Our Surrogacy Program Is Unique

A recent review of several surrogacy programs in the United States has helped IARC® to evaluate our program. We are always looking for ways to improve. As a result, I believe that our program is one of the most comprehensive programs in the country.

These are some of our special qualities!

• Comprehensive and complete assistance with every aspect of your program
• Experience
• Superior surrogate screening procedures
• Reasonable fees

COMPREHENSIVE AND COMPLETE ASSISTANCE

IARC® coordinates every area of your surrogacy program, including legal, medical, financial, psychological, and insurance, not to mention that we arrange and implement all travel arrangements that are necessary, as well! We skillfully coordinate and administer every aspect of your program from the time you sign your agency contract until a baby is born. We take care of ALL the necessary "business aspects" of your program so you are free to focus on the miracle of the pregnancy and birth. Furthermore, for two years from the date of the first medical procedure (retrieval/implantation), there is no restriction to the number of successive surrogates that you may work with until the birth of your baby. The only requirement is that only one surrogate can be involved with each couple/parent at a time.

Moreover, IARC®'s assistance does not end when you are matched with a surrogate and she becomes pregnant. IARC® obtains and forwards to the intended parent(s) all medical reports throughout the pregnancy. We maintain contact with all parties throughout the pregnancy until the final legal proceedings are completed. We also handle all of the surrogate's expense reimbursements and payment of all her medical expenses, even a year or more after the birth.

Medical insurance coverage in the USA is becoming more difficult for surrogate programs everywhere. Rather than abandoning the issue, IARC® has a staff member with experience to answer surrogate and client questions. We are able to review the policy and help you to determine its terms, conditions and exclusions. If it has express exclusions, we will assist your surrogate in looking for other policies. At the time of the birth, we will coordinate communication between the surrogate and the insurance company. HOWEVER, IARC® is not an insurance agency, company or broker. Therefore, we cannot guarantee coverage. Nevertheless, we will help you thoroughly evaluate and understand the coverage based on our experience!

In addition to our expansive administrative efforts, IARC® believes that all parties must fully understand the ins and the outs of surrogacy programs in order to have a positive and successful experience. Therefore, education is a focus at every step of the way! In this way, everyone knows what to expect at all times, and there is less stress and potential conflict.

Finally, we know that your relationship with your surrogate is very important. Recognizing this, the staff at IARC® will assume a role as negotiator and mediator when required. This is particularly important during contract negotiations when questions such as lost wage reimbursement, abortion and contact after the baby's birth are open to discussion. Our sensitivity and mediation skills are also commonly required during the pregnancy when hormones are surging! For example, if we sense that the surrogate is feeling down, we will send her a fruit basket or flowers as a pick-me-up to help out or we'll let you know when we think she needs to hear from you. Emotional support is given freely!

EXPERIENCE

Our staff is experienced and qualified to accommodate all of your needs with respect to the surrogacy program. Each area is highly specialized and requires special skill and knowledge. You can benefit from all of their help! We have experienced personnel ON STAFF to advise, help, and/or refer you to appropriate resources in the legal, insurance, medical and psychological fields! Clients often comment on how helpful it is to have an accessible, knowledgeable and experienced staff member at their disposal 5 days a week.

Since our director is an attorney with 15 years' experience in this field, you receive reliable answers and advice about legal requirements, contracts and procedures. In addition, our preparation of the surrogacy agreement and related legal documents helps to keep your legal fees down since these costs are already included in your agency fee. When your baby is born, you can choose a lawyer of your choice in the state where your baby is born for the legal work required after the birth, or you may follow our referral to a lawyer with whom we have worked in the past-one experienced in surrogacy law.

Because of our background and experience, pregnancy and baby birth rates using our ovum donors and surrogates are above national averages for fertility procedures as a whole. Since the program is in place to help you have a child, this is of utmost importance

SUPERIOR SURROGATE SCREENING PROCEDURES

Every agency has difficulties finding women who wish to undergo fertility treatments and a nine-month pregnancy for a stranger. These women must also meet strict medical and psychological standards. However, our surrogates come from a wide area. We are not restricted to a specific state, so our available population is large, ever changing and not depleted by numerous agencies working in the same geographic area. Our advertising budget is more than adequate, so we can attract many applicants, establish strict screening criteria, and yet still have a selection of quality fertility helpers. On the other hand, we are also aware of which states are suitable for surrogacy programs, and we only recruit surrogates in those states.

We have also developed superior surrogate screening procedures. They include mandatory psychological testing, release of prior obstetrical information, criminal background checks, thorough medical testing as required by the attending physician, the completion of an 18 page application, and several interviews with IARC® staff. Most importantly, IARC® does not wait until you select a particular surrogate to have her psychologically screened. All of our surrogates are thoroughly psychologically screened before their profiles are ever given to you for your review. In this way, you will never select a surrogate only to have her unexpectedly disqualified after you have become attached to her. This process also helps to affirm her maturity, emotional stability and her motivations for involvement in the process before you ever meet her. She learns about her roles and responsibilities and becomes a committed member of the fertility program.

REASONABLE FEES

Recognizing that surrogacy programs are expensive, IARC® is always mindful of the cost of its programs. We have employed several ideas to help to reduce your financial stress as much as possible. Some agencies require all the expenses "up front," which can total $40,000 or more (even though it will be used over the course of a 1-2 year program). IARC® has a policy that allows clients to make incremental deposits into their surrogate's expense escrow account (EEA) by wiring money or by using VISA or MasterCard. Our Accounting Manager pays for the surrogate program expenses from this account on your behalf. You are provided with a monthly financial statement. In addition, IARC®'s agency fee is broken into three installments based on the progress of your case. You don't pay our full fee unless and until you have successfully completed the third month of a pregnancy!

Moreover, our fees are laid out in black and white. You are told what to expect. Fees are kept as low as possible. There is no incentive for IARC® to inflate prices since IARC® does not receive any financial "kick-back's" from care providers such as psychologists, pharmacists, physicians or travel companies. We pass all savings on to our clients when we are able to negotiate savings based on our business relationship (i.e. hotel, medical costs, etc.).

Finally, although psychological counseling is available to all our surrogates when it is necessary, IARC® does not mandate counseling unless a need is identified. This is a costly requirement of some other programs. We find that many surrogates prefer the support of friends, IARC® staff and other surrogates that have been through our program.

IARC® is proud to coordinate all legal, medical, financial, emotional and educational aspects to the surrogacy process while always mindful of the well being of each parent, fertility helper and unborn child. I would appreciate any comments, questions or suggestions you may have. Please feel free to email me directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sincerely,
Steven Snyder
Executive Director