Many who faced infertility have looked to adoption; however, current difficulties in international adoption have many once again considering the option of surrogacy.

Gestational surrogacy, as opposed to traditional surrogacy in which the carrier has a genetic relationship to the child is usually preferred because the laws protecting the intended parents tend to be more solid.

Intended Parents personally provide or control the prenatal environment -- either through personally carrying the child created through egg donation, or through the assistance of a gestational carrier, everything is within your control. You experience the pregnancy from early on through childbirth. These experiences are not always an option through adoption.

International programs such as our Guatemala Program, offers those who previously could not afford the costs associated with surrogacy the opportunity to consider surrogacy for a fraction of the costs associated with domestic surrogacy in the U.S. See our Guatemalan frequently asked questions and surrogacy process section for more information.

What is the difference between traditional and gestational surrogacy?
A Gestational Surrogate has no genetic link to the child/ren she is carrying; rather, the egg is provided either by the Intended Mother or an Egg Donor. A Traditional Surrogate is genetically related to the child she is carrying; she is both the Egg Donor and the Surrogate. The Traditional Surrogate is inseminated with the Father's or Donor's sperm monthly at ovulation until pregnancy occurs.

Do you work with all intended parents, whether single or married?
Advocates for Surrogacy does not discriminate on the basis of medical need, household situation or personal lifestyle choices. The desire to parent a child is an innate desire in most of us.

We have found or believe that we can find a surrogate mother. Do we still need Advocates for Surrogacy?
Yes, it is often critical to the successful and smooth outcome of the process that you have a team of professionals including attorneys and psychologists who can guide you through the legal and emotional process as follows:

1. Surrogacy relationships are governed by the laws of each state of the parties involved. These laws are either non-existent or differ from one state to another. Some states do not allow surrogacy; some states are silent and once must rely, to the extent they exist, on court decisions. Some states will allow intended parents to be on the child’s birth certificate, others do not thereby requiring adoption proceedings. You need to have a partner assisting you in these complex legal issues throughout the process. We help you understand the many options you should explore with your surrogate. We help provide you and the surrogate peace of mind knowing your contract is in place and is enforceable. We will assist you and your surrogate during the transition after the birth of your child.
   
   
2. An arrangement as potentially costly (emotionally and financially) as surrogacy requires comprehensive screening and counseling, We coordinate all the testing required - medical, background checks and psychological evaluations. AFS has developed one of the most comprehensive evaluation, screening, and counseling programs in this industry. Our program is designed to allow us to understand the motivations and expectations of our Intended Parents, evaluate the capacity of surrogacy candidates, and then provide both parties with professional counseling throughout the process that is designed specifically for the needs of the parties.
   
   
3. AFS provides mediation services between Intended Parents and Surrogates. Through mediated negotiations, AFS creates legal documents which adequately and properly reflect the position of all parties to the transaction. AFS ensures that financial and business details are handled professionally and thoroughly so Intended Parents and Surrogates can concentrate on their relationship and the journey to parenthood.
   
   
4. AFS coordinates medical treatment before and during pregnancy, and for delivery;

How do you evaluate a potential surrogate?

1. Initial applicants are interviewed and if they meet our criteria, they are asked to complete an in-depth application and questionnaire including medical, social, psychological, history. The surrogate’s application is then further screened to ensure that basic requirements of our surrogate profiles are met (e.g., surrogate has given birth to children previously; she is between the ages of 21 and 39, she does not indicate medical or psychological history that would disqualify her from our program). Advocates for Surrogacy also conduct a criminal and child abuse history background check on the surrogate and her spouse.
   
   
2. Once accepted into our program, the Surrogate profile is provided to our Intended Parents.
   
   
3. Advocates for Surrogacy will arrange and facilitate a telephonic introduction should Intended Parents request.
   
   
4. Upon initial acceptance by an Intended Parent(s), a surrogate provides recent medical reports for review by the Intended Parent(s)’ chosen fertility clinic.
   
   
5. Upon clearance by the Intended Parent(s)’ chosen fertility clinic, Advocates for Surrogacy will proceed with psychological screening using a 2 pronged approach:
   
   
• Surrogate will be required to complete a psychological test (MMPI or PAI) which will be reviewed by our licensed psychologist.
  
  
• Upon review of the results of the psychological, barring any disqualifying issues, the surrogate and her spouse will be brought to our offices in Miami where she will undergo psychological assessment (PAI) and clinical interview by our licensed psychologist for final clearance.

