Costs of surrogacy in the USA

Surrogacy can represent a major expenditure for families. The surrogacy process includes many services and requires the participation of a wide variety of professionals to succeed. Each of these steps and individuals contribute to its total cost.

Surrogacy costs will largely depend on the surrogate’s compensation. Another factor impacting expenses is the cost of medical care, which is higher in the United States than in many other countries. Consequently, the cost of surrogacy in the United States is relatively high, ranging from $60,000 to $150,000. The total amount largely depends on the individual case.

Here are the main factors affecting the cost of a surrogacy cycle:

Agency fees

Agency fees are one of the fixed costs of a surrogacy arrangement. This payment covers all of the services provided by the surrogacy agency, and it may fluctuate depending on the agency or the state in which surrogacy is performed. Typical services provided by the agency fee include:

• Marketing and advertising

Even though some intended parents choose to work with a surrogate they already know, most need to find a woman who wants to be a gestational carrier. Marketing expenses can make up a substantial portion of agency fees, but are vital to increasing the chances of finding a qualified candidate.

• Screening and matching

Matching services help intended parents and prospective surrogates find a qualified match. Applicants must be screened by agency professionals to determine whether the candidate is suitable. These expenses generally cover background checks, medical and psychological evaluations, in-home assessments, and interviews.

• Support

Surrogacy agencies provide counseling, education, and mediation services that both surrogates and intended parents may need throughout the surrogacy journey. These services account for a small portion of the total costs of a surrogacy arrangement, but they can be a great asset for both intended parents and surrogates.

• Additional agency services

Agency fees, especially for full-service surrogacy agencies, may also include additional services such as insurance assessment to confirm that the surrogate’s insurance will cover the pregnancy and delivery.

Nonetheless, working with a surrogacy agency is not the only possibility for intended parents. There is also the option of choosing an independent surrogacy. An independent match does not involve an agency and consequently avoids these expenses. However, if intended parents opt for independent surrogacy, they will also miss out on the services that often ensure the success and safety of the cycle.

Variable expenses

In addition to agency fees, intended parents who embark on a surrogacy journey also face a series of variable costs. These expenses typically include:

• Legal costs

One of the most important aspects of every surrogacy is the signing of a surrogacy contract that outlines each party’s rights, roles, and responsibilities. Both intended parents and the surrogate need independent attorneys to negotiate this contract. Legal representation fees vary depending on state laws and the particular circumstances of the case.

• Surrogate compensation

One of the main expenses impacting the cost of surrogacy is surrogate compensation. A base compensation is generally set prior to the reproductive treatment. It typically ranges between $30,000 and $40,000, depending on the surrogate’s qualification and other factors.

• Medical expenses

Intended parents also are responsible for covering the expenses of the surrogacy medical procedures such as evaluations, IVF, prenatal care and other related servoces. Total medical expenses can vary depending on the surrogate’s insurance, the number of embryo transfer attempts to achieve a pregnancy, the course of the pregnancy or the chosen fertility clinic.

Final thoughts and recommendations

Surrogacy can be a significant financial effort, but most surrogacy agencies have financing options available for hopeful intended parents.

Since there are many factors that can influence the fees associated with this process, it is not easy to predict how much a surrogacy cycle will cost. Just as no two surrogacy journeys are the same, the total cost of different surrogacy arrangements are almost never identical.

We advise intended parents to carefully research costs and compare surrogacy agency budgets and services before starting their journey to ensure they choose the most suitable option.