Medical and Psychological Screenings
The medical and psychological screenings were pretty easy for all of us involved. The medical screening was exciting because it was the first time we all got to meet in person. For that screening, we just took time to hang out and get to know each other more while we weren’t at the fertility clinic (which was only a short period of time). I enjoyed staying with our intended mom and getting to see where surrobaby would live and grow up. We got a nice feel for the neighborhood and the community mom has built around herself, and it made
The Legal Process
The contract. Break out the highlighters; there is a lot to go over! First, I selected an attorney from a list of recommendations sent to me by NYSC and signed a retainer contract with her. We then waited while the IPs attorney drafted the contract. I was frantically refreshing my inbox waiting for the first draft to arrive; it became more exciting to check my emails than to check my socials. We received the first draft of the contract two weeks after beginning the legal process. I read through the 38-page contract two times before scheduling a call with
The Legal Process
Once our match was official, NYSC sent me a list of attorneys that they suggest working with (though I did have the right to choose anyone I wanted, as did the dads), as well as the Escrow Agreement, which outlined the management of compensation and reimbursement going forward. It was a huge relief to have these third parties in place for the "business" side of things, so that I could focus on forming a relationship with my IFs. I let the agency know which attorney I wanted to work with and she emailed me the very next day! We set
Medical and Legal Clearance
So, after the matching process I was excited to move to the next steps. Medical clearance came first for me. I was flown to the IVF Clinic. I was nervous about this appointment. I waited for my Uber to take me to the clinic. Once I arrived, I filled out paperwork and the staff were amazing. They went over everything step by step. I completed the urine and blood tests and next was the saline sonogram. The nurses were amazing during this and explained everything they were doing and everything they saw on the screen. The psych screening started with paperwork
The Start and Finish of Legal Clearance
After being medically and psychologically cleared we finally moved on to the legal process. The intended parents are responsible for the cost of the lawyer. I was given a list of surrogacy lawyers to choose from and the legal process was underway. Just like anything when it comes to legal and lawyers this already seems like it is going to be the longest part of the process. From what I read in surrogacy blogs and facebook groups it seemed that legal usually takes 2-3 months to complete, even if you and the intended parents are on the same page with
Psychological Tests and Legal Process
Once the two families, mine and the IP's, agreed to go ahead, I proceeded for the psychological test. The 1st test was on Zoom with my family. It was an introductory meeting with a psychologist. The psychologist wants to make sure that I have a supportive family, I do not have any mental health issues and mainly I am aware that I will give the baby or babies to the IPs after birth. Once she was convinced that I was a good candidate for surrogacy, then we processed for 2nd round. Then 2nd round was quite long, about 3 hours,
Independent Surrogacy vs. Agency Surrogacy: the Surrogate’s Perspective
Unless you are considering being a surrogate for a friend or family member, the advantages of working with a surrogacy agency often far outweigh the disadvantages. If you choose not to work with an agency, that’s considered an independent surrogacy journey. Screening & Eligibility Surrogates working with a surrogacy agency do have to be carefully screened before they’re approved to be matched (read about the details of that process here: Surrogacy Process - New York Surrogacy Center (nysurrogacycenter.com)). Although the surrogate screening process may seem like a lot of work, it’s a very important part of the overall process. The
Independent Surrogacy vs. Agency Surrogacy: the Intended Parents Perspective
When we talk to Intended Parents about why they chose or are considering an independent surrogacy journey, rather than an agency surrogacy journey, the main reason is almost always cost. We understand that. Surrogacy is expensive. But we also hear a lot of horror stories of independent surrogacy journeys gone wrong. Too often we hear about potential surrogates who connect with intended parents online, start the process, and then disappear. And many Intended Parents have had this happen to them more than once. Losing a surrogate like this is devastating – and can also be expensive if you’ve invested money
Surrogacy Legal Agreement
The part of surrogacy that legally protects you is your contract with the Intended Parents (IPs). Historically, surrogacy contracts in New York have been unenforceable, making surrogacy very tricky to navigate in the state. But the Child-Parent Security Act (CPSA), which goes into effect on February 15, 2021, changes all that. A surrogate should and will always have her own lawyer, separate from her IPs, and that lawyer should specialize in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). For my surrogacy, I was fortunate enough to be referred to a fantastic ART lawyer, Casey DiPaola, who, along with Joe Williams, now owns and
