What Does a Surrogacy Agency Do?

Choosing a surrogacy agency is not simply choosing who will introduce you to a surrogate. A surrogacy agency coordinates the people, information, timelines, and practical details involved in a gestational surrogacy arrangement, helping intended parents and surrogates move through the surrogacy journey with clearer expectations and a more organized path to parenthood.

For intended parents, that may include understanding where they are in the fertility process, reviewing potential surrogate matches, preparing for expenses, communicating with professionals, and planning for pregnancy and birth as part of a larger family-building process. For surrogates, agency support may include application review, screening coordination, match conversations, appointment logistics, compensation and reimbursement guidance, and regular communication throughout the pregnancy.

The agency does not replace a fertility clinic or attorney. Its role is to connect the work taking place across those separate areas so intended parents and surrogates know what is happening, what still needs to be completed, and who is responsible for each part. That matters because gestational surrogacy involves multiple independent professionals and time-sensitive steps, and this article explains how an agency supports both sides, coordinates medical and legal timing, clarifies costs, facilitates communication during pregnancy, prepares for birth, and defines what an agency does and does not do for anyone trying to understand this path to parenthood.

Why Does the Role of a Surrogacy Agency Matter?

Gestational surrogacy involves several independent professionals, and a surrogacy agency helps coordinate them as part of a guided path to parenthood and the broader family building journey. Intended parents and surrogates may work with:

• A fertility clinic
• Separate attorneys
• A mental health professional
• An insurance specialist
• An escrow provider
• An obstetrician
• A hospital team
• Egg or sperm donor professionals when needed

Each professional handles a different part of the process. The fertility clinic manages medical treatment. Attorneys provide independent legal advice. Insurance and escrow professionals address coverage and financial administration so intended parents can move toward parenthood with fewer avoidable delays.

The surrogacy agency helps coordinate the information and timing between them, often through case management, and may also provide emotional support so people feel confident getting their questions answered by a surrogacy expert with experience supporting families.

Without consistent coordination, it can be difficult to know whether records have arrived, screening has been completed, contracts have been signed, insurance questions have been resolved, or everyone has the same expectations about communication and pregnancy updates throughout the journey.

The agency is not there to make every decision. It is there to help keep the process organized while intended parents, surrogates, and their professional teams make the decisions that belong to them.

What Does a Surrogacy Agency Do for Intended Parents?

Intended parents come to a gestational surrogacy agency at different stages of the family building journey.

Some already have embryos in storage. Others are working with a fertility clinic but have not created embryos. Some need donor eggs or sperm. Others are still learning how gestational surrogacy works, whether a particular agency fits their needs, and what the surrogacy journey may involve before they can welcome a child.

An agency should take the time to understand what has already happened before recommending what comes next, using case management to connect the clinic, screening providers, attorneys, insurance, and escrow while also offering emotional support and helping clients get questions answered so they feel confident moving forward.

Agencies typically work closely with reproductive law attorneys to help keep the process aligned with local laws.

An experienced surrogacy expert or team may guide the process without making decisions for the parties.

Review the Intended Parents’ Current Plans

An initial consultation may cover:

• Fertility treatment history
• Embryo status
• Egg or sperm donor needs
• Medical recommendations
• Intended-parent location
• Preferred timing
• Surrogate preferences
• Communication expectations
• Financial planning
• Travel or translation needs

This conversation helps the agency understand which parts of the family-building journey are already underway and which still require preparation. It may also help intended parents explore surrogacy, clarify whether they plan to pursue surrogacy now or later, discuss coordination with IVF clinics, and identify whether embryo creation, egg donation, or selecting an egg donor will be part of next steps.

Intended parents do not need to arrive with every decision made. They should, however, leave the conversation with a better understanding of what the agency handles and which questions and recommendations support their goal of having a child and still need to be discussed with their clinic or attorney.

Recruit and Review Surrogate Applicants

Surrogacy agencies often recruit prospective gestational surrogates and review their initial eligibility while helping people explore surrogacy before they fully pursue it.

A preliminary review may include pregnancy history, delivery records, age, general health, BMI, lifestyle factors, location, support at home, transportation, willingness to complete further screening, and any egg donor or other donor needs that affect planning.

