SURROGACY MANAGEMENT FOUNDER NEVEN WASSALL PRIDES HIMSELF ON THE TAILOR-MADE AND PERSONAL SERVICE HE PROVIDES
How long has Surrogacy Management been established and where are you based?
We have been established for a couple of years now but my interest in surrogacy started much before the agency was set up. We are based in Los Angeles but also have an office in London.
Are there any criteria a same-sex couple must fulfil before being accepted for the surrogacy process?
Absolutely. Apart from the usual health, criminal background, financial etc. checks, I get to know my clients very well through initial consultations. These are free of charge and allow me to understand the clients’ motivations for having children but also practical information such as how they plan to organise their childcare arrangements, where they live etc. The clients also get to know me as well as how I work. This all contributes to the decision whether surrogacy is the right option for the clients and – if so – whether we feel that we are all happy to move forward together.
How do you select your egg donors and what checks do they receive?
Egg donors need to meet a number of health- and age-related criteria as well as undergoing a thorough psychological evaluation. Their profiles also contain lots of information on their interests, education, family health histories and several photos. I work closely with clients to select their preferred egg donor, based on the clients’ requirements. Surrogates and their partners also undergo very thorough checks – health, criminal background and psychological. Legal paperwork with both the egg donor and surrogate needs to be in place before any reputable clinic will engage with the intended parents.
What do your clients sometimes find difficult during the process?
Clients can initially struggle with the question of trust. Most clients are very successful, wealthy individuals/couples and are accustomed to having a large degree of control over their affairs. Surrogacy requires a slightly different approach and mindset – a lot of control has to be relinquished and trust be placed into your agency, egg donor and especially your surrogate and her family or support network (e.g. that she will behave responsibly, eat the right foods, take the right supplements etc.). This is where a reputable agency makes all the difference and, in my experience, this becomes a complete non-issue after the initial one to two meetings with the agency and with the surrogate.
Are there any special things or issues LGBT couples should take into consideration?
I always draw clients’ attention to the question of biological parentage (if applicable) – how would you feel if your partner is the biological parent to the child? Would you want to be a biological parent yourself and try again? What if this fails? To most couples, this makes absolutely no difference at all but it is something that they do need to think clearly through as a couple before they start the surrogacy process and ensure that they are entirely comfortable with every eventuality that nature may bring.
How does one go about arranging an initial consultation and where would this be held?
If not through word of mouth, the engagement with my clients normally starts when they complete a form on my website – surrogacymanagement.com. Because of the personal touch that my agency prides itself on, I like to hold meetings in person at a mutually convenient location whenever possible.
What makes your agency different to other agencies?
Most surrogacy agencies utilise the “one size fits all” approach – I believe that this could not be further from the truth. I pride myself on really understanding what my clients are looking to get out of this journey and making it as smooth and comfortable for them as possible. This is based on my own surrogacy and previous business experiences but also on working very closely with each client. Every individual and couple that I have worked with has necessitated a slightly different approach in one way or another – I can tailor the surrogacy process to meet their exact requirements. I am not tied to any single provider and work with several very carefully selected egg donation and surrogate agencies, fertility clinics, legal teams and insurance companies. Not only do we all share the same ethos but this also gives my clients much more choice than a “regular” agency could offer.
We do provide advice on surrogacy in London too and this can be done in person rather than over Skype or by phone/email. We support intended parents during the entire surrogacy process and our support continues beyond the point of pregnancy – we can provide practical advice on baby equipment and can help with finding maternity nurses and/or nannies. Finally, our fees are completely transparent – we charge a flat fee for our services and do not mark up any of the other costs involved – unlike the majority of our competitors.
Why not adoption?
Adoption can be a wonderful and extremely rewarding process but is not necessarily always right for everyone for whatever personal or other reasons. Having said this, I do know many great LGBT parents who have very happy families through adoption. It is wonderful that we as an LGBT community now have options to create our own families based on our individual circumstances and preferences!
On a personal level what is the greatest satisfaction you derive from your job?
My partner and I have been extremely lucky to have two wonderful girls through surrogacy. Being able to assist intended parents and bring some of that happiness to other people’s lives is immensely rewarding. And what job could be better than the one where babies are born as a result of a lot of hard work from everyone involved? It’s definitely the best job in the world!