Now that you’ve done an extensive amount of research, you’re ready to team up with a gestational carrier (or perhaps become a surrogate yourself) and a surrogacy agency—which is key to making this seemingly insurmountable feat really happen. A full-service surrogacy agency can guide you through the process of pregnancy. Here are the five best reasons to work with a surrogacy agency:

Legal Representation. Understanding the ins and outs of your state’s laws on surrogacy can be complicated, one reason being that they can differ drastically from state to state. Furthermore, reproductive laws change quickly because of the rapid advancement of reproductive technology. Considering this, a full-service agency may be the best option because they have legal staff on-hand who can work on your case.

Some of the services include:

Pre-birth orders
Post-birth orders
Contracts
Adoptions
Wills and estate planning

Screening. A full-service surrogacy agency offers a sophisticated screening process that enables you to learn about the personal and medical background history of your donor, or surrogate and intended parents. An agency has the resources to conduct a full financial and criminal background check, not to mention issuing the proper medical tests to determine whether a healthy pregnancy is possible. Also included in this process is a screening for sexually transmitted diseases, which comes highly recommended by The American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Beyond health and stability, you’ll want to work with individuals that share your values on relevant issues.

Mediator. Both the intended parents and the surrogate need to focus on the things that really matter in a pregnancy, like building positive relationships and caring for the new baby about to enter the world. That’s why an agency is there to distribute any fees passed between the two parties, such as stipends and reimbursement. Other issues include coordinating medical appointments, making travel arrangements, referring individuals to councilors and other professionals when needed, and organizing communication. All of this minimizes the friction and stress between parents and surrogates.

Support. When you work with a surrogate agency you get a dedicated and knowledgeable team, each a professional in their field. From matching and screening, to matters of social work and legal support, if any problems arise or if there is a job to done, an agency has the right tools and people to effectively handle the situation.

Now that you know the benefits of working with a skilled surrogate agency, the next step is to apply to become a surrogate, or if you are an intended parent sign up for a consult. The best thing you can do is find a caring surrogacy agency, like Surrogate Parenting Services, that will be there for you throughout the entire process, from finding the right surrogate (or intended parents) to birth.