How Much Does Surrogacy Cost for Intended Parents?

Everything you wanted to know about surrogacy prices, explained by experts you can trust.

Gestational surrogacy agreements have been helping families conceive for nearly four decades. It’s a well-regarded practice with a high rate of success. Due to the several complexities necessary to achieve surrogacy, this process requires a significant financial investment from intended parents.

In this article, we will discuss the details of surrogate costs so your family can begin to make the necessary preparations. However, it’s important to note that the cost of surrogacy can vary depending on your circumstances. For a more in-depth discussion, contact our team—we can look at your unique needs to determine a more accurate number.

Breaking Down the Cost of Surrogacy for Families

Every family’s path is different—and this is reflected in the ranging cost of surrogacy. Due to this, there is no “one-size-fits-all” price that we, or any surrogacy agency, can quote. Your family’s surrogacy price will depend on you and any third parties also involved in this process (like your surrogate or egg donor.) To get a better idea of what your own surrogacy journey may cost, it helps to break down your necessary expenses.

The cost of surrogacy covers a large range of expenses, the most considerable being your surrogate’s compensation package. Intended parents will also need to budget for other services, like legal representation, insurance and IVF/medical services. Most families also invest in a reputable fertility agency to ensure their process goes smoothly.

Is it Possible to Combine ART Services?

Some families may also require additional ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) services to conceive, like an egg donor, which will be another cost to consider. In the US, egg donors are entitled to receive financial compensation after their transfer. This is paid for by the intended parents. While the compensation rate for egg donors varies, most tend to be $6,000 or more. Aside from this payment, families are also expected to cover any related expenses for their donor, like insurance, travel and medical needs. This will be a separate payment from your surrogacy expenses, but you can avoid extra fees by working with the same agency or legal team for both procedures.

Intended parents often ask us if their surrogate could “double up” and also act as an egg donor. We understand this request, but unfortunately, we cannot recommend or facilitate an agreement of that nature. These types of arrangements (typically called a “traditional” agreement”) are illegal or not legal in most parts of the world, including North America. This is due to the emotional complexities and risks associated with arrangements where a surrogate is biologically related to the baby she carries.

Surrogate Cost: What Is the Range?

As we have mentioned, surrogacy costs cover a massive range. Many unique factors impact your potential surrogate price,so let’s break down the most important ones:

Location

Your surrogate cost rates will be very different depending on your location. Surrogacy typically costs the most in the United States. This is for two main reasons: health insurance costs and the law. Many US states allow for commercial surrogacy, which is not permitted in Canada or Mexico. This type of agreement allows for surrogates to receive financial compensation, which is paid by the intended parents. This compensation package ranges from $30,000- $70,000, depending on individual circumstances.

Your Surrogate’s Circumstances

If you enter a commercial agreement, your surrogate’s circumstances will impact your overall cost. Certain surrogates receive higher compensation rates than others. For instance, more experienced surrogates will generally be paid more. Surrogates who work full-time may also receive higher pay to compensate for lost wages during pregnancy. Similarly, a commercial surrogate’s compensation rate will depend on her pregnancy condition. If your surrogate becomes pregnant with twins or multiples, her compensation package will generally be higher.

Your Unique Circumstances

Most agencies understand that families of all backgrounds and circumstances choose surrogacy. This is why surrogacy costs have such a wide range. Much of it comes down to families’ circumstances, like employment status, finances and place of residency. Some families may also need additional assisted reproductive services, like donated eggs and/or sperm, to achieve a successful surrogacy cycle.

It is important to us that our services are accessible to as many families as possible who need us. That’s why we have several financing options for parents with different budgets.

Your Agency

Most families choose to work with a reputable agency when navigating surrogacy. These agencies were developed to support you throughout your journey and help facilitate important steps of the process, like matching with a surrogate and navigating the legal end of things. These services require payment of an agency fee. Every agency has different fee rates and regulations.

Understanding Surrogacy Cost by Location

While surrogacy agreements are possible across North America, the costs differ greatly depending on legislature and local insurance access. For instance, surrogacy agreements in Canada tend to cost much less than in the USA. This is because Canada does not allow commercial agreements. Intended parents will not be required to pay a compensation package to their surrogate. Furthermore, Canadian surrogacy agreements utilize their universal healthcare system (Medicare), so insurance is not paid for by the intended parents.

Even within a country, surrogacy law is determined by state or province and, therefore, can vary in cost. This is especially true in the USA, where commercial agreements are largely legal.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in the USA?

The US is an enormous place with massive differences in lifestyle. This variety can have a big effect on surrogacy prices. For instance, surrogacy is very popular in California, and gestational carriers are in high demand. California also has a famously strong economy.

These factors allow California surrogates to receive higher compensation packages than in other parts of the country, which impacts your overall cost of surrogacy.

While surrogacy costs in the USA are substantial, the commercial agreement route has many benefits. Most parents appreciate the chance to generously thank the person who played such a crucial role in their family! Furthermore, American/commercial agreements tend to have a swifter timeline due to a more extensive database of surrogates.

How Much Does it Cost to Have a Surrogate With Extraordinary Conceptions?

We understand what a large investment the overall surrogacy costs can be.

While we can only quote you an accurate cost once we know your situation, we can offer reassurance that our agency takes great care to make this a financially viable option for your family. That’s where our STRESS-FREE comes in. We designed this unique program to take some pressure off your surrogacy experience. STRESS-FREE allows families to hold off on paying the full agency fee until match confirmation. Payments are made in installments to a trust once your surrogate has been medically cleared to proceed with the surrogacy process.

We are ready to support you during this exciting time, and thank you for including us in your family’s story.

If you are ready for a conversation about what surrogacy might cost for your needs and circumstances, please email [email protected] or call (760) 438-2265. You can also register to become an intended parent with us.