Navigating the Journey: KinPath Surrogacy Champions LGBTQ+ Family Building
BY MARK ARIEL
Paul Norris-Ongso and Josh Norris-Ongso, the founders of KinPath Surrogacy, have been a couple for 18 years, having first met at a friend’s party in Melbourne, Australia.
When asked about the personal experiences that led them to launch their agency, Josh explains:
“Although Paul was a lawyer and I was a physiotherapist running my own business, we chose to use an agency in Thailand for our own surrogacy journey, through which we had our three children. However, we encountered many frustrating gaps throughout the process—especially in communication from both the agency and the doctor. We saw several red flags and concluded that intended parents deserved a much better experience: more transparency, upfront knowledge, and the ability to make informed decisions.”
“This mission led us to offer free seminars to share our knowledge. The demand was so overwhelming that Paul left his career as a lawyer, preferring to help people create a family over being an intellectual property litigator. We then launched KinPath Surrogacy just 12 months ago, and the agency has been growing ever since.”
FIXED-FEE, ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE
KinPath Surrogacy offers a complete, fixed-fee, all-inclusive package that covers the entire journey until parents are safely home with their child. This comprehensive service also extends to the surrogate, who receives support for three months post-delivery to ensure her full physical and emotional recovery.
ETHICAL STANDARDS, SURROGATE MATCHING
KinPath prioritizes an ethical experience by putting the surrogate’s rights and medical best practice above all else. For example, the agency rarely allows twin pregnancies, even if requested by intended parents, to avoid the high risks of premature birth. Surrogates are kept involved in all medical decisions.
When matching parents with a surrogate, KinPath uses a process based on mutual consent. They recruit surrogates in-house and offer one profile at a time to parents who are ready (i.e., those with embryos). The process involves sharing the parents’ profile with the surrogate first. If she agrees, her profile is shared with the parents. A video call is the final step, after which the match is officially finalized only if both parties agree.
ADVICE FOR LGBTQ+ PARENTS
KinPath is dedicated to addressing the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community. They often have to manage expectations around donor selection and work hard to find solutions for complex cases, such as clients with infectious diseases or transgender clients who may not be accepted by all clinics. By utilizing multiple clinics in multiple countries, they advise clients on the best options and programs for their specific circumstances.
The founders offer the following advice to other gay couples considering surrogacy:
Clarify Your Intentions Early: Discuss the number of children and biological parentage upfront to smooth the process.
Do Thorough Homework: Talk directly to reputable, transparent agencies and avoid relying on misleading online forums.
Prioritize Legality: Only pursue surrogacy in legal and regulated destinations.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS, INDUSTRY SHIFTS
The founders identify several common misconceptions about surrogacy for gay parents, stating that the process is not like “buying a car”; it is a complex, human, and emotional journey. It is also not always predictable, as setbacks in biology and human factors are normal. Furthermore, the focus must always be on health over aesthetics (avoiding the “designer baby” expectation), and parents must be prepared for the journey to require patience, as the timeline is not short.
Finally, the biggest change KinPath has witnessed in the industry is the highly unstable legal and geographic landscape, with countries constantly opening and closing to international surrogacy. This instability underscores the need to work with an adaptable agency that always operates within clear legal frameworks.
For more info visit: www.kinpathsurrogacy.com.
