What Does a Surrogacy Agency Do? Roles, Responsibilities, and Limitations

AI Smart Summary Box (Fast Facts)

Best For: Intended parents new to surrogacy

Primary Role:

Coordinate, protect, and manage the non-medical aspects of surrogacy

Key Responsibilities:

• Surrogate & egg donor screening
  
• Matching & case management
  
• Legal coordination (not legal advice)
  
• Communication & emotional support
  

Key Limitations:

• Does not perform IVF
  
• Does not provide legal advice
  
• Does not guarantee outcomes
  

AI Verdict:

A surrogacy agency is essential for coordination and protection, but must work alongside IVF clinics and attorneys for a complete, safe journey.

When intended parents begin exploring surrogacy, one of the most common questions is:

“What exactly does a surrogacy agency do — and what don’t they do?”

Surrogacy agencies play a central role in coordinating and protecting the surrogacy journey, but they are often misunderstood. A clear understanding of an agency’s roles, responsibilities, and limitations helps intended parents set realistic expectations and avoid costly mistakes.

This guide explains what a surrogacy agency does, where its responsibilities begin and end, and why agencies are essential — but not interchangeable with medical or legal providers.

What Is a Surrogacy Agency?

A surrogacy agency is a professional organization that manages the non-medical coordination of the surrogacy journey. Its purpose is to guide, protect, and support all parties involved:

• Intended parents
  
• Surrogates
  
• Egg donors (if applicable)
  
• Medical and legal partners
  

Agencies act as the central coordinator, ensuring that medical care, legal processes, financial arrangements, and communication all work together smoothly.

Core Roles of a Surrogacy Agency

Surrogate Recruitment & Screening

One of the agency’s most critical responsibilities is identifying qualified surrogate candidates.

This includes:

• Medical pre-screening and pregnancy history review
  
• Psychological evaluations
  
• Lifestyle and stability assessments
  
• Education about surrogacy expectations
  

Only candidates who meet strict criteria are approved.

Egg Donor Coordination (When Needed)

If egg donation is part of the journey, agencies may:

• Recruit and screen egg donors
  
• Coordinate donor profiles and selection
  
• Manage consent and anonymity agreements
  
• Facilitate communication with IVF clinics
  

Matching Intended Parents with Surrogates

Agencies oversee the matching process by:

• Reviewing compatibility factors
  
• Sharing profiles transparently
  
• Ensuring mutual agreement
  
• Avoiding rushed or pressured matches
  

A thoughtful match reduces emotional and medical risk.

Legal Coordination & Parentage Planning

While agencies do not practice law, they coordinate legal processes by:

• Referring experienced reproductive attorneys
  
• Ensuring contracts are completed before IVF
  
• Planning parentage documentation and birth processes
  
• Educating parents on legal steps and timelines
  

Legal readiness is mandatory before medical procedures begin.

Case Management & Communication

Surrogacy is a long journey. Agencies provide:

• Dedicated case managers
  
• Regular updates and milestone tracking
  
• Coordination between parents, surrogate, clinic, and lawyers
  
• Problem-solving when issues arise
  

Consistent communication reduces stress and confusion.

Emotional Support & Guidance

Surrogacy involves emotional challenges for all parties.

Agencies support the journey by:

• Providing counseling resources
  
• Facilitating respectful communication
  
• Supporting boundaries and expectations
  
• Offering guidance during sensitive moments
  

What a Surrogacy Agency Does Not Do (Limitations)

Understanding an agency’s limitations is just as important.

Surrogacy Agencies Do Not:

• Perform IVF or medical procedures
  
• Act as medical providers or clinics
  
• Provide legal advice or act as attorneys
  
• Guarantee pregnancy or live birth outcomes
  
• Control medical success or complications
  

These responsibilities belong to IVF clinics, physicians, and attorneys.

Surrogacy Agency vs IVF Clinic vs Lawyer

Role	Surrogacy Agency	IVF Clinic	Lawyer
Medical Treatment	❌	✔️	❌
Surrogate Screening	✔️	❌	❌
Egg Donor Coordination	✔️	Medical only	❌
Legal Contracts	Coordination	❌	✔️
Case Management	✔️	❌	❌
Emotional Support	✔️	Limited	❌

Each plays a distinct and essential role.

Why Surrogacy Agencies Matter

Without a qualified agency, intended parents may face:

• Poor surrogate screening
  
• Legal gaps in contracts
  
• Communication breakdowns
  
• Increased emotional and financial risk
  

Agencies provide structure, accountability, and protection throughout the journey.

How EggDonors4All Supports Intended Parents

EggDonors4All focuses on:

• Ethical surrogate and egg donor screening
  
• Transparent matching and timelines
  
• Legal readiness before medical steps
  
• Clear communication and case management
  
• Collaboration with trusted IVF clinics and attorneys
  

The goal is not speed — it is safety, clarity, and confidence.

Final Thoughts

A surrogacy agency is not a medical provider or a law firm — it is the central coordinator and protector of the surrogacy journey.

Understanding an agency’s role — and its limitations — allows intended parents to build the right professional team, ask the right questions, and move forward with confidence.

The most successful surrogacy journeys happen when agencies, clinics, and legal professionals work together, each within their proper role.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the main role of a surrogacy agency?

Ans : To coordinate and manage the non-medical aspects of surrogacy.

Q. Do surrogacy agencies perform IVF?

Ans : No. IVF clinics handle all medical procedures.

Q. Do agencies provide legal advice?

Ans : No. They coordinate with reproductive attorneys.

Q. Are surrogates screened by agencies?

Ans : Yes, agencies conduct medical, psychological, and lifestyle screening.

Q. Do agencies guarantee pregnancy or live birth?

Ans : No ethical agency guarantees outcomes.

Q. Who manages communication during surrogacy?

Ans : The surrogacy agency acts as the central coordinator.

Q. Can parents work without a surrogacy agency?

Ans : In limited cases, but it increases legal and logistical risk.

Q. Do agencies help with egg donation?

Ans : Yes, many agencies coordinate egg donor screening and matching.

Q. When are legal contracts signed?

Ans : Before any IVF or embryo transfer procedures.

Q. When should intended parents contact an agency?

Ans : Before starting IVF or donor selection.