Surrogacy - Private Versus Agency Facilitated Arrangements

Surrogacy arrangements involve a myriad of issuesintended parents to be on the child's birth certificate,
from emotional to legal and financial. Properlyothers do not thereby requiring adoption. Legal
facilitated surrogacy arrangements involvedocuments must adequately and properly reflect the
comprehensive screening, counseling, legalposition of all parties to the transaction and also take
assessment and mediation between intended parentsinto consideration the various laws applicable to the
and surrogates. A knowledgeable agency withparticular scenario. It is critical to the outcome of the
professional staff can guide parents and surrogatesprocess that you have a team of professionals
through these various issues smoothly andincluding attorneys who can guide you through the
professionally. Discussions about financiallegal process.
arrangements, lifestyle, background, and other issuesBoth parties must be screened, interviewed and
that may be awkward for the parents or theassessed to ensure that both are emotionally
surrogate to bring up is dealt with by a third partyprepared for the process. Professional counseling
thereby allowing the surrogate and parents toshould be a part of the process.
concentrate on the pregnancy.Disagreements and misunderstandings can arise during
The laws of each state of the parties involved in thethis highly emotional process and having a
process govern surrogacy and these laws are eitherprofessional agency whose staff can mediate
non-existent or differ from one state to another.between both parties is essential.
Some states do not allow surrogacy, some statesWhen considering the complexity of the issues
are silent and once must rely, to the extent theyinvolved, the cost benefit analysis undoubtedly favors
exist on court decisions. Some states will allowagency oversight.