How will I be matched to a surrogate mother?
Our surrogate mothers complete a very detailed profile providing comprehensive personal information. The surrogate mother is asked her views on a multitude of issues surrounding surrogacy. Intended Parents also complete an application that explores, in depth, the many facets of surrogacy, choices, preferences, and medical considerations. Based on the information in your profile, your views and our consultations with you, we review the profiles of surrogate mothers to make sure that both parties agree on various issues. Once we determine that there is a potential match, we send you the surrogate mother's profile as well as a photograph of her for you to review. Identifying information is not revealed initially. After the selection of a surrogate, identifying information is provided. Depending on your location and the surrogate mother's location, we set up a telephone consultation so that you may speak with the surrogate mother. The surrogate and her spouse are flown to our offices in Miami where the surrogate undergoes a psychological assessment by our Director of Psychological Care which includes evaluation of the results of a PAI and a clinical interview.

How long does it take to be matched?
If you have no specific requirements a match can be made between one to eight weeks. If you are looking for a surrogate mother of a specific ethnicity or in a particular geographic location it can take a little longer.

What type of support and counseling do you provide a surrogate before, during and after the process?
Advocates for Surrogacy has developed one of the most comprehensive screening, evaluations, and counseling programs in the industry. We follow the guidelines set forth by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Our Director of Psychological Care who holds a PhD in psychology counsels the surrogate and her partner and explores the following issues:

• Managing the relationship with the intended parent(s)
• Coping with attachment issues to the fetus
• Impact of a gestational surrogacy arrangement on her children and her relationships with her partner, friends and employers

Both surrogates and Intended Parent(s)’ receive individual psychological support and counseling during this process. Most surrogacy agencies either doesn’t specifically include such services, they provide only group counseling for surrogates, and usually don’t include psychological care for Intended Parents. Further, most programs that provide some level of counseling for surrogates don’t have licensed psychologists providing the services; many have social workers or untrained and unlicensed staff providing the services handling what is perhaps one of the most critical aspects of a surrogacy arrangements.

Further, for Intended Parents who have insurance coverage, we are able to bill the Intended Parent(s) psychological services portion to the insurance carrier for reimbursement.

Special intervention counseling is also available if the need arises.

What kind of support do you provide Intended Parents during the surrogacy process?
The process of surrogacy is emotionally challenging. Our team of experienced professionals will guide you every step of the way. We offer both Intended Parents and surrogates professional private counseling before, during, and after the process by our licensed psychologist.

Further, for Intended Parents who have insurance coverage, we are able to bill the Intended Parent(s) psychological services portion to the insurance carrier for reimbursement.

What if surrogacy is not legal in my state?
Some states do not allow surrogacy; others are silent and some have legislated surrogacy. If you live in a state where surrogacy is not permitted, that does not mean that you cannot engage in a surrogate relationship outside your state. It does not matter where you the intended parent resides. As long surrogacy is legal in your surrogate mother's state, the state where your baby will be born, there are no issues. We review the legal situation in your state of residence and provide advice and guidance that ensures safe and legal completion of your surrogacy and parentage rights.

What happens if the surrogate does not get pregnant or there is a miscarriage?
The number of times that the surrogate is willing to try for a pregnancy and birth is part of the negotiated terms in the contract. It is important to remember that as passionately as the intended parents want a child, the gestational surrogate is hopeful of fulfilling that dream for them.

If you have gone through the agreed-upon amount of transfers with your Surrogate, and she does not get pregnant (and you decide you would like to try again with someone else) we will match you with another Surrogate and no additional agency fees shall be assessed. We will continue to match you until as long as you are willing to try again, until your surrogate finally does become pregnant. Although reproductive medicine is not an exact science, we at Advocates for Surrogacy are committed to helping you become parents.

Where does the surrogate mother give birth?
The surrogate mother will deliver your baby at a hospital that is local to her. Typically the hospital and obstetrician she chooses are the same as they were for her own children; however these are the issues that are discussed during the matching phase of the process.

Will our names be put on the birth certificate?
Some states allow a pre-birth order to be issued by the courts which instructs the hospital to put the intended parent's names on the birth certificate. The attorney, acting on behalf of the intended parents, usually starts the work for the pre-birth order in the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy so that the order is granted before the birth of your baby. In other surrogacy friendly states, with the help of your attorney, the birth certificate is re-issued in your names shortly after the birth of your baby. In other situations, adoption procedures are required. Our President, an attorney, will review this matter with you during her initial consultations with you and with your legal counsel.

What are the costs associated with gestational surrogacy?
You should expect to pay between $100,000-$130,000 for a domestic surrogacy situation and approximately $42,000 for our Guatemalan program. Contact us for further information regarding fees involved.

