Your Fertility Advocate Families!
Were you happy with surrogate you were matched with?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“We had a very professional and respectful relationship with our surrogate. She understood that we were coming into surrogacy with a lot of trauma, and that we were cautious about attending early appointments and receiving medical updates. She was always respectful and empathetic to our needs, often asking if we wanted to know information/see pictures before sharing news with us. Overall, it was a positive experience and we both felt each other out as our journey evolved and progressed, especially as Matthew and I become more involved and started attending more appointments etc. We never got the impression that our surrogate wanted a close relationship, which was OK with us given our history and emotional state/bandwidth coming into this journey.
In general, our surrogate’s communication was to the point, courteous, and professional, and her messages were often sweet and encouraging. We had a few instances where the lack of easy back and forth between us became more difficult to navigate (for example, when our doctor had some concerns about our surrogate’s willingness to take the first PIO shot at a specific time, or when our OB wanted her to relocate to LA prior to her due date). In these cases, our surrogate expressed unwillingness/unhappiness with these plans/requests, but was less able to articulate her exact concerns, which left us in the dark and anxious. However, in all of these circumstances, YFA was extremely responsive, working with us and all parties to figure out solutions that worked best. With the amazing team from YFA in our corner we always felt supported, even in situations where our communication with our surrogate was more difficult.
In the end, seeing our surrogate in her element giving birth to baby girl made the journey feel complete and perfect. We are so grateful to her and she will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
Did you find the agency and staff helpful, attentive, and caring?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“Yes, yes and yes. I cannot express enough how much YFA turned our infertility/surrogacy experience around for us. Were it not for YFA, I’m not sure we would have had the strength to continue after so many losses and failures. We had previously been matched with a different, larger agency who treated us like a nameless, faceless entity — their communication with us was dismissive, often verging on abusive. We got the distinct impression that IPs did not matter at all from that agency; that we were open targets for abuse/manipulation, and we often felt this agency took advantage of our desperation and fragile emotional state.
From the first conversation I had with Megan (the owner) on the phone, I knew YFA was different. I cried after our call because it was the first time I had been treated with such empathy and understanding this entire journey. I didn’t know an agency like this could even exist in this industry. Megan’s own experience with infertility and as an IP added a layer of shared understanding — plus, it was clear Megan was smart and professional and ethical. She helped us navigate some difficult situations with Dr. with professionalism and care. When our first match with our first surrogate fell through, Megan told us she would open her books to us and set up a match meeting with whoever we wanted. She also said if we found another agency, she would be happy to refund us, and that her only goal was for us to have a healthy baby. We were so, so, so incredibly touched by Megan’s humanity. I’m crying writing about it even now. It meant so much to us and came at a time where we had almost lost hope.
The team at YFA was also fantastic. We always felt heard and supported. They went above and beyond to make things happen — for example, FaceTiming with our surrogate at 5am to ensure she took her PIO shot on time, setting up appointments with a nutritionist, helping us find a hotel for when our OB wanted our surrogate to move to LA to be close to Cedars to deliver. We felt like ALL parties in our journey mattered and that YFA cared about everyone’s experience.
So yes, to conclude — Matthew and I both felt like we mattered, which we do not take for granted, especially in this industry and given our history. We mark our 5 year experience with infertility as “before YFA” and “after YFA.” This experience was always going to be hard, but it made such a difference to go through this journey feeling supported by a team, with the right people who really cared about us. Thank you, thank you, thank you YFA.”
Did you feel you were given expert guidance throughout the process?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“Yes to all the above! See my answer to previous question. We always felt supported and that YFA had trusted resources/advisors/professionals to consult whenever needed.”
Was communication transparent, open and effective?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“Yes. Communication from everyone at YFA was timely, open, empathetic, and professional. Messages were easy to understand and we never felt like we had to drive the process forward or check in to make sure things were happening. We were always kept up to date. In the event we needed to reach someone, we always found YFA to be extremely responsive and thorough.”
Do you feel the agency was able to problem-solve and resolve issues well?
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
“Absolutely. As I mentioned in previous comments, YFA was able to step in and help us navigate potentially difficult situations with our surrogate. They made us feel heard while also making sure we found solutions that worked for us, our surrogate, and our medical providers. Without their help and guidance, many of these situations could have turned into bigger problems. YFA has a special touch when it comes to speaking to all sides and working towards resolutions that leave everyone feeling heard and valued.”
As told by
— Clare,
YFA Parent(s) who had a surrogacy journey in 2023-2024