Gestational surrogacy cost is high, but if managed properly, it can be within reach for all intended parents.
Surrogacy cost is so high due to the fact that it is a complex long process, that involves costly medical procedures like IVF, pregnancy care, insurance, legal and logistic help needed, and last but not least, egg donor and surrogate mother compensation and management/coordination fee. In this article, we will explore why surrogacy costs are so high and how to manage it without affecting the quality.
Surrogacy is a process where a woman agrees to carry a baby for another couple or individual who is unable to conceive or carry a child to term. Surrogacy can be an emotionally fulfilling and life-changing decision for intended parents and surrogate mothers. The cost of surrogacy in the USA can range from $100,000 to $225,000. The exact cost will vary depending on a number of factors as mentioned below.
Since no surrogacy journey is the same, the total cost of surrogacy can differ significantly — making it difficult to address the question, “How much does actually surrogacy cost for any specific case?
Many expenses, including surrogacy agency fees, legal fees, and surrogate compensation, would be “fixed.” Additional costs, including medical costs, differ and correlate to the number of transfer attempts required. Besides this, which state or country you choose, if you need an egg donor etc are a few factors that affect the overall surrogacy cost.
In any case, surrogacy is a costly enterprise and it is advised that intended parents set the financial expectation even before starting the surrogacy process. The cost of surrogacy mainly depends on two factors – where the surrogacy is performed and 2nd, the cost of medical care to the location of the surrogate.
How much does surrogacy cost in different parts of the world?
Surrogacy costs vary from place to place due to many factors. For e.g., it is around $130,000 in the USA, $50,000 in Ukraine, $64,000 dollars in Colombia, $85,000 in the UK, $80,000 in Canada, and $45,000 dollars in Georgia. It covers all forms of payments, surrogate charges, legal charges, health expenses, medical treatment, visa assistance as well as delivery.
Why surrogacy is an expensive procedure?
Gestational surrogacy is an expensive procedure because it requires various steps to complete a surrogacy cycle and involves many parties. Each party and each step in the surrogacy process demands compensation for the service provided.
Various steps in the surrogacy cycle and its costs are –
#1. Matching
The most difficult and time-consuming job of the journey is to find a suitable surrogate. A skilled recruiter with access to a network of surrogate agents and other sources shall render the surrogate matching. Depending on the organization and the recruiter the time needed for the successful match will typically range from one month to three months in the United States. It incurs a cost of $12,000 to $20,000 for finding and matching a surrogate.
#2. Legal Cost
Surrogacy requires legal papers setting out each party’s responsibilities, surrogate payments, and more. Apart from the preparation and writing of this document, each expected parent and surrogate requires a lawyer and other resources. Legal expenditure varies under State law and the amount of legal research required in particular circumstances. Further legal services may be needed, depending on the situation of each family. It incurs a cost of around $8,000 to $10,000.
#3. Surrogate cost
Surrogate compensation is one of the greatest costs for wishful parents. Besides, parents shall pay for surrogate legal, medical, educational, and travel expenses, health insurance, and monthly vouchers to cover the costs of pregnancy. A surrogate mother in the United States is paid in a monthly wage from $35,000 to $45,000. For different benefits, she also gets a further $5,000 to $10,000 for twins.
#4. Embryo transfer
IVF itself could cost $20,000 but medications, PGS reviews, embryo transfers, and other minor costs will increase the cost. If the parents are prepared to conceive and transfer their embryos, they pay the clinic. The fee is paid for the donation of eggs, IVF cycles, and the transfer of at least one embryo. Such procedures can take place immediately following the clearance of fees. IVF with embryo transfer usually costs between $25,000 to $30,000.
#5. Prenatal Care
Payment starts for prenatal treatment after a pregnant mother has been confirmed. She will continue to receive prenatal care when the bHCG test shows that the surrogate is pregnant. It will include regular visits to your office, monthly ultrasound scans, and various supplements of vitamins and hormones as well as inspections by the travel coordinator of your agency. She will also begin to receive her monthly benefits and other benefits. This will cost around $5,000 to $10,000.
