Surrogacy Guide book cover with illustrated gay dads and baby, highlighting featured article by Marlon Menendez, available at Barnes & Noble

Why This Surrogacy Guide Belongs in Every Intended Parent’s Toolkit

By Marlon Menendez, Fertility Coach and Surrogacy Dad
The American Stork

If you’re just beginning your surrogacy journey—or even considering whether third-party reproduction is right for you—finding trustworthy, relatable resources is essential. As a fertility coach and a two-time parent through donor conception and gestational surrogacy, I’ve seen how overwhelming the path to parenthood can be. That’s why I’m so excited to share this Surrogacy Guide a heartfelt recommendation: Surrogacy Guide: Baby or Not, Here We Grow by Virginia Frank.This isn’t just another fertility book. It’s a lifeline.

A Book That Understands Intended Parents

Virginia Frank, a reproductive law attorney with years of hands-on experience, created this guide with the intended parent in mind. It’s part how-to manual, part personal journal, and 100% grounded in empathy and ethics. Whether you’re exploring gestational surrogacy in the U.S. or internationally, including more affordable destinations like Bogotá, Colombia, this book offers a clear, compassionate roadmap.

Illustrated by Sarah Marie Adamson and edited by Melissa N. Martínez, the book includes real voices—including mine. On pages 26–27, I share how my husband and I built our family abroad, choosing cross-border surrogacy for both its affordability and integrity. The book reflects journeys like ours while offering valuable insights for anyone navigating fertility care.

Why It Stands Out in the Fertility World

In an industry often driven by agencies and marketing-heavy platforms, it’s refreshing to find a professionally written, ethically grounded surrogacy resource that doesn’t push an agenda. This book empowers intended parents with real knowledge: legal guidance, step-by-step planning, and emotional support.

Even better? It includes space for your reflections. This small but powerful detail turns the book into a keepsake—one you can use throughout the process and look back on years later.

For Coaches, Clinics, and Families Alike

As someone who coaches intended parents—especially LGBTQ+ families and individuals pursuing surrogacy in Colombia or other affordable international options—I’ve already added this guide to my recommended resources. It’s informative without being clinical, honest without being overwhelming, and inclusive without being generic.

It’s rare to find a fertility book that’s both expert-driven and emotionally aware. Virginia Frank strikes that balance beautifully.

Final Thoughts: A Must-Have for the Surrogacy Journey

If you’re building a family through ART—whether through IVF, egg donation, or surrogacy—this guide will help you feel informed, organized, and supported.

At The American Stork, we believe everyone deserves access to ethical, affordable, and compassionate fertility care. This book aligns with that mission. It’s a tool we’ll recommend again and again—because resources like this make all the difference.

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Keywords: surrogacy journey, intended parent resources, fertility coach, surrogacy in Bogotá Colombia, donor conception, cross-border surrogacy, ethical surrogacy guide, LGBTQ+ family building, fertility book recommendation, assisted reproduction support