Understanding the NY Times Feature: The Surrogate “Shortage” During the Pandemic
We were recently featured in a thoughtful piece in The New York Times, “Desperately Seeking Surrogates”, which explores how a perfect storm of COVID-related hesitance, vaccine concerns, family commitments, and international uncertainties led to a surge in demand—and what’s been called a “shortage” of surrogates.
The article highlights several key pressures:
- COVID‑19 & vaccines: Some potential surrogates were hesitant about vaccination while many intended parents required it.
- Life commitments: With mixed family planning and travel resuming, committing to a surrogacy journey became more complex.
- International barriers: Pandemic restrictions and global instability disrupted overseas surrogacy options, increasing demand domestically.
“With the current shortage, agencies have started trying to lure more surrogates in any way they can.”
At SurrogateFirst, our surrogates are always at the heart of what we do—and seeing this story brings renewed clarity to our mission. We recognize how deeply personal and sometimes challenging this work is, and want every woman we support to feel informed, empowered, and safe.
If you’ve ever thought about becoming a surrogate—or simply want to understand what drives women to take this selfless path—please know our team is here to walk with you, every step of the way.
Read the full NY Times article to explore how global events have impacted women’s choices—and how communities like ours continue to support them.
About SurrogateFirst
SurrogateFirst is 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.
