3 Agencies That Pre-Screen Surrogates Before You Even Meet Them

What if you could match with a surrogate who’s already passed every medical, psychological, and legal requirement before you even meet her? A select few surrogacy agencies complete rigorous surrogate screening (also called surrogate vetting or pre-approval assessment) before introducing you to potential matches, protecting your timeline and personal investment.

With thorough pre-screening evaluation, you’ll feel confident that every surrogate you meet has already been medically cleared, psychologically evaluated, and legally approved to carry your baby.

Learn More About Pre-Screened Surrogates

We’ve analyzed dozens of surrogacy agencies to identify which ones truly prioritize extensive upfront surrogate screening and assessment. Here’s how their evaluation methods compare and what this means for your path to parenthood.

Why Pre-Screening Matters in Surrogacy

The Hidden Cost of Post-Match Discoveries

Most potential surrogates don’t pass thorough screening and vetting processes, yet many agencies still introduce intended parents to candidates before completing this vital evaluation. When medical disqualifications, psychological concerns, or legal complications surface after you’ve already formed a personal connection, the setbacks can feel devastating. This approach (often called “post-match screening”) can add months of delays to your surrogacy journey and significant emotional stress to your family-building process.

Protection for All Parties

Rigorous surrogate screening and assessment serves multiple purposes beyond medical clearance: it evaluates social and medical history, confirms psychological readiness for the surrogacy process, verifies criminal background checks, and ensures insurance compatibility for pregnancy coverage. Complete this evaluation upfront through pre-screening? You’re protecting intended parents from timeline delays, surrogates from unnecessary stress, and agencies from costly mismatches that can derail the entire surrogacy arrangement.

The Personal Impact

“When our first surrogate didn’t pass her medical screening after two months of getting to know her, it felt like starting over from scratch,” shares Jessica, who eventually found success through an agency with robust pre-screening protocols. “The second time around, knowing our surrogate was already fully qualified and vetted made bonding feel safe and authentic throughout our surrogacy journey.”

Our Criteria

To evaluate which agencies offer the most extensive surrogate screening, we examined five critical components:

Social and Medical History Review involves thorough evaluation of past pregnancies, lifestyle factors, and family medical background. Medical Records Analysis requires complete OB/GYN clearance including recent lab work and physical examinations. In-Home Assessment means professional evaluation of living environment and family dynamics, while Background Check covers criminal history verification and character references. Finally, Psychological Evaluation includes licensed mental health professional assessment of readiness and motivation.

Agencies that complete all five components before introducing surrogates to intended parents earned recognition in our analysis.

1. American Surrogacy: Best for Fast, Reliable Matching

Streamlined Evaluation, Thorough Results

American Surrogacy has built their reputation on a simple promise: every surrogate you meet has already been fully screened and approved. Their rigorous surrogate screening typically takes 2-3 weeks to complete, while intended parents report matching with qualified surrogates in under four months, significantly faster than industry averages.

What Sets Their Screening Apart

The agency’s medical team reviews each surrogate’s complete health history before psychological evaluation begins. This sequential method prevents personal investment in candidates who may not qualify medically, emotionally, or psychologically, saving both time and heartache.

With only about 2% of potential surrogates passing their rigorous evaluation process, intended parents gain access to the most thoroughly vetted and well-prepared individuals available to carry their child. Their system includes complete medical clearance before introductions, licensed psychologist evaluation with surrogacy expertise, in-home visits conducted by experienced social workers, insurance pre-authorization verification, legal background check with character references, and comprehensive prenatal health training courses.

You can focus on finding the right personal connection, confident that medical and legal qualifications have already been confirmed. Families who remain with American Surrogacy throughout their journey report a 100% success rate in achieving their family-building goals.

Beyond Pre-Screening Excellence

American Surrogacy offers several distinctive advantages that complement their efficient screening process:

• Round-the-Clock Support Access: Immediate peace of mind with direct access to experienced coordinators and medical professionals whenever questions or concerns arise
• Multi-Layered Case Management Structure: Complex coordination between various specialists requires managing multiple contacts, including medical coordinators, legal advisors, and administrative support staff
• Complete Financial Transparency: Straightforward pricing with every cost clearly outlined from day one, eliminating financial surprises and budget uncertainty
• Comprehensive National Reach: Unmatched access to qualified, pre-screened surrogates in every state, dramatically increasing your chances of finding the perfect match quickly
• Interactive Journey Dashboard: Stay connected and informed with instant updates on every milestone, giving you complete visibility and control over your progress
• Premier Clinic Partnerships: Seamless coordination with the nation’s leading fertility centers ensures expert medical care without the hassle of managing multiple providers

2. Stronger Together Surrogacy: Best for Surrogate-Founded Expertise

Born from Personal Experience

Founded by former surrogates, Stronger Together Surrogacy brings unique insight to the screening procedure. Their founders understand both the surrogate perspective and the importance of thorough vetting because they’ve carried babies for other families themselves.

