BEAVERTON, OR – July 24, 2017 – The United States has experienced a surge in domestic and international intended parents seeking to create families through gestational surrogacy, yet the number of qualified surrogates has not kept up with the rising demand. As more and more intended parents turn to the U.S. for surrogacy, this gap is only expected to widen. Surrogacy agencies such as All Families Surrogacy in Beaverton, Oregon are constantly recruiting women interested in becoming surrogates, especially in states like Oregon, California and Nevada, which are deemed “surrogacy friendly states” due to their favorable legal framework for surrogacy.
Gestational surrogacy is when a woman carries and delivers the biological child(ren) for the intended parents, who are unable to carry a pregnancy themselves. The process takes place via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), using the parents’ embryo(s). The complete surrogacy process, which can sometimes take as long as 2 years from start to finish, is accomplished with the assistance of many professionals, including fertility clinics, surrogacy agencies and fertility lawyers.
“Becoming a gestational surrogate is a huge commitment, and finding qualified surrogates is incredibly difficult,” says Carey Flamer-Powell, an experienced gestational surrogate and Founder and Director of All Families Surrogacy in Beaverton, Oregon. “We have tripled our staff size recently, just to keep up with the demands of finding
qualified candidates.”
Proper screening of surrogate applicants is a rigorous process and can take months, including extensive medical, social and psychological evaluations. Only a very small percentage of women are eventually cleared to become surrogates. Surrogacy agencies around the country are reporting wait times of between 6-12 months for intended parents to be matched with a qualified surrogate. That estimation is not expected to change any time soon.
“I always encourage interested women to apply, because there is such a need out there for this amazing, selfless act,” said Carey Flamer-Powell, who is still in regular contact with the family she served as a surrogate for. “It’s truly life-changing for both the intended parents and the surrogate.”
