS in the right age range? (21-38 in most cases)

Does the GS have her own children and is she parenting them?

What is her height/weight ratio? If she is overweight will that be acceptable to the clinics that the agency/IPs work with? What about other health issues, past and present?

Is the GS currently breast feeding? Is she willing to stop if she is?

Is the GS on Medications?

Is she on medicaid or any other financial assistance?

Does she have clearance from her OB to become pregnant again?

 

And the list goes on. Needless to say if a candidate is qualified after the initial paperwork and phone call then a background check is next and then the home visit. A review of her insurance policy is important too and often takes a couple of phone calls to confirm if a surrogacy pregnancy would be covered or not.  Case managers put a lot of time and effort into making sure a potential surrogate can make it through the next two important hurdles, the psychological evaluation and the medical exam. By this time a surrogate most likely has had her profile shared with 2 or more sets of Intended Parents. (A profile has been made that includes her pregnancy history, photos and hobbies).

 

Some surrogate candidates have their applications at 2 or more agencies without the case managers even knowing that she is "shopping for IP's". Each agency is investing their time and money into each applicant that is accepted and truly putting the best interests of their surrogates first. Needless to say that it really isn't fair to be playing the field, so to speak, and it can be heartbreaking to Intended Parents who are counting on a match based on the agency's belief that their surrogate(s) are dedicated to them alone and then finding out later that wasn't the case.  

 

Everyone working in the field of Third Party Reproduction knows how sensitive and serious the issue of working with a surrogate is. In most cases she's a stranger to the IPs when they are matched via an agency. Honesty up front, is the best policy. As a woman who wants to become a surrogate, please consider all of the people and steps behind the scenes and all that it takes to get to the contract phase. The agency is here to work for YOUR best interests and they are only as good as the information you provide. 

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