Choosing a clinic or agency

Choosing a fertility clinic can feel like a fraught process, especially if you’re using a surrogate as not all clinics are experienced at supporting families using surrogacy.

Sometimes, the decision around country and clinic go hand in hand. But sometimes you may have decided on the country but not be sure about which clinic or agency to use.

If you’re looking in the UK, as a starting point the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has a clinic finder search tool that allows you to look at all the UK clinics.

If you are looking for a clinic outside the UK, like many of our members, then the search can be harder as there isn’t a single place with all the information. You have to do a lot of leg work yourself.

DCN membership can connect you with other members who have used a donor and surrogacy to create their family, and we know from experience that being able to ask questions of others who have taken a similar path can be valuable and reassuring.

When you’re deciding on a clinic some things to consider are:

Location – your surrogate will be the one using the clinic the most, so it’s worth considering her location as well as yours when weighing up which clinic to go for. If you’re going abroad you might want to think about travel arrangements in terms of cost and the ease of the journey. When the baby is due you’re going to want to be able to get to where the surrogate is giving birth and be able to stay for long enough, especially if there are any problems and you can’t go home as soon as you’d hoped (if the baby needs medical attention for example) so it’s important to check all that out before making any final decisions.
Legal situation – check the country the clinic is in to see what the legal framework there is and check the situation regarding surrogacy and regarding same-sex couples
Surrogate and donor availability – some surrogacy organisations will offer a full package including surrogate options, egg donor options and clinical treatment. Some clinics have good donor availability but you would have to find your own surrogate. Some clinics have a lot of experience with surrogacy and/or same sex couples whereas others don’t. Don’t just jump for the first option that’s suggested or offered and make sure you spend time researching your options.
Feeling confident – you want to feel happy with the clinic and the team that are looking after you. What suits one person won’t suit another as it’s so personal, but make sure you choose somewhere where you’re well cared for.
Get organised – you might find making a spreadsheet listing your wishes and priorities and then listing any the clinics that interest you. You can then compare and start to sift through your options.