This first review is not the same as final medical clearance. A fertility clinic or IVF clinics will still need to conduct their own evaluation before an embryo transfer, and some intended parents still need embryo creation planning before matching can move forward. Strong surrogate screening standards may also involve input from experienced surrogates or former surrogates on the agency team, and agencies may discuss past success rates to show how carefully they assess candidates and support success.

The agency should explain which screening steps have already been completed and which remain outstanding when an intended parent reviews a surrogate profile, including what the agency handles versus what IVF clinics or attorneys handle.

Coordinate the Surrogate Matching Process

Matching is not simply selecting someone from a database.

Before any profiles are shown, the agency handles surrogate screening and learns about the intended parents and each gestational carrier before recommending an introduction. Qualifications are necessary, but the people involved also need to discuss expectations around:

• Frequency and type of communication
• Contact during appointments
• Pregnancy updates
• Travel
• Desired relationship during and after pregnancy
• Privacy
• Birth planning
• Medical decision discussions
• Prenatal testing
• General availability and scheduling

This preliminary review is also where matching matters, because the goal is the right match rather than the fastest one. Some agencies highlight how selective they are, such as Growing Generations accepting only the top 2% of surrogate applicants.

The agency facilitates the introduction, helps both parties ask practical questions, and gives each side room to decide whether they feel comfortable continuing. Some agencies also note that experienced surrogates or former surrogates on staff help inform this review.

A potential surrogate is not assigned to intended parents. Both the surrogate and intended parents must agree to the match. For many intended parents, that focus on fit is what helps the process feel personal instead of transactional. Some agencies report how often intended parents move forward with their first surrogate or describe the outcome as finding a perfect match. Some agencies also share screening benchmarks, such as Circle Surrogacy saying 94% of its surrogates pass their first medical screening.

Keep Medical and Legal Timing Organized

Once both parties feel the fit is right, the case generally proceeds through additional medical and legal review.

The agency may coordinate:

• Medical-record collection
• Fertility clinic screening
• Psychological evaluation
• Insurance review
• Attorney introductions
• Contract timing
• Escrow preparation
• Communication between the parties
• Confirmation that required clearances have been completed

The agency does not approve a surrogate or gestational carrier medically and does not provide legal advice. It helps ensure that the appropriate professionals complete their work before treatment planning and any medical procedures continue. Matching often takes three to nine months. Many intended parents also ask whether they will match with their first surrogate, and some agencies publish first-match success data, such as Growing Generations reporting a 98% first-match success rate.

Help Intended Parents Understand Cost Categories

Surrogacy cost includes more than an agency fee, and a surrogacy agency keeps treatment on hold until legal and administrative clearances are complete before medical procedures move forward while coordinating timing rather than performing care itself.

Intended parents may need to plan for surrogate compensation, benefits, medical screening, fertility treatment, legal work, insurance, escrow, travel, donor services, pregnancy expenses, and birth-related arrangements.

An agency should explain which categories commonly apply across overall surrogacy costs, when funding is expected, and how surrogacy agency fees, agency fees, and legal fees fit within the broader budget. Some parents compare examples like Circle Surrogacy or American Surrogacy to understand how each program structures pricing and support.

The agency should not present one estimate as though it applies to every family. Intended parents who already have embryos will have different needs from intended parents who still require donor services and IVF. International intended parents may also need additional travel, translation, housing, and scheduling support.

Coordinate Communication During Pregnancy

The agency’s role should continue after the match and embryo transfer, because surrogacy costs span more than one category and published figures can vary widely depending on what is included, with examples ranging from $22,000 to $50,000.

Pregnancy brings appointments, schedule changes, reimbursement questions, medical updates, and decisions about how intended parents and the surrogate will communicate. International or out-of-state intended parents may also need help managing time zones and travel. Along the way, some agencies also connect families with support groups for broader emotional and community support.

A surrogacy case manager may help:

• Maintain communication between the surrogate and intended parents
• Track appointments and case updates
• Address reimbursement questions
• Coordinate travel when needed
• Communicate with escrow or insurance professionals
• Keep attorneys informed when legal follow-up is required
• Prepare the parties for hospital and birth planning

These ongoing tasks are different from agency fees, surrogacy agency fees, and legal fees, which are often more predictable than medical treatment, compensation, or other match-dependent expenses.

