Meet Eran Amir – Creator of GoStork
How My Fertility Journey Inspired Me to Help Others Start Their Own
Eran Amir
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) helps many intended parents achieve their dream of parenthood. While the treatments and processes involved can be complicated and expensive, they’re not reserved for only the rich and famous.
I’m so grateful to be just one of many success stories. My personal journey included surrogacy, egg donation and IVF – and involved, like so many others, a complicated start. Researching my options, finding an egg donor and choosing my other providers was a long and inefficient process, with many difficult and confusing moments along the way. This inspired me to create GoStork: the first fertility marketplace where intended parents can much more easily find, compare and connect with top fertility providers. To apply for a grant, it’s ideal to have your provider selected prior – and included in your application. This is where we come in. But first, I thought it would help to share…
My Surrogacy Story
I always wanted to be a father. Getting there was quite the journey. My story begins in 2016 – and it’s hard to believe now, only a few years later, how much life has changed. Today I have a beautiful daughter, Ariel, and a new company supporting many other intended parents (which, in a way, is also my baby).
To be honest, I was completely naive at the beginning – I didn’t have friends or family who had gone through surrogacy. I spent weeks researching, completely losing track of the countless hours, weeding through many different websites, and making a ton of phone calls, back and forth emails, etc. just to get basic information (such as all of the costs involved). The fertility industry is an amazing ecosystem of providers that helps so many, but it’s also scattered with no central source of structured information, very little transparency and no simple way to compare options ‘apples to apples’. I also found it very difficult to find an egg donor – I had specific criteria that I was looking for and each agency has a limited inventory so I had to go to four different agencies before I found ‘the one’. I’ve now learned this is a common experience for many other intended parents – so if you’re going through it as well, I can relate!
Eventually, I found a well established, full-service surrogacy agency with a strong track record, great reviews, and a team I could trust. Three months later, I matched with a wonderful gestational carrier. Everything then really fell into place in June of 2018 with the birth of my amazing little Ariel. Despite all the difficulties at the beginning, I’ve been so grateful for my journey. Just like Baby Quest’s story of being founded by incredibly generous parents whose own daughter experienced infertility, it often takes something directly touching your life to realize that you can be of help to many others on a similar path.
My surrogacy journey inspired me to create GoStork…
In early 2019, I left my career and started working on a marketplace that brings transparency to the fertility industry and simplifies the first steps in the family building journey – through unique tools and an easy-to-use, 100% free platform.
It has been a labor of love (some days I’ll admit were more labor than love) but in June of 2020, we launched GoStork. We are now the only fertility marketplace where you can search over 50 top surrogacy agencies, filter by your needs/preferences, compare options side-by-side and instantly message them or book appointments directly on their calendars. We also make it so much easier for intended parents to find their perfect egg donor. At over 10,000 egg donors from various different agencies all in one place, we’re the largest free online database! For both surrogacy agencies and egg donors, we list all costs upfront (transparency you won’t find anywhere else), helping intended parents save money and – particularly for readers here – have more clarity in advance of grant applications.
Financing Fertility
Speaking of fees – again, it’s no secret that third party reproduction is expensive. A fresh egg donor cycle can cost an average of $25,000 while surrogacy can range from $75,000 to $140,000. Luckily, grants, such as those offered by the Baby Quest Foundation, help you get closer to achieving your dream.
As mentioned, an important step involved when applying for a grant is usually to identify the fertility provider you will work with. Well established grant providers – including Baby Quest – ask for a medical declaration by the reproductive specialist who will be performing the procedure. You will also need to submit an overview of the costs of treatment and other fees, such as those related to the agency, the lawyer, the gestational carrier and, if applicable, the egg donor.
A Few Final Thoughts…
GoStork is what I would have wanted when I was lost at the beginning of my search. I named Ariel as my co-founder and needless to say, she is just as thrilled as I am that we’re supporting so many more intended parents as well as the rest of the fertility industry along the way! Just like the Baby Quest Foundation, we’ll continue working tirelessly to help intended parents achieve their dream of parenthood.
About Eran Amir
With more than 20 years of experience, Eran Amir has worked as both a software development and product management executive in Israel and the Greater New York Area. The development of GoStork combines his professional skill set with a personal mission. After undergoing a long, difficult, and costly process to expand his family via surrogacy and egg donation, Amir vowed to help other intended parents avoid the complexity and confusion he experienced. His passion led to the creation of GoStork, which proudly names Amir’s two-year-old daughter as its co-founder.