As an egg donor and surrogacy agency, we talk a lot about egg donors and surrogates’ requirements. But, what about intended parents? Do they have to meet any specific requirements?
The short answer is yes. For the safety of the egg donor, the surrogate, and the child itself, intended parents are thoroughly screened as well.
Here’s a brief overview of the screening process for intended parents.
Application Process
When intended parents contact an agency, they will need to complete an application. This application will ask detailed questions regarding their family and social history. We also need to know their reasons for choosing egg donation and surrogacy to build their family.
This application will help us gauge their commitment to building a family and determine where to start.
After we have gone through the application, we will have a meeting or a phone call with the intended parents that will allow us to understand their goals. This meeting will go over the following:
Their estimated budget
Their expectations in an egg donor
The amount of contact they’d like to have with the donor and surrogate
The type of surrogacy they’d like to pursue
Any history with IVF or surrogacy
Any plans they have on explaining their child’s conception with others
The information gathered will help us assist the intended parents in finding the right egg donor and surrogate. This information is essential in helping us ensure a good match will be made.
Background Checks
Most agencies perform background checks on intended parents. This ensures that everyone in their household has a clean criminal record with no history of abuse. We must be confident that any child would be safe and well cared for in the home.
Any reputable agency will not work with intended parents who have had past convictions involving a child.
The added step of protection all ensures our donors and surrogates that the child they assist in bringing into this world will be safe and loved.
Understand the Process
As an intended parent, you must understand both the egg donor process and the surrogacy process.
We do the best we can to educate our clients, but here are some things parents can do on their own before they make any life-changing decisions:
Research
Doing your own research will give intended parents a broader perspective. Learn everything you can about egg donation and surrogacy requirements, processes, and costs.
We also encourage all intended parents to look up your state laws regarding egg donation and surrogacy. Every state has its own mandates and restrictions. Make sure you know them before you start.
Compare Your Options
When it comes to having a family, there is no set way to do it. Whether you are a traditional couple, a gay couple, or a single person, there are many options for building a family.
Consider all your options before you begin. Decide who will be the biological mother and father and who will take care of the child. Decide how you will talk to your child about their conception.
Every intended parent has to make decisions that they feel is best for their own family. There is no right or wrong way; just decide what will work best for you.
Talk to Others
The best way to understand egg donation and surrogacy is to talk to others who have been through it. Find couples who are willing to talk about their experiences to determine if you are ready for the next step.
Emotional Readiness
Infertility is emotionally draining. Ensure you are dealing with any past losses before you start down the road of egg donation and surrogacy. If there has been any other miscarriages or broken cycles, it’s okay, and even healthy, to grieve those losses.
It’s also important to have emotional support. This means both intended parents are in a stable relationship and are ready to commit emotionally to the egg donation and surrogacy process. Egg donors and surrogate offer their bodies and time; make sure that you are prepared to commit to them.
It’s also important to note that there are some risks involved in IVF and surrogacy. The cycle may fail, or it may be a high-risk pregnancy. Are you ready to handle any situation that you may find yourself in?
Financial Stability
The last requirement of intended parents is they need to be ready financially. Medical expenses, agency fees, travel costs, and legal fees make egg donation and surrogacy expensive. Intended parents should be prepared for the financial requirements before they even start the process.
If intended parents have any questions on how much money they should expect to spend, please contact us. We can also help you find other financing options to help offset the cost.
Become an Intended Parent
Intended parents are extraordinary people. They live with hope and faith that they will one day have the family they have always dreamed of.
Let us help you find the perfect egg donor and surrogate today. It’s time to build your family.
