NPR’s 1A Podcast’s Surrogacy Interview with Ashley Mareko

As we enter into the second half of 2022, we are happy to announce our first surrogacy interview with National Public Radio’s (NPR) 1A (First Amendment) Talk show.

How the Pandemic Reshaped Surrogacy

In a 1A podcast interview, SurrogateFirst’s Ashley Mareko joined an expert panel to explore how the COVID‑19 pandemic has reshaped the surrogacy landscape—affecting supply, costs, and health protocols.

The show is produced by WAMU 88.5 servicing the Washington DC metro.

In this long-ranging interview about the strain the pandemic is putting on the surrogacy industry, our very own Program Director, Ashley Mareko, was invited to speak about her experience as a fourth-time surrogate!

Ashley is joined by:

Dr. Deepika Garg, MD

OBGYN; professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine

Melissa Brisman, Esq.

Reproductive lawyer and founder of Reproductive Possibilities.

Key Highlights from the NPR 1A Interview:

• Surrogacy Trends: According to the CDC, gestational surrogates gave birth to over 18,400 babies in the U.S. between 1999 and 2013—highlighting steady growth in the use of surrogacy as a family-building option.
• Pandemic-Induced Surrogacy Shortage: The New York Times reported a 60% drop in available surrogates during the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused longer wait times and significantly higher costs for intended parents.
• Vaccine Hesitancy vs. Parental Requirements: Many potential surrogates were hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, while intended parents increasingly required it—especially given research showing that vaccinated mothers pass protective antibodies to their babies in utero.
• Increased Emotional and Legal Strain: Guests discussed the emotional toll on both surrogates and intended parents, as well as the legal uncertainties caused by travel restrictions and evolving public health policies.
• Voices from the Field: The panel included SurrogateFirst’s Ashley Mareko, an OBGYN, and a reproductive lawyer—offering firsthand insight into how agencies and families adapted during a volatile time for surrogacy.

The interviewer additionally asks about the state of surrogacy from a legal standpoint, international surrogacy, and the high costs to hire a surrogate to start a family in the United States.

Listen to the full surrogacy interview here