Some agencies also package services into a program with more predictable pricing.

For example, American Surrogacy emphasizes transparent pricing, while Circle Surrogacy advertises an all-inclusive program at $189,500.

The match is not the end of the agency’s work. It introduces a stage where consistent communication becomes even more important.

Prepare for Birth and Post-Delivery Needs

Birth planning often requires coordination between the intended parents, surrogate, attorneys, hospital, medical team, and agency.

The agency may help organize discussions about:

• Hospital registration
• Communication during labor
• Intended-parent attendance
• Travel and lodging
• Parentage documentation
• Newborn arrangements
• Discharge planning
• Final reimbursements
• Postpartum communication and support

Legal and hospital procedures vary. The agency helps connect intended parents and surrogates with the professionals responsible for those decisions rather than presenting itself as the legal authority.

What Does a Surrogacy Agency Do for Surrogates?

A gestational surrogate makes a substantial medical, physical, emotional, and scheduling commitment. Agency support should reflect the amount of responsibility involved.

Support should begin before a match is made, not only after pregnancy begins.

Explain the Commitment Before the Application Proceeds

A prospective surrogate should understand what gestational surrogacy asks of her before completing the entire screening process.

That includes discussing:

• Basic eligibility
• Medical-record requirements
• Psychological screening
• Background review
• Fertility medications
• Clinic appointments
• Embryo transfer
• Pregnancy communication
• Legal representation
• Travel expectations
• Compensation and reimbursements
• Support-system involvement

Applying does not guarantee approval. The application allows the agency to determine whether further review appears appropriate.

Coordinate Screening

The agency helps organize the documents, interviews, evaluations, and appointments needed to assess eligibility.

Screening may include:

• Pregnancy and delivery records
• Medical-history review
• Fertility clinic testing
• Psychological evaluation
• Background checks
• Drug and nicotine testing
• Insurance review
• Interviews about support and expectations

Screening protects more than the intended parents. It also helps determine whether the medical and practical demands of surrogacy are appropriate for the applicant.

Help the Surrogate Consider a Potential Match

The surrogate should receive information about the intended parents and have an opportunity to ask her own questions.

She may want to know:

• What type of communication the intended parents expect
• Whether they are local, out of state, or international
• How involved they hope to be during appointments
• What relationship they hope to maintain
• What travel the case could require
• Whether donor eggs or sperm are involved
• What they hope for during the birth experience

The agency should not pressure either party to accept a match. A match needs mutual agreement before the process continues.

Support Medical, Legal, and Financial Coordination

The surrogate should have independent legal counsel and receive medical information from the fertility clinic and her healthcare providers.

The agency can help her understand when appointments are scheduled, which documents are needed, how reimbursements are submitted, and when compensation payments are expected under the agreement.

The agency may also coordinate communication with the intended parents, attorneys, escrow provider, insurance professionals, and clinic.

The agency does not make medical decisions for the surrogate. She retains authority over her body and medical care.

Remain Available During Pregnancy and Recovery

Pregnancy does not happen outside of the surrogate’s normal life. She may still be balancing work, children, transportation, household responsibilities, appointments, and unexpected changes.

A case manager should know where the case stands and be available to help address agency-related questions. Support may involve appointment coordination, reimbursement follow-up, communication with the intended parents, travel planning, and preparation for delivery.

Communication should also continue after birth while the surrogate recovers and any remaining administrative or reimbursement matters are completed.

How Does a Surrogacy Agency Work With the Fertility Clinic?

The fertility clinic handles medical treatment.

Its responsibilities may include:

• Reviewing the surrogate’s medical records
• Completing medical screening
• Evaluating the uterus
• Testing for infectious diseases
• Creating the medication protocol
• Monitoring treatment
• Performing the embryo transfer
• Confirming and monitoring the early pregnancy

The agency coordinates around that care. It may help collect records, schedule appointments, relay nonclinical information, and confirm that required steps have been completed.

The agency should not interpret test results, recommend medical treatment, or guarantee that a surrogate will receive clinic clearance.

How Does a Surrogacy Agency Work With Attorneys?

The intended parents and surrogate should have separate attorneys. Each attorney represents their own client.

