What does a Surrogacy Coordinator do, anyways?
Your surrogacy coordinator is there to lend a helping hand, and will play a major role in your surrogacy journey. Here's what to know about the role of surrogacy coordinator at a surrogacy agency.
What is the purpose of my surrogacy coordinator?
The primary purpose of a surrogacy coordinator is to advise and educate you on what to expect while guiding you through each step from the initial application to the final health screenings.
Surrogacy coordinators, like those who endeavor for surrogates for SurrogateFirst, also provide the bridge between surrogates and the intended parents. This is arguably the most important thing they do.
Occasionally, privacy concerns come into play in the arrangement, so having a coordinator is prudent when parties want to take the conservative approach.
Surrogacy in the U.S. has a lengthy track record of success, yet it’s not always a guarantee that the contract will go as planned. When things don’t go your way, your coordinator will be there to advise you on the next steps.
What are the responsibilities that my surrogacy coordinator will fulfill?
Depending on the agency's needs, coordinators may perform many duties and have more responsibilities than you might assume.
Some agencies task their coordinators with following up with leads on potential surrogates, including the initial screenings after a surrogate applies. Either way, they'll be vital to understanding what surrogacy is and what it isn't because many women get started in surrogacy without knowing what to expect beforehand.
For instance, the medical requirements may take you by surprise since the health of a gestational surrogate correlates to how well they’ll do with fertility medications. Along those lines, a surrogacy coordinator will maintain the business relationships between fertilization clinics at the agency.
Lastly, surrogacy coordinators work directly with the surrogates and the intended parents to ensure everything is in order. Still, it's common for unexpected situations to arise, so that's when a surrogate coordinator really shines.
A surrogacy coordinator's experience in the industry is incredibly valuable, especially when the coordinator is a former intended parent or surrogate.
We pride ourselves in staffing surrogacy coordinators who have been surrogates or intended parents in the past–these are those with firsthand knowledge of needs at each stage of the surrogacy journey!
Will my surrogacy coordinator make medical decisions for me?
No matter what, your surrogacy coordinator will be a partner working on your behalf, serving an advisory role, but they will never make the final medical decisions for you.
Any health decisions will be yours and only yours because respecting your privacy matters the most!
Surrogacy coordinators aren’t medical professionals, so they won’t even be able to provide you with the answers if something goes awry.
What they can do is help you work with the fertility clinic in question if communication is the problem. Either way, your coordinator will be your advocate when you need the support most!
How does one qualify to become a surrogacy coordinator?
At a minimum, you must have compassion and empathize with the struggles of those who can't conceive children naturally.
Similarly, it helps to share the values of the agency in question, since not all surrogacy agencies approach things in the same manner. Some rely on building relationships; others keep their distance and keep things solely professional!
In that sense, choosing an agency is a matter of preference, so a surrogate coordinator needs to provide you with the right kind of support. As such, previous experience in a customer-facing role is essential.
Proficiency in the administrative work behind the scenes may require at least a familiarity with standard office software.
How much do surrogacy coordinators make?
Now that we've gone over the most important details, the last question is: how much do surrogacy coordinators really make?
As you might expect, you can earn a better salary with more experience, but if you're a former surrogate or intended parent, that should give you enough credibility to ask for higher pay.
Numbers-wise, you can expect to earn anywhere between $22,000 and $93,000 per year as a surrogate coordinator, according to ZipRecruiter's stats.
On the other hand, the average salary sits at about $53,000, so this career path is viable if you're looking for a middle-income job that makes an outsized difference in people's lives everyday!
Overall, the takeaway is that surrogacy coordinators manage the entire process on your behalf, so you can focus on taking care of your new bundle of joy.
About SurrogateFirst
We're a boutique surrogate agency specializing in quickly matching intended parents around the world with our fully-vetted, exceptional surrogates.
We help individuals and couples, regardless of race or sexual orientation, build their families through the miracle of surrogacy.
Every team member at SurrogateFirst is either a former intended parent or an experienced surrogate herself. We also have first-hand knowledge of what it takes to have an incredible, successful surrogate journey.
Speak with a surrogacy coordinator who is an experienced surrogate with our agency today and learn more about how to become a surrogate or if you need to find a suitable surrogate.
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