The Cost of Surrogacy for Couples

Bringing a child into the world through surrogacy is a wonderful, validating experience for many couples.

While the price of surrogacy for couples is high, there are pathways accessible for growing families and new parents like you; the cost of surrogacy doesn’t have to keep you from building the family you’ve always hoped for.

Surrogacy can be an attainable goal for you and your partner despite the price. Keep reading to learn more about the cost of surrogacy, the value you can receive from the process and select strategies you can use to raise the required funds.

When you’re ready to begin your process, contact us. We can connect you to skilled professionals ready to help you grow your family.

What is the Cost of Surrogacy for Couples?

The average cost for surrogacy lands between $150,000 and $179,000+. This estimate can shock some intended parents, but don’t be discouraged; surrogacy can be a viable, accessible option no matter your economic situation.

Raising the money for surrogacy can be difficult at times, but you’re not alone. Many families from diverse financial situations successfully pursue surrogacy. With numerous grants and public resources, surrogacy is now more accessible than ever.

To understand how surrogacy costs factor into your journey, read our article explaining the pricing structure.

Surrogacy Fee Breakdown

The overall cost of surrogacy is made up of smaller fees. These fees are used to address each part of your surrogacy journey individually.

Understanding how these fees are being used can be an important part of the surrogacy journey for some intended parents. In this table, you can review different categories of fees and how your funds are used to advance your goals.

One of the most impactful choices you’ll get to make in this process will be deciding which surrogacy professional to work with.

Not only will this impact your overall price, it can also decide how your funds are used. Each surrogacy firm has their own method in pursuing your goals, and will distribute your funding accordingly.

For example, some agencies may focus on recruitment and marketing to keep your wait times low, or on screening surrogates to avoid potential issues down the line.

Some agencies have no specific focus, and try to distribute your funds evenly throughout the process. Here’s an example breakdown of how an agency might use your funds:

How much is it to have a Surrogate?

Surrogate costs vary from situation to situation. Your surrogate’s compensation could be anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000. Let’s consider some factors that can affect these costs:

• The surrogate’s cost of living: Because the cost of living varies so much from state to state, your surrogacy costs will as well. If your surrogate lives in a particularly expensive or inexpensive state, it will affect your price accordingly.
• The surrogate’s experience: More experienced surrogates have higher rates. This can be due to their proven track record of successful gestation, or because of limited remaining surrogacy pregnancies (most agencies limit surrogates to 4 or 5 births).
• The agency’s treatment of surrogates: Even if it makes the process more expensive in the long run, it’s a good idea to go with agencies that pay surrogates more and provide them with benefits. These kinds of companies attract quality surrogates. These kinds of companies attract quality surrogates, reducing wait times and raising the overall chance of success.

What is the Cost of Surrogacy for Couples with Insurance?

Some insurance policies have provisions that help policy holders afford the cost of surrogacy for couples. Your policy may allow your coverage to be extended to a gestational surrogate. This would remove the need to obtain additional insurance.

Fertility benefits from your employer may also help you cover the costs of IVF and embryo creation.

Insurance providers Progeny and Tricare extend some benefits to surrogates on nearly all their plans. Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Kaiser, Cigna and Aetna may or may not extend to surrogates, depending on the details of your policy.

The Value of Surrogacy for Couples

With all of this discussion around cost, you may be wondering what value your investment in surrogacy can give you.

The primary value surrogacy will provide is the life changing experience of becoming a parent to a child genetically related to you and/or your spouse. However, there are many services surrogacy agencies provide that help you reach that goal smoothly.  

Here are three ways agencies convert your funding into tangible benefits:

• Screening Surrogates before Matching: Agencies will often conduct some screening before matching surrogates with families. The best agencies go through thorough, in-depth selection processes before allowing a surrogate to match. This helps ensure the surrogate’s commitment, and that her physical, mental, and emotional health are ready to carry a child safely and successfully.
• Matching Surrogates and Families Quickly: Some couples spend years looking for a surrogate. When you work with an agency, you won’t have to go through that. Certain agencies have wait times as low as 1-6 months. You could match with a highly qualified surrogate just a few weeks from now.
• Protecting you from Financial Loss: In the event of a surrogacy disruption, you’ll likely experience some level of emotional turmoil. When working with a full service agency, built in financial protection will ensure many of your funds, so that you can focus on your family in this difficult time instead of worrying about money.

Before making a final decision on who you’ll be working with, it may be wise to compare the implementation of benefits like these. Ask your surrogacy professional about financial protection, pre-match screening, and matching wait times.

How do Couples Afford Surrogacy?

Most couples can afford surrogacy through careful planning, attentive budgeting and purposeful use of a combination of different financial resources. These strategies can make surrogacy an attainable, realistic goal regardless of your financial background, as they have for so many intended parents before you.

Funding your surrogacy is a big task, but it can be accomplished by most couples through use of financial resources. In the next sections, we’ll go into detail on insurance, grants, loans and other funding assets.

How to Afford Surrogacy

Many financial resources exist for couples fundraising for surrogacy. Most of the time, intended parents use a combination of resources to finance their surrogacy. You can find sourcing for loans in many different places. Try looking into:

When Can I Get Started?

Surrogacy operates on your timeline; you can begin the process whenever you and your partner are ready.

Consider reaching out even if you don’t have a complete financial plan. Our staff has first-hand experience with the surrogacy process, and can help connect you to an agency with the resources and staff to help you plan your finances and grow your family.

You don’t have to wait any longer to begin building the family you’ve always hoped for. Contact us today.