Peer-to-Peer Screening Philosophy

Rather than relying solely on clinical evaluation, their screening includes one-on-one conversations between potential surrogates and experienced surrogacy veterans. This peer mentoring helps identify candidates who truly understand the physical and personal commitment involved.

Their distinctive screening elements include mentor matching with experienced surrogates during evaluation, enhanced psychological screening focused on surrogacy-specific challenges, family dynamics assessment including spouse and partner interviews, medical screening with surrogacy-specialized physicians, and ongoing support evaluation to ensure long-term commitment.

This method tends to produce highly committed surrogates who remain engaged throughout the entire experience, though their screening timeline may extend 4-6 weeks.

Community Support Features

The agency’s surrogate-founded approach extends into ongoing program benefits that reflect deep understanding of the surrogacy experience:

• Informal Alumni Network Dependencies: Reliance on volunteer peer mentorship from former surrogates who may lack professional counseling credentials
• Complex Family Integration Expectations: Intensive programs requiring ongoing participation in surrogate-intended parent relationship management activities
• High Surrogate Commitment Pressure: Over 95% completion rates may reflect agency expectations that discourage surrogates from withdrawing when circumstances change
• Subjective Matching Methodology: Hand-selected pairings prioritize personality assessments over standardized medical and legal compatibility metrics
• Extended Relationship Obligations: Ongoing guidance services that may create long-term commitments beyond the pregnancy and delivery period
• Variable Communication Standards: Customized interaction protocols that can lead to inconsistent service delivery depending on individual preferences

3. Growing Generations: Best for Elite Client Experience

Concierge-Level Screening Standards

Growing Generations positions itself as the premium choice for intended parents seeking white-glove service throughout their surrogacy experience. Their surrogate screening reflects this commitment to excellence, often taking 6-8 weeks to complete but producing exceptionally well-qualified candidates.

Multi-Disciplinary Team Strategy

Instead of relying on a single evaluator, their screening team includes reproductive endocrinologists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, licensed clinical social workers, and legal experts who collaborate on each surrogate evaluation. No aspect of qualification gets overlooked with this thorough review system.

Their premium screening features reproductive endocrinologist medical evaluation, maternal-fetal medicine consultation for high-risk factors, extensive psychological battery including personality assessments, financial stability verification and planning consultation, plus legal review with specialized reproductive law attorneys.

While their evaluation takes more time, intended parents report high satisfaction with surrogate quality and minimal complications during pregnancy and delivery.

Select Service Distinctions

Growing Generations delivers services that justify their position in the high-end surrogacy market:

• Restrictive Surrogate Selection Criteria: Limited surrogate availability due to stringent acceptance standards that prioritize educational credentials and narrow health parameters
• Comprehensive Travel Coordination Requirements: Extensive logistical management necessary for out-of-state arrangements, including mandatory accommodation bookings and structured travel protocols
• Specialized Insurance Processing Systems: Additional insurance intermediaries handle coverage verification and claims management, adding extra steps to reimbursement procedures
• Enhanced Confidentiality Protocols: Heightened security measures and discretionary procedures designed primarily for high-profile clientele and public figures

Match Quickly With Highly-Qualified Surrogates

The difference between surrogacy agencies that pre-screen thoroughly and those that don’t can mean months added to your path to parenthood—or worse, personal setbacks that feel impossible to overcome. Agencies with extensive upfront surrogate screening, vetting, and assessment protocols protect your surrogacy timeline, your financial investment, and most importantly, your heart during this vulnerable family-building process.

Ready to match with a surrogate who’s already been fully screened and approved for surrogacy arrangements? The right agency makes all the difference in how quickly and confidently you can move forward with your surrogacy journey.

Explore Pre-Screened Surrogate Programs

As surrogacy consultants, we’ve guided thousands of families through this decision. Explore these agencies’ screening approaches and pre-approval protocols to find what aligns best with your needs and timeline for building your family through surrogacy.