How to Choose a Surrogacy Agency?

How to Choose a Surrogacy Agency: 7 Steps

The following steps form a complete evaluation framework. They can be applied to any provider — in Ukraine, the United States, or elsewhere — and correspond directly to the structured HowTo schema markup at the end of this page.

1. 1

   Clarify Your Own Starting Point

   Before evaluating any agency, document your situation completely. Do you have existing embryos? If so, what do you know about them — their grade, cultivation day, whether they have been genetically tested, and which test was used (PGD-A/NGS, PGT, or other)? Do you need an egg donor? What are your citizenship and marital status considerations?

   This matters because different agencies specialize in different program types. An agency with deep experience in frozen embryo transfers (FET) may have limited capacity with fresh donor cycles, or vice versa. Knowing your starting point prevents you from being sold a program that does not suit your actual needs.

   Action: Before your first agency call, write out your medical history, existing embryo status, country of citizenship, and family structure. Bring that document to every conversation.
2. 2

   Verify Legal Standing and Country-Specific Experience

   Surrogacy law varies significantly by country and, in the United States, by state. An agency may operate legally in one jurisdiction while being unable to support the exit process for your specific nationality. Ask directly: has this agency successfully completed a surrogacy journey for intended parents with your exact citizenship? What does the exit process look like after birth, and what is the agency's documented track record with embassy submissions?

   For international programs, the post-birth process — obtaining a birth certificate, parental order, and passport for your child — can be more legally complex than the surrogacy arrangement itself. Agencies without jurisdiction-specific experience may underestimate these risks.

   Action: Request case references specific to your citizenship. Ask whether any embassy submissions have been delayed or rejected, and what the resolution was.
3. 3

   Understand Exactly How Your Money Is Protected

   Financial transparency is one of the clearest indicators of agency integrity. Ask how payments are structured and what triggers each payment. Milestone-based payment schedules — where funds are released only when specific program stages are completed — offer significantly more protection than large upfront lump sums.

   Key questions to ask any agency:

   • Can any prices increase after I sign the contract?
   • What happens to my funds if the agency closes?
   • If a pregnancy is lost, do I restart payments from the beginning?
   • What surrogate-related expenses are included, and what are the exclusions?
   • Is there a guaranteed maximum on any amounts listed as "from $X"?
   • What forms of payment are accepted, and in which currencies?

   A trustworthy agency will answer each of these questions specifically and in writing — ideally within the contract itself, not just verbally.

   Action: Request a complete payment schedule before signing. Verify whether price caps are contractually guaranteed, not just promised.
4. 4

   Assess Surrogate Screening and Living Standards

   The welfare of the surrogate directly affects the health of your child and the stability of your program. Ask how surrogates are screened — medically, psychologically, and for lifestyle factors. Ask where they will live during pregnancy and whether they remain with their own families or are placed in communal housing.

   Additional questions worth asking:

   • Can a surrogate be relocated if safety or medical circumstances require it?
   • Where will she receive medical care — at a main accredited clinic or a local facility?
   • Is the surrogate ever separated from her children during the pregnancy?
   • How long does the matching process typically take?
   • What contact will you have with your surrogate — direct communication, video calls, photo updates?

   Surrogate wellbeing — emotional stability, access to proper medical care, and family support — tends to correlate with better pregnancy outcomes. An agency that treats its surrogates well is also one that manages risk responsibly.

   Action: Ask to see the surrogate screening checklist. If an agency cannot or will not share this, treat it as a meaningful concern.
5. 5

   Evaluate Communication Standards Before You Sign

   You will receive difficult news during a surrogacy journey. How an agency communicates that news — how quickly, through what channel, and with how much transparency — will directly affect your ability to cope and make informed decisions.

   Ask specifically:

   • How frequently will I receive updates — weekly, after every appointment?
   • What will updates include — written reports, photos, videos from appointments?
   • Will I have a single point of contact throughout the entire program?
   • What is the typical response time to questions or urgent concerns?

   Pay close attention during the inquiry process itself. Does the agency respond promptly to your messages? Do they answer your specific questions or redirect you to general information? The communication quality you experience before signing is the best available predictor of what you will receive after signing.

   Action: Send a detailed test question before committing — one that requires a specific, non-generic answer. Evaluate both the response time and the quality of the reply.
6. 6

   Check Credibility and Past Performance

   Independent verification of an agency's reputation is essential and should go beyond testimonials published on their own website. Search for reviews on third-party platforms such as Trustpilot and Google. Also search the agency's name alongside terms like "lawsuit," "investigation," and "complaint."

   Important credibility questions to ask directly:

   • Has the agency ever been subject to a government criminal investigation?
   • Have past clients filed private lawsuits?
   • Has the agency ever declared force majeure or failed to pay surrogates on time or in full?
   • Were any surrogates ever abandoned — due to war, financial difficulty, or any other reason?
   • Have there been any cases of biological connection failures — children not genetically connected to intended parents?
   • Where can I find independent, unfiltered reviews from past clients?

   These are not uncomfortable questions. They are standard due diligence. Any reputable agency should answer them directly and without hesitation.

   Action: Search the agency on Trustpilot, Google Reviews, and surrogacy community forums. Ask each of the above questions on your first substantive call.
7. 7

   Review the Contract Before Committing

   The surrogacy services agreement is the most important document in your journey. It should be written in a language you fully understand, governed by law you can realistically access, and contain no vague or open-ended cost items. Key things to verify before signing:

   • Is the contract in English or your native language?
   • Under which country's law is it governed, and how are disputes resolved?
   • Are all costs listed on a single, complete page with no "additional costs may apply" language?
   • Who owns and controls the agency — and are their financial interests aligned with your success?
   • If you are unhappy with a doctor, coordinator, or medical facility, can you request a change?

   Consider having the contract reviewed by an independent reproductive attorney in your home country before signing. This is particularly important for international programs, where the governing law may be unfamiliar to you.

   Action: Never sign a contract with open-ended cost language or disputes governed by a jurisdiction you cannot access. Ambiguity in a surrogacy contract tends to resolve in the agency's favor, not yours.