There are many steps and things to consider before starting the surrogacy process and during the process. First, you must have been trying to conceive and have difficulty getting pregnant or be unable to carry a healthy pregnancy all the way through. There are two types of surrogacy that someone needs to consider: traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy. A traditional surrogacy occurs when the woman becomes pregnant with her own egg, while a gestational surrogacy occurs when the woman is donated an egg. “Gestational surrogacy is much more common than traditional surrogacy these days, because it allows a wide range of different individuals and couples who need reproductive assistance to become biological parents of a child.” (When) The next step to think about is whether or not the parents want to go through the surrogacy process with an agency or independently. Using an agency during this process will help you not have to worry about the financial and legal issues that come with dealing with it independently. There are two different types of agencies you can rely on: large agencies and smaller agencies. The only problem with different agencies is that there is a big price difference between the two and there are also some things that each agency will do for you. “Basically, a great agency “holds your hand” through the entire process, including assistance when the baby is born. Expect to pay around $120,000 for a large agency, which includes insurance coverage for the surrogate mother.” (Pass) Smaller agencies will help you along the way, but there are some things during the process that you will have to do yourself, which is why it is less expensive than going through a larger agency. The last option would be to proceed independently where you find your surrogate, be it a