What Does a Surrogacy Agency  Do? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

When people first start researching surrogacy, they often wonder whether working with an agency is really necessary — or whether it’s just an expensive middle layer they could skip. The honest answer is that some people do navigate surrogacy independently, and for those with extensive time and knowledge gained through deep research, it’s possible. But for most intended parents and surrogates, an agency makes a substantial difference — not by doing things you couldn’t eventually figure out, but by doing them thoroughly, in the right order, without the shortcuts that tend to create problems down the road.

Think of a good agency as a project manager, advocate, legal coordinator, emotional support system, and risk manager, all rolled into one. Here’s what that actually looks like in practice.

Finding and Screening Your Surrogate

This is the most obvious function — and the most underestimated one. An agency doesn’t just post a listing and wait. It actively recruits, interviews, and deeply screens surrogate candidates through medical history review, psychological evaluation (including the MMPI, a standardized psychological assessment), criminal background checks, and home assessments. The goal is to present you with candidates who are emotionally ready, financially stable, medically suitable, and genuinely committed — not just willing.

At Advocates for Surrogacy, we interview every candidate personally before they enter our program. We review their insurance, verify their financial stability, and assess their support system at home. The screening process we do before a match is designed to surface potential concerns early — before they have a chance to affect your journey.

Managing the Matching Process

Matching is not about putting the next available surrogate with the next available intended parent. It’s a careful process of aligning values, expectations, communication styles, and preferences on sensitive issues like selective reduction, contact during pregnancy, and the relationship after birth. The matching conversations are one of the most important things an agency facilitates — and one of the easiest things to do badly when it’s rushed.

Coordinating Legal Protections

Surrogacy law is state-specific and genuinely complex. A surrogacy contract covers compensation, decision-making authority during the pregnancy, travel, bed rest, multiples, selective reduction, termination, and the legal establishment of parental rights — all before a single medical step begins. Your agency ensures that both parties have independent legal representation, that the contract is negotiated properly, and that no medical steps begin before legal protections are in place.

Managing Escrow and Finances

Every dollar of the surrogate’s compensation flows through an independent escrow account — not through the agency. Advocates for Surrogacy requires that funds be held by a third-party escrow company with no affiliation to us. This protects both the surrogate (ensuring she’ll be paid) and the intended parents (ensuring funds are disbursed correctly per the contract). Expense reimbursements are also handled proactively — surrogates receive funds before expenses, not after, so they’re never out of pocket.

Supporting Both Sides Through the Unexpected

A surrogacy journey rarely goes exactly as planned. Failed transfers, medical complications, mismatches between parties, and emotional challenges can all arise. The agency’s job in those moments is to stay present — providing guidance, mediating communication, and helping everyone find a path forward. Our president Candace O’Brien has navigated nearly two decades of these situations. That experience is what you’re really drawing on when you work with an agency that has been through it before.

If you’re just starting to explore whether surrogacy is right for you, start with Surrogacy vs. Adoption vs. IVF.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

Advocates for Surrogacy offers an extended, no-obligation consultation period. Call us at 305-358-2450, email info@advocatesforsurrogacy.com, or contact us online.