#6. Birth costs
The cost of birth depends on a variety of different factors, particularly when the surrogate demands a vaginal delivery or c-section. C-section is a costly operation that requires an operating room, anesthesia, and longer hospital stays. Approximately 3 in 10 births are accounted for C-sections. It will cost you around $6,000 to $10,000.
Read more:
What is surrogacy cost breakdown- Everything you need to know?
12 tips to reduce surrogacy cost
How Much Does Surrogacy Cost? Everything You Need To Know (in 2024)
IVF Conceptions Surrogacy Prices & Plans ( in 2024)
Top 4 Cheapest Countries For Surrogacy That Parents Should Know (in 2024)
How to reduce the cost of surrogacy?
There are two ways you can reduce the cost of surrogacy – either you go for independent surrogacy or go for surrogacy with a family member as a surrogate.
#1. Independent surrogacy
For those couples who are prepared to perform a complex process or have been subjected to surrogacy beforehand, an independent surrogacy program is an option for them.
If intended parents opt to conduct their surrogacy individually, they are effectively missing out on three forms of services offered by the surrogacy agency – screening, matching, therapy, and case management.
Independent surrogacy costs you less than an agent or an agency’s surrogate. This is because no agent is involved. Parents also have an opportunity to communicate directly with the surrogate. They manage most aspects of surgery themselves in this way.
Independent surrogacy treatment, for example, is around $15,000 to $30,000 lower. Agency fees are known to amount to approximately 30 percent of the total cost. When you are an intended parent for the first time, then you must have an agency by your side. But if you have already undergone a surrogacy procedure and know the surrogate, you can also select independent surrogacy.
Read more:
All you need to know about independent surrogacy
How much does surrogacy cost in Ukraine?
How much does surrogacy cost in Georgia?
How much does surrogacy cost in Colombia?
What is Surrogacy cost in Mexico?
#2. Surrogacy using a friend/family member as a surrogate
You will not need the matching and screening protocol if you have found a surrogate yourself, and you are performing the surrogacy within your family. In this case, therefore, the professionals can relieve the cost of several unnecessary procedures that are not necessary for your procedure.
The intended parents and the surrogate opt for altruistic surrogacy in the majority of cases. There is no compensation for the surrogate in an altruistic surrogacy. The expected parents, however, had to pay the expenses incurred. In this way, you can save $30,000 in surrogate compensation, which generally reduces expenses significantly in most cases.
How much does surrogacy cost a friend?
Surrogate mother cost for twins?
#3. Opting for international surrogacy, which is affordable and legally secure:
As we already know the surrogacy cost in the USA is much higher due to the high cost of medical services and the high cost of living, which is reflected in high surrogate mother compensation. So, opting for countries where IVF cost is much more affordable, as low as $5,000 is a possible option. On top of that, as the cost of living is less, surrogate compensation is much lower but without affecting the standard of living.
The two European countries Ukraine and Georgia are the hub of international surrogacy as the overall surrogacy cost in Georgia is as low as 70% to the US. If you are a married hetero couple, these nations are a great pick for you.
If you are a single male or gay couple, then opting for a country like Colombia is good as an all-inclusive guaranteed plan is for $64,000.
Here is a table of the cheapest countries for surrogacy:
| Country | Regulation & Organization | Who are allowed to participate | Surrogacy Cost | Legal Assurance |
| Colombia | Altruistic | Singles, gay couples, hetero couples | Affordable
$70,000 |
Reliable |
| Mexico | Altruistic | Singles, gay couples, hetero couples | Affordable
$70,000 to $80,000 |
Reliable |
| USA | Commercial | Singles, gay couples, hetero couples | Costly
$150,000+ |
Strong |
| Ukraine | Commercial | Hetero couples | Affordable
$60,000 |
Strong |
| Georgia | Commercial | Hetero couples | Affordable
$60,000 |
Strong
|
| Greece | Altruistic | Hetero couples and single women | Affordable
$80,000 |
Strong |
More guide on the average cost of surrogacy:
Countries where surrogacy is legal
Best Countries for Surrogacy ( In 2024)That Parents Need To Know
Risks of International Surrogacy
Conclusion
The surrogacy process is indeed a costly way of becoming parents. But if planned carefully you can manage it and find a way to be a proud parent. We believe money should not be a hurdle in anyone’s life from enjoying parenthood. That is why we aim to find affordable yet secure surrogacy destinations and programs for our would-be parents.
