How Much Does It Cost to Become a Surrogate Mother?

Key Points:

• Learn why becoming a surrogate comes at no cost.
• Discover how much surrogate compensation you can expect.
• Learn more about becoming a surrogate by contacting a surrogacy specialist today.

When you choose to become a surrogate, you will dedicate a lot of time and energy to this amazing gift you’re giving. That’s why becoming a surrogate will come at no cost to you.

In fact, as a surrogate, you will be compensated for your commitment to assisting hopeful individuals and couples in growing their families.

Contact a surrogacy professional today to learn more about how surrogacy works. Below, learn more about how much it is to be a surrogate mother and what you can expect moving forward.

Speak with a specialist today!

How Much Does it Cost to Be a Surrogate Mother?

Many women are aware of surrogate base compensation when they start their surrogacy journeys. But, did you know that you’ll receive other payments to ensure the cost of being a surrogate is always completely free to you?

That’s right — in addition to your surrogate compensation (discussed in more depth below), you’ll receive reimbursements and payments throughout your surrogacy to pay for every aspect of the journey. Your medical, legal and practical costs will always be paid for by your intended parents and your surrogacy professional. They will work tirelessly to ensure that there is no financial cost of being a surrogate for you. That way, you can focus on having a healthy pregnancy and building a relationship with the intended parents — not counting every penny along the way.

When you become a surrogate mother, costs won’t be an issue. You will work closely with your surrogacy professional, a surrogacy attorney and the intended parents to create a detailed surrogacy contract. This contract will lay out all of the expenses associated with pregnancy and surrogacy, and it will detail exactly how those expenses will be covered. When you work with experienced surrogacy professionals, you can know that all of your costs of being a surrogate will be covered from the very beginning.

If you or someone you know is asking, “How much does being a surrogate cost?” the answer is always “nothing.” Talk with a surrogacy professional for more information on how your surrogate expenses will be covered during this process.

How Much Do They Pay to Be a Surrogate Mother?

You know that being a surrogate will not cost you any money. But, you also know that being a surrogate will financially benefit you, too — in the form of gestational surrogate pay. You deserve to be financially supported and rewarded for your amazing dedication to making a couple’s or individual’s dream of parenthood come true.

That being said, first-time surrogates can earn between $50,000 and $90,000 and second-time surrogates can make $60,000 to $110,000. This compensation includes base pay and additional surrogacy expenses such as medical and legal costs. Many surrogates use this compensation for long-term financial goals such as a down payment on a house, a child’s college savings and more. Compensation is paid out in a set schedule as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed.

Every surrogacy professional is different, which means the standard “fees” for being a surrogate will be different, too. Usually, your compensation rate will be based on your personal situation, including your experience and your state of residence. The best way to learn about surrogate compensation is by speaking with a surrogacy professional.

This will all be set out in your legal surrogacy contract, as well. So, not only will you not have to pay to be a surrogate, you will actually earn money for your amazing decision.

The Physical and Emotional “Costs” of Being a Surrogate

We’ve covered the financial rewards and costs of being a surrogate — but it’s important to know that there is more to gestational surrogacy than just the money.

When you become a gestational carrier, you will choose to give a year or more of your life to helping someone else become parents. It’s important that you consider the physical and emotional cost of surrogate motherhood before you start this journey.

Every woman’s surrogacy journey is unique, but it’s a good idea to speak with other surrogates before you commit yourself to this process. You should also ask yourself these questions:

• Am I ready for the physical toll of pregnancy and childbirth? No matter whose child you are carrying, pregnancy and childbirth will require a lot from you. The normal risks of pregnancy apply when you are a gestational carrier, but are those risks worth it to you if you’re not carrying your own child? Be ready to be exhausted and sore at parts in your journey, and remember that every pregnancy experience will be different.
• Is my family ready to commit to surrogacy? Being a surrogate will affect your family as much as it affects you. When you’re a gestational carrier, you’ll have to give up time to attend surrogacy appointments and build a relationship with the intended parents. This is time that you may otherwise use for your family. Talk with your spouse about how you two will handle parenting responsibilities during the time that you are pregnant with the intended parents’ child.
• Are you prepared for the emotions of being a surrogate? While gestational carriers rarely get “attached” to the child they are carrying, they still experience a wide range of emotions due to hormones and the ups and downs of the surrogacy process. Pre- and postpartum depression is always a risk, as well as the normal blues of pregnancy. You will need to take steps to protect your mental health, especially when the challenges of surrogacy leave you mentally exhausted.

Choosing to Become a Surrogate Mother in a Compensated Surrogacy

You deserve to be fairly compensated for your surrogacy efforts. But, because every surrogate’s journey is different, the best way to learn more is by contacting a surrogacy professional today. They can answer all of your questions — including “How much does it cost to become a surrogate mother?” — and help you decide whether this is the right path for you.