Attorneys may address contracts, responsibilities, compensation terms, medical decision language, insurance, parentage procedures, and jurisdiction-specific requirements.

The agency may provide referrals and help coordinate timing, but it does not replace independent legal counsel.

Medical treatment should not proceed simply because the intended parents and surrogate have agreed to a match. The required legal agreements and professional clearances must also be completed.

What Does a Surrogacy Agency Not Do?

A credible agency should explain the limits of its role.

A surrogacy agency does not:

• Provide fertility treatment
• Make medical decisions for the surrogate
• Guarantee clinic clearance
• Provide independent legal advice to both parties
• Guarantee a match, pregnancy, or birth
• Control the outcome of an embryo transfer
• Replace an insurance specialist or escrow provider
• Promise one timeline for every case

An agency can organize the process and support the people involved. It cannot remove the medical, legal, financial, and emotional uncertainties that come with surrogacy.

When Should Intended Parents Contact a Surrogacy Agency?

Intended parents do not always need embryos before contacting an agency.

Some begin agency research before choosing a fertility clinic. Others wait until embryos have been created. Either approach can provide an opportunity to discuss planning, but the appropriate sequence depends on the intended parents’ medical circumstances and the professionals involved.

Contacting an agency earlier may help intended parents understand:

• What information they will need
• How matching works
• What screening occurs
• Which costs to anticipate
• Whether donor services may affect planning
• How legal and medical steps connect
• What support the agency provides after matching

A consultation does not commit intended parents to an agency or treatment. It should give them enough information to evaluate whether the agency’s process, communication style, and services fit what they need.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Surrogacy Agency

An agency should be prepared to explain its process in specific terms. Intended parents and prospective surrogates may want to ask:

• Who will serve as my main point of contact?
• How are surrogate applicants reviewed before profiles are presented?
• What screening remains after a potential match?
• How does the agency evaluate communication and compatibility?
• What happens when a potential match does not continue?
• How are fees, compensation, benefits, and reimbursements explained?
• Who handles escrow and insurance review?
• How does the agency coordinate with clinics and attorneys?
• What support continues after the match and embryo transfer?
• Who is available when a time-sensitive question comes up?
• How are travel, translation, or international logistics handled?
• What assistance is provided during birth planning and after delivery?

Pay attention to how the agency answers. Broad reassurance is not a substitute for a clear process.

Be cautious when an agency guarantees a match, pregnancy, timeline, approval, or stress-free experience. Surrogacy includes decisions and outcomes that no agency can promise in advance.

How Global Surrogacy Services Supports Intended Parents and Surrogates

Global Surrogacy Services is a smaller surrogacy agency that remains closely involved with the details of each case.

The agency provides a dedicated case manager from the first conversation through delivery and beyond, with 24/7 support available for intended parents and surrogates. The goal is to give each person one consistent point of contact rather than requiring them to explain their case to someone new at every stage.

That detail-oriented approach reflects the professional background of founder Shana Melamed, Pharm.D. Before establishing Global Surrogacy Services, she owned and operated a fertility pharmacy and worked with intended parents, surrogates, reproductive endocrinologists, OB/GYNs, and other fertility professionals. Her experience with medication timing, clinic communication, and medical coordination continues to influence how the agency organizes its work, including its experience supporting intended parents and surrogates through complex coordination. Some established agencies cite broader benchmarks here, such as Circle Surrogacy stating that 24% of its team are licensed mental health professionals and that it has matched over 3,400 sets of parents, while Growing Generations often highlights a long history in family building.

Based in Beverly Hills, California, Global Surrogacy Services works with intended parents, prospective surrogates, and donors from different family structures and locations. The team also provides additional logistical support for international, busy, and privacy-sensitive intended parents when needed.

The agency’s role is not to promise that every part will go according to plan. It is to keep communication open, stay close to the details, and help each person understand what needs attention.

Schedule a Surrogacy Consultation

A surrogacy agency should do more than make an introduction. It should explain the process, coordinate the professionals involved, support both sides of the match, and remain available as the case changes.

Global Surrogacy Services helps intended parents and prospective surrogates understand what the agency handles and what belongs with the clinic, attorneys, and other professionals.

Schedule a consultation to discuss where you are in the gestational surrogacy process and what agency support would involve.