When considering using surrogacy as a way to grow or build your family, you might be drawn to destinations that offer high medical and legal standards but are also more affordable while still providing ethical care. Armenia is high on that list. 

Here’s everything you need to know about working with an Armenian surrogacy agency, including legal issues, medical care, trust-building, and especially the costs you can expect.

Why Choose an Armenian Surrogacy Agency for Your Journey?

When you choose to partner with an Armenia surrogacy agency, you can find many advantages overall:

• Legal Expertise: Surrogacy has been legal in Armenia since the law on Human Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights was adopted in 2002. Recent updates have also been made to further clarify eligibility, surrogate age, parental rights, and the documentation processes that are involved.
• Only Gestational Surrogacy: Traditional surrogacy, where the surrogate contributes her own egg, is prohibited. Only gestational surrogacy is legally permitted in Armenia. 
• Eligibility: Intended parents can include married heterosexual couples and single individuals. Surrogates also have to meet strict medical and psychological criteria in order to be considered. The laws in Armenia also ensure that the intended parents are recognized on the child’s birth certificate, pending a DNA test to confirm the genetic link.

Because of these somewhat complex rules, it’s best to work with an experienced Armenia surrogacy agency that can help with the matching process, contracts, medical referrals, and legalities involved in your surrogacy journey. 

What to Look for in an Armenian Surrogacy Agency

When you’re looking for an agency in Armenia you can trust with one of the biggest decisions of your life, you will want to take a close look at several different factors, including the following:

• Cost Transparency: The agency you work with should be able to provide you with a detailed breakdown of all the costs involved, from surrogate compensation to medical and legal fees, IVF and embryo transfers, to travel and accommodations. 
• Reputation: You should also look closely at the agency’s reputation and success rates. Look for reviews, references, and statistics from other intended parents who have actually completed their journeys with the agency.
• Legal Support: The agency should handle the notarized contracts in Armenia as well as the birth certificate registration. They should also help with any international legal recognition that might be required in your home country. 
• Medical Quality: The clinics that are associated with the agency you are looking at should be using modern IVF labs, have competent obstetrics care, and full monitoring for the surrogate. 
• Surrogate Care: An ethical agency is one that will ensure proper medical screening, fair compensation, psychological counseling, and prenatal care. They will also ensure that your rights as the intended parent are protected. 

How to Balance Cost With Care and Trust in Armenia

The cost of surrogacy in Armenia is actually lower than in many Western countries, which is why it’s such an attractive location for those looking to take their surrogacy journey international. 

When choosing an agency, you don’t want to choose one based purely on the price. There are some lower-cost options, yes, but those might also come with minimal oversight, unknown medical clinics, or weak legal protection that could put you in an unethical situation. A good agency will be fully transparent about the costs involved and will outline what’s included and show you where you might incur additional or even unexpected fees. 

Also, even though Armenia allows intended parents to be named at birth, you still have to do all the legal work in your home country as well. This includes citizenship, immigration, and recognition of parentage. The right Armenian surrogacy agency can help you coordinate all of this and get it done properly.

Finally, make sure to also vet surrogate care standards at each agency you’re considering. Counselors, psychological evaluations, health insurance, maternal healthcare, and ongoing support are important on any surrogacy journey, domestic or international. 

Finding Your Way Forward

As you work your way forward toward taking the next steps to build your family, you’ll find during your research that the option of using an Armenia surrogacy agency can provide you with a well-balanced mix of legal clarity, ethical care, and lower costs overall. 

However, the success of your journey also depends on choosing the right agency. Make sure you go with one that highlights transparent costs while still maintaining high medical and legal standards. You should also ensure that they treat each surrogate mother with nothing short of dignity and care. 

So, if you’re considering this path, take your time researching agencies, speak to other intended parents who have gone through the process themselves, and consult legal counsel in both Armenia and your home country so you can make the best decision for your family.