Entering unknown territories with any transformational shift in life is innately stressful and nerve-wracking. However, the vision of boundless possibilities, rewarding moments, and a newly found fulfillment evokes excitement and elation. Among life-defining moments, parenthood brings forth one of the most diverse emotions and varying reactions, from pure joy and exhilaration after watching the desired two lines intensify, impatience and anxiety after yet another unsuccessful attempt to conceive, to a crippling stress and uncontrollable panic when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.
For those couples, marriages, or individuals whose deepest desire is parenthood, issues with conceiving related to infertility or other medical conditions mercilessly crush dreams of happiness. In the US, 19% of married women with no prior births experience infertility, while 26% have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term. These challenges are less evident among women who have given birth, with 6% grappling with infertility and 14% struggling with carrying a pregnancy. These statistics highlight the nationwide need for qualified and dedicated facilities that offer alternative methods such as IVF, egg freezing, sperm donation, or surrogacy. In addition to infertile couples, LGBTQIA+ relationships, and single people make up a large percentage of those seeking alternative solutions.
According to expert estimates, more than 300 agencies in the US actively recruit women to be gestational surrogates (GSs) and carry a fetus to whom they are biologically unrelated. However, due to unclear regulations that vary from state to state, many agencies, driven by potential financial gains, often accept surrogates whose health condition increases the risk for both the GS and the baby.
Recognized among the best surrogacy agencies in California, West Coast Surrogacy (WCS) offers a personalized, boutique experience to intended parents and gestational surrogates, making dreams of parenthood come true while implementing top-notch safety measures. At its core, WCS believes in a human-centric and team-oriented approach that ensures the highest level of integrity.
West Coast Surrogacy, founded in 2007 by Amy Stewart Kaplan, is the culmination of Amy's years of expertise in reproductive medicine gained at IVF centers, her experience as a past egg donor, a previous surrogate, and a former infertility patient. After experiencing firsthand the challenges, rewards, and rollercoaster of emotions of surrogacy, Amy embarked on a mission to improve the surrogacy landscape in the US.
"When I founded WCS, there were very few surrogacy agencies, and I saw a desperate need for an ethical approach. One where the focus wasn't solely on the surrogate, or just the parents, but the health of the pregnancy and the baby were taken into consideration." shares Amy.
The surrogacy process impacts the lives of intended parents as much as it affects the surrogate mother; for that reason, West Coast Surrogacy is dedicated to providing advice and guiding GSs and parents through every step of surrogacy. While some agencies accept hundreds of cases annually, Amy emphasizes that WCS has never strived to achieve that, "I believe the services overlook quality and the care provided the larger they are. We focus on creating an intimate experience without compromising our beliefs just for the sake of growing."
Laura Davis, Director of Operations and a previous surrogate, adds, "Once you start having too many cases, you lose a vital aspect of intimacy, and it's nearly impossible to form deep connections. Fewer cases might mean fewer profits, but our priority is building relationships with the surrogate and the parents, understanding their needs and desires, and fostering an environment where trust is paramount."
West Coast Surrogacy's commitment to safety and maintaining a human-centric approach is evident through all steps of the process, from accepting only surrogates that have been thoroughly screened and tested to ensuring potential parents and GSs align in hopes and wishes regarding their postpartum relationship. WCS goes the extra mile to provide a personalized experience that makes a complex and life-defining procedure as delightful and enjoyable as can be.
Surrogacy, although often the only solution for couples and individuals, is illegal in many countries globally and is a topic of much taboo and controversy. The worldwide misperception of the procedure highlights the need for passionate experts and qualified specialists committed to the cause. At WCS, seven out of nine employees in various roles, from leadership, surrogacy intake, surrogacy case coordination, and finances, have been surrogates in the past. As emphasized by Amy, those who have been in surrogates' shoes understand the complexities and potential risks of the process, and they're immensely passionate about providing high-level services. Additionally, the first-hand experience equips WCS's staff with knowledge invaluable to intended parents and GSs.
"I think that when everyone at the company fully believes in a mission, and every employee strives to achieve the same goal, actions correlate with set standards, and no compromises have to be made," adds Amy. "At West Coast Surrogacy, we've been operating from a place of ethical standards for 17 years, and because of that, we were able to minimize innate risks of pregnancy. We always put our surrogates, parents, and the baby first. I've noticed many agencies boast about how many surrogates they've accepted, but that approach is very money-centric. Of course, this is a business, but we would never make compromises that affect WCS' integrity."
