For ethical reasons, and consistent with the requirements at most U.S. clinics, we have an Intended Parent maximum age of 55yo, or a combined 110yo with a dual-Intended Parent household.
At Hatch we require that our Intended Parents have at least 2 PGT-A tested embryos to be matched with a surrogate, and that the Intended Parent's IVF physician determines these embryos to be "viable." Note that we can accept signups to the program with one or no embryos, but those Intended Parents must be willing to create more embryos while on the match list for a Hatch surrogate. PGT, or pre-implantation genetic testing, is the standard in ensuring high success rates in IVF procedures. Hatch surrogates are well-versed in knowing that in working with Intended Parents with PGT-A tested embryos, that they will likely need only 1 or 2 transfers to deliver successfully. Furthermore, given our fixed fee program - and our desire to have everyone (surrogate and Intended Parent) succeed in the goal of a healthy live birth - we ask for Intended Parents to give our surrogates more than one chance at that goal.
Intended Parents signing up for the Hatch surrogacy program must have a medical need for surrogacy. "Medical need" is a written determination by a licensed physician that the Intended Mother is incapable of carrying a pregnancy to term, or that by doing so it would endanger the Intended Mother's and/or Child’s health. When partnering with Hatch’s in-house IVF clinic Pacific Fertility Centers Los Angeles, the determination can also be made by our physicians, taking into account the Intended Mother’s previous medical history (history of numerous IVF transfers, miscarriage etc). This need extends to psychological need, as determined in writing by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. Single men, gay couples, or individuals biologically incapable of carrying a pregnancy are presumed to have a medical need.
Hatch surrogates see their service to their Intended Parents as a wonderful gift, and we expect our Intended Parents to respond in kind with (minimally) weekly contact with our surrogates. Usually this takes the form of texting, but phone calls, video chats, and in-person ultrasound visits are all ways that our Intended Parents bond with their surrogates. If you view the surrogacy relationship as transactional, then Hatch is not the best agency for you.
We require basic proficiency in English to be an Intended Parent at Hatch. Our contracts and communications with our Intended Parents are in English. Surrogates expect to have a relationship with their Intended Parents, and English language proficiency facilitates those connections.
We perform background checks on all of our Intended Parents. Any history of violent offences, assault, domestic violence, or armed incidents will be considered disqualifying for the program. We need to ensure to our surrogates that they are delivering a child into a safe home.
We require our Intended Parents to speak with a psychologist, psychiatrist, family therapist, or clergy about their intention to enter into a surrogacy arrangement, and have that individual write a letter attesting to the Intended Parent's preparedness for the journey. This session is for the benefit of the Intended Parents as much as Hatch, and we will provide a recommended list of psychologists/family therapists specializing in assisted reproduction if you do not have an existing therapist or clergy relationship. This requirement is typically completed after the Intended Parents sign up for the match list.