Do I have to pay all the fees all at once?
No, you do not. Agency Fees occur at the time of service until the signing of the contract between you and your gestational surrogate mother. After the contract has been signed you will deposit funds into an escrow account. These funds will cover the monies required for the pregnancy and include the surrogate mother's fees.

How is the surrogate mother paid during the pregnancy?
Once the gestational surrogacy agreement has been signed by the Intended Parents and Surrogate and her husband, the Intended Parents will deposit funds into an escrow account. The surrogate mother will be paid from these funds according to the terms of signed gestational surrogacy agreement.

We will open an Escrow account for the Surrogate mother and payment will begin in accordance with the contract, usually on the First of each month following confirmation of pregnancy by the 14 day blood test and heartbeat detection. We will manage this account accordingly and give you quarterly statements of its activity.

If we need an egg donor, can you provide that service?
Yes, we have an excellent egg donor program in which our egg donors are medically and psychologically screened, have police background checks, and answer extensive questionnaires about their personal history and personal and family medical history. We coordinate synchronization between the surrogate, egg donor and fertility clinic(s).

If we choose a donor with another program, can we still work with your surrogacy program?
Yes, absolutely.

Do you work with international clients?
Yes we do!

Can I work with my own fertility center for the medical treatment of our chosen surrogate mother?
Yes, as long as your fertility center operates in a surrogacy friendly state then there are no issues. If your fertility center is not in surrogacy friendly state we can refer you to a reputable fertility center in your surrogate mother's state.

Who takes custody of the child if both of us die during the pregnancy?
Determining guardianship in the event of your death is part of the advisory process and we ensure provisions are included agreement between you and your surrogate mother.

How do we know we can trust a surrogate mother to carry our child?
Our surrogate mothers go through an extensive evaluation process. We conduct reference checks and make sure that the surrogate mother has support around her from her family and friends. In addition, once the surrogate mother is selected by you she undergoes a detailed psychological evaluation by a licensed psychologist to determine, among other things, that she is ready for and can handle going through surrogacy.

How much contact can we have with our chosen surrogate mother?
When you complete your profile you tell us how much contact you want to have before, during and after the pregnancy. We will match you with a surrogate mother who wants the same contact as you do.

The level of interaction between the Surrogate and Intended Parents is a personal preference between the parties. You will need to decide how much interaction you are comfortable with, and also consider how much interaction the other parties to the Surrogacy expect. Some Intended Parents like high levels of interaction; i.e., regular updates via e-mail and/or phone, and the expectation to attend as many of the doctor appointments as possible. It is highly important to some Intended Parents to be "included" in the pregnancy. Similarly, some Surrogates also desire a close relationship with their IP/s and may be disappointed if the Intended Parent/s did not maintain regular contact with them throughout the pregnancy and beyond. Many Surrogates and Intended Parent/s hope to have a life-long friendship even after the birth, and some correspond throughout the life of the child. A percentage of Intended Parents and Surrogates commit to a fairly low level of contact such as occasional updates and phone calls - but do not necessarily want a close relationship. This type of Surrogacy is more of a "business arrangement." Some IP/s may not be able to (or may choose not to) attend doctor appointments and may not see the Surrogate very often (or at all) throughout the pregnancy. A lot of Surrogates may also prefer this type of relationship because they may already have their hands full in their own lives, and may not desire an overly close relationship with their Surrogates. Before entering into contract together, it is important that the IP/s and Surrogate discuss what would be a desirable level of contact between the parties throughout the pregnancy and beyond.

What is your application process?
Our application process starts with a telephone consultation with our Executive Director, an attorney. Depending on your location you can follow up with visits to our office or additional telephone consultations. You complete our application and we will complete background checks. She will review the process, legal considerations and provide a detailed questionnaire.

Once you are accepted into our program the Agreement for Surrogacy Services is finalized, we will begin the matching process.

• Intended fathers whose sperm will be utilized to create their child or whose wife will carry their pregnancy must take an HIV, CMV, and Hepatitis B and C blood tests, undergo STD screens and a semen analysis, and will provide a health history to the agency and the treating physician.
  
  
• Intended mothers who will carry their pregnancy and only seek an egg donor will complete the same blood tests, as well as additional tests required by the treating physician. Intended mothers seeking a surrogate must take HIV, CMV, and Hepatitis B and C blood tests, and may expect to provide a health history to the treating physician for a gestational surrogacy. In some instances, treating physicians will require additional testing of intended parents, such as a chest x-ray or EKG.

Is there a fee for the initial consultation?
No, Advocates for Surrogacy does not charge a fee for our initial consultation. We encourage Intended Parents to come in to our office for an initial consultation to fully assess our company and what program is best suited for your personal situation. Once you are ready to begin, you will complete our application and pay our application fee of $350.