If you’d like to learn more about IVF, Egg Donation, or surrogacy services globally, check out the rest of our website: IVF Conceptions. We offer legally secure and affordable surrogacy consulting services for FREE.
FAQ about Surrogacy Costs
How much does Surrogacy cost?
The average surrogacy costs depend on the country in which you choose to do surrogacy. In the USA, surrogacy costs start from $130,000 to $150,000. The cheapest international surrogacy countries are in Eastern European countries like Ukraine and Georgia ranging from $40,000 to $60,000.
How much is surrogacy cost for gay couples?
Surrogacy cost for gay couples ranges from $65,000 to $70,000 for the all-inclusive guaranteed baby plans in Colombia and Mexico. Colombia is the cheapest surrogacy country for gay surrogacy. For gay couples overcall costs in the USA range from $130,000 to $150,00.
is surrogacy expensive?
Yes, it is an expensive process that consists of medical, legal, logistic, administrative, and surrogate-related costs. In the US, it costs an average of $150,000. However, surrogacy abroad is relatively cheaper and manageable.
What countries offer low-cost yet legal surrogacy?
Gestational surrogacy is both legal and affordable for married couples in Eastern European countries like Georgia and Ukraine. For same-sex surrogacy and single-male surrogacy, the most affordable countries are Mexico and Colombia.
Is surrogacy very expensive and are surrogates expensive?
Surrogacy can be a significant financial investment due to medical, legal, administrative, logistic, and support services are included along with the surrogate mother’s compensation. The cost of surrogacy varies depending on several factors such as the country, clinic, legal requirements, and individual circumstances. In some countries, surrogacy can be quite expensive like the USA, while in others, it may be more affordable like Mexico, Colombia, and Georgia.
How can I reduce the cost of surrogacy?
With knowledge and planning, a parent can achieve a high-quality surrogacy process, without compromising quality.
- Opting for independent surrogacy (private surrogacy).
- Opting for legal international surrogacy countries.
- Using a family member as a surrogate mother
What is a surrogacy financing option for parents?
Commercial surrogacy involves huge financial and emotional inputs. The high cost of surrogacy in the USA is not for everyone, so opting for international surrogacy countries is good for many parents. Learn more about surrogacy financing options, which can help.
Will insurance help me to cut the surrogacy costs?
Realistically, not much. Only a few states in the USA require insurance companies to cover infertility treatments. Most of them do not cover IVF treatment in their required coverage.
What is the real cost of surrogacy?
The real cost of surrogacy can vary greatly from $150,000 to $200,000. These may include medical procedures, fertility treatments, surrogate compensation, legal fees, agency or clinic fees, psychological support, insurance, and administrative costs. Additional expenses can arise from travel, accommodation, and other related costs.
Is surrogacy a 100% guaranteed process to have a baby?
Surrogacy, like any medical procedure, does not come with a guarantee of success. While advancements in reproductive technologies have significantly improved the success rates of surrogacy, there are still factors that can affect the outcome. Various medical, genetic, and environmental factors can influence the success of surrogacy, making it impossible to guarantee a 100% success rate.
The success of a surrogacy arrangement depends on several factors, including the health and fertility of the intended parents, the surrogate mother, and the quality of the medical procedures involved. It is essential for individuals or couples considering surrogacy to consult with fertility specialists and medical professionals to understand their specific chances of success based on their unique circumstances.