November 9, 2017

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost?

READ TIME: 3 MIN.

By Bill Houghton
Part 1 of 2.

Surrogacy costs vary widely between countries, ranging from USD 90,000 for a complete program in North America to about $50,000 for a program in Eastern Europe. But as you search the internet for options, you will certainly find occasional agencies making "too good to be true" offers that defy reason. Below is a quick checklist to help know if all your surrogacy costs are included in your offer.

To know which offers are trustworthy, you should make sure their programs are comprehensive. Look at the list of surrogacy services (and costs) below. Ask any agency if their proposed program includes all of these details. If not, you could end up facing a mountain of hidden costs.

Surrogacy costs are typically paid throughout the course of the 14-month long process. For surrogacy programs overseas, payments will be divided into relatively equal, manageable increments. By managing the pace of the program, future parents can also manage when payments come due. In the United States, surrogate compensation is often paid into an escrow account early in the process, requiring a significant upfront investment.

Surrogate administration & preparation: $28,000 in the US / $8,000 overseas

  • Surrogate recruitment
  • Surrogate medical screening
  • Surrogate psych screening
  • Surrogate background check
  • Surrogate preparation
  • Surrogate medication (before the embryo transfer)
  • Surrogate travel for screening & prep
  • Surrogate contract preparation (legal fees)
  • Surrogate contract review (legal fees)

    Egg donor: $18,000 in the US / $4,000 overseas

  • Egg donor compensation
  • Egg donor administration and screening
  • Egg donor contracts
  • Egg donor travel and accommodation
  • Egg donor meds

    Clinical procedures: $15,000 in the US / $7500 overseas

  • Management of clinic procedures and appointments
  • Egg and sperm donation, processing and freezing
  • IVF (with ICSI technique)
  • Egg donor medication
  • Embryo Freezing and storage
  • Embryo Transfer (FET)
  • Subsequent embryo transfer (if the first is not successful)
  • Surrogate medication (during the embryo transfer)
  • FDA male serology panel

    Surrogate Compensation: $50,000 in the US / $15,000 overseas

  • Surrogate Compensation (held in escrow)
  • Escrow Setup fees
  • Surrogate clothing allowance
  • Surrogate home assistance
  • Surrogate allowance for bed-rest
  • Surrogate life insurance
  • Surrogate insurance review

    Surrogate prenatal Care: $12,000 in the US / $7500 overseas

  • Surrogate health insurance (12 months of premiums)
  • All exams, ultrasound and prenatal medical care
  • Surrogate medication (after pregnancy is confirmed)
  • Surrogate Pre-Birth Order
  • Pre-Birth order filing and court fees
  • Surrogate review of Pre-Birth Order

    Delivery of the baby: $7500 in the US / $5000 overseas

  • Standard vaginal delivery
  • C-section delivery (operating room, surgeon, medications)
  • Insurance medical co-payment or deductible
  • Surrogate travel and accommodation to delivery hospital

    More details on understanding the costs of surrogacy programs worldwide can be found online:

  • Financing the high cost of surrogacy.
  • What you need to know about surrogacy success rates.
  • More on surrogate compensation & care.

    A well-managed IVF and Surrogacy package will budget for all of the costs of a surrogacy journey: from surrogate screening to the return home with the baby. Reputable programs may include legal assistance for bringing your baby safely home from overseas. If any of the above services are not included in your program, ask why. Also ask where the services can be done, and how much they will add to the final bottom line of your surrogacy budget.

    In the next post in this two-part series, we will review some specifics of these costs -- including when and where they should be paid, and how to spot warnings signs that your program may not be all it's promised.

    Bill Houghton is a family & surrogacy consultant focused on the LGBT community. His consultancy, Sensible Surrogacy, assists couples navigate affordable and complete surrogacy options through a network of clinics, surrogate recruiters, and legal resources in five countries.

    For more information, visit http://www.sensiblesurrogacy.com

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