Our Role In Your Family Creation

Who and What is FCS?
Fertility Counseling Services (FCS) is one of the largest providers of third party reproduction psychological services in the United States. Founded by Dr. Kimberly Bergman, FCS is here to help YOU!

FCS and Intended Parents
Our goal is to help in the creation of joyful and happy families by assisting in every facet of assisted reproduction. We are here to explore with parents-to-be whether this is the path for them, and to expertly guide parents on this journey of life. We are here for egg donors, sperm donors, and surrogates to help assess if this is the right journey for them and whether they are suitable for these roles. Our assessment of surrogates and donors helps YOU, the future parent(s), know that the key players in the life of their child-to-be are knowledgeable, informed, free from emotional crisis, and ready for joining together in the creation of life.

We are a resource to help link YOU with others such as reproductive endocrinologists and attorneys. We can help guide you in talking to your families, children, and co-workers about family creation.

Our most important role may be in assessing the psychological health of surrogates, egg donors, and sperm donors. We do this through a series of psychological screening tools. The various assessment tools allow us to rule out major mental illness that would preclude anyone from participating in assisted reproduction. The screening helps us to evaluate the underlying assumptions and expectations of surrogates, as well as the type of experience the surrogate is hoping to have before, during, and after a pregnancy. We use this information to facilitate in making the best possible match for surrogates and clients.

FCS and Surrogates
FCS uses psychological screening tools with surrogates to evaluate their motivation, expectations, stability, support and underlying assumptions and beliefs about surrogacy and the surrogacy process. The spouses, partners, or significant others of all surrogates are also screened for reports of mental illness and support of the surrogacy process.

Our surrogates are screened with the Minnesota-Multiphasic Personality Interview-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher), the Quickview Social History (Giannetti), a brief mental status review, and a one-hour Psychological Interview (Bergman). These screening tools allow us to rule out any overt or reported symptoms of psychological distress at the time of the screening. We do not use these tools to make clinical diagnosis, but to rule out major mental illness.

The MMPI-2 is the most widely used screening tool and is the "gold standard" for assessment of major mental illness and social / personal maladjustment. It is used to screen out anyone who is currently experiencing major mental illness and/or current emotional crisis. The test was extensively assessed for validity and reliability on multiple populations.

The Quickview screens for various psychological, physical, or social problems. It also clarifies areas for follow-up in the face-to-face interview. The Quickview covers nine major areas: "demographics, developmental history, family of origin, educational history, marital history, occupation history/financial status, legal history, military history, and a symptom screen (psychological and physical)" (Giannetti, Pearson assessments).

Our Surrogate Psychological Assessment Interview Guide was developed by Kim Bergman, Ph.D., and is the gold standard screening tool for surrogates. It is a one-hour interview that assesses a surrogate and her partner/husband on various topics including expectations and opinions about surrogacy, the type of intended parents they want to work with, and the type of involvement they are hoping for before, during, and after a pregnancy. It also includes a thorough review of a surrogate's life history to the present day and is used to clarify any questions that may arise from the other testing tools.

FCS also provides ongoing support and monitoring of your surrogate throughout the surrogacy process. We have found that monitoring surrogates helps provide a sense of ease, a security blanket for intended parents, gained through knowing that your surrogate has someone to talk to about feelings that may come up during this long process. We help to facilitate resolution of issues that may arise and help to coordinate care between the team of expert professionals that make up your support system including client services, admissions, and legal care. We are available to the surrogate so that she knows she has someone to go to for additional support and understanding.

FCS and Ovum Donors
Our egg donors are screened with the Minnesota-Multiphasic Personality Interview-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher), the General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA; Naglieri & Bardos), and a Psychological Interview (Bergman).

The MMPI-2 is the most widely used screening tool and is the "gold standard" for assessment of major mental illness and social / personal maladjustment. It is used to screen out anyone who is currently experiencing major mental illness and/or current emotional crisis. The test was extensively assessed for validity and reliability on multiple populations.

The GAMA is a brief, self-administered, non-verbal assessment of IQ, which uses designs, shapes, and colors to make an estimate of general intellectual ability (Pearson Assessments). It is a test that has been shown to have reliability and validity by age, race, gender, ethnicity, education level and geographic region. It provides us with an IQ classification from Well-below Average to Very-Superior, along with the percentage of adults at or above this range (e.g., an 86% ranking means her performance would be equal to or greater than that of 86% of people in the standardization sample of her age).

Our Donor Psychological Assessment Interview Guide was developed by Kim Bergman, Ph.D., and is the gold standard screening tool for donors. It is a one-hour interview that assess a donor on her understanding of egg donation, her emotional readiness, the type of parents she would be willing to donate to, as well as the level of anonymity she requires. It also includes a thorough review of a donor's life history to the present day and is used to clarify any questions that may arise from the other testing tools.

FCS and Sperm Donors
FCS provides one of the most comprehensive psychological evaluations in the industry. We provide a unique service by psychologically screening every sperm donor. We offer this psychological screen in conjunction with standard medical and genetic testing. All of our sperm donors are screened with the Minnesota-Multiphasic Personality Interview-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher), and the General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA; Naglieri & Bardos).

The MMPI-2 is the most widely used screening tool and is the "gold standard" for assessment of major mental illness and social / personal maladjustment. It is used to screen out anyone who is currently experiencing major mental illness and/or current emotional crisis. The test was extensively assessed for validity and reliability on multiple populations.

The GAMA is a brief, self-administered, non-verbal assessment of IQ, which uses designs, shapes, and colors to make an estimate of general intellectual ability (Pearson Assessments). It is a test that has been shown to have reliability and validity by age, race, gender, ethnicity, education level and geographic region. It provides us with an IQ classification from Well-below Average to Very-Superior, along with the percentage of adults at or above this range (e.g., an 86% ranking means his performance would be equal to or greater than that of 86% of people in the standardization sample of his age).

Our Point-of-View
You need to know that both your surrogate and egg donor are emotionally available and appropriate to be part of your journey into parenthood. And, you want to know that your sperm donor meets certain psychological and intellectual qualifications. We want to free you up to focus on the joys of upcoming parenthood while not having to worry about the emotional well being of your surrogate. For many, the journey to parenthood has already been an emotionally draining, bumpy, and difficult experience. This changes now. Although always emotional, the road to parenthood can be paved with joy, laughter, love, and kindness.

JOIN us on this happy road while we help you to create joyful and happy families.

Dr. Bergman brings her expertise in the field of family creation and assisted reproduction, offering psychological and support services, to assist in all areas of family creation. Dr. Bergman and Trudi Strasberg, Executive Mental Health Coordinator, are available to assist those who are interested in beginning this journey to parenthood through assisted reproduction.

We hope to maintain long and "productive" relationships with all of you involved in growing future generations of lives. Our relationship does not need to end with the donation of your egg, the birth of a child, or the beginning of your family tree—you can continue to use us as a resource for ongoing family creation and family identity issues. Please contact us for information, opportunities, or for any other question, thought, or comment on fertility and assisted reproduction that you might have. We look forward to hearing from you!