Planning a Surrogacy Journey: Timeline and Costs
Timeline to locate a surrogate.
Your timeline to locate a surrogate will vary greatly depending on how much energy you put into your search and how stringent your requirements are. On average, locating a gestational carrier candidate who is both a good fit for you and who is likely to be medically cleared will take 6-12 months. However, this number is just an estimate and depends on many factors. One of the most important factors is what states your surrogate can deliver in, both in terms of your comfort with distance and with legal parentage determinations. Every state’s laws treats surrogacy differently. Intended parents frequently want to know if they can both be on the initial birth certificate. The answer is, it depends on the state, whether you are married and whether you are both the biological parents of the child. In some states, marital status and biological parentage don’t matter and in other states, they do. You need to be comfortable with the legal process for parentage determinations, both in the state where the baby will be born and in your state of residence or the country to which you will take the baby home. We are more than happy to talk to you about your personal circumstances and what the legal options and recommendations will be for parentage determinations.
Some other important considerations in thinking about your search for a surrogate are: types and frequency of contact during the pregnancy, types and frequency of contact after delivery, medical decisions during the pregnancy and delivery, and any other personality or family structure qualities that are important to you (i.e. religion, partnered/single GC, etc).
Timeline from matching to attempting pregnancy.
In general, it will take 2-4 months for your clinic to complete their medical eligibility review and the lawyers to complete the surrogacy contract. Your clinic will have various phases of their medical eligibility determination and will also complete a psychological evaluation. Once your clinic gives medical clearance, you are ready to start the surrogacy contract. Your lawyer will draft the surrogacy contract. Your surrogate will have a local attorney review the contract and negotiate on her behalf. Once the contract is signed, it’s time to plan for embryo transfer!
Making embryos.
Whether you are undergoing IVF yourself or looking for an egg donor, the process of making embryos is likely to be shorter than the search for a surrogate. Some intended parents make embryos and search for a surrogate concurrently while others complete the process of making and banking embryos before searching for a surrogate. It is entirely up to you. You should talk to your doctor about how long they anticipate it will take for you to obtain the desired number of embryos so you can include this in your timeline. Keep in mind that when looking for a surrogate, you may have better luck if your embryos are made and you are ready to go.
Estimated costs.
The estimated total costs for a successful surrogate pregnancy are $75,000-$150,000+. Below is a breakdown to help you better assess where you are likely to fall in that range.
Surrogate Compensation. $30,000-$40,000+, depending on whether it is a singleton or multiple pregnancy and whether your surrogate is a first-time or repeat surrogate.
Insurance. $10,000-$25,000. Most surrogates will not have insurance that will cover a surrogate pregnancy. If her policy does provide coverage, you will still be responsible for the medical expenses associated with the pregnancy and delivery. We strongly encourage you to plan (financially) on purchasing a supplemental maternity policy.
Reimbursements and Fees to Surrogate. $10,000-$20,000. This includes all contracted reimbursements and additional payments to your surrogate (i.e. maternity clothes allowance, C-section fee, embryo transfer fee, travel reimbursements, compensation for unpaid time off from work to recover post-delivery).
Legal Fees. $8,000-$12,000. This includes drafting and negotiation of the surrogacy contract as well as preparation and filing of all documents necessary for parentage determinations.
Medical. $5,000-$50,000+. If you have insurance for IVF cycles, medical treatment could potentially cost you very little. However, if you are paying out of pocket for numerous IVF cycles or for an egg donation cycle, the costs can be considerable. You should consult with your doctor about your anticipated treatment plan so you can determine the associated costs.
Medical and legal fees are due at the times services are rendered. Compensation, reimbursements and fees, and maternity insurances costs are placed in an escrow account prior to any pregnancy attempts and then disbursed by the escrow agent in accordance with the terms of the surrogacy contract.
Surrogacy arrangements have a lot of moving parts and while we have tried to give you a general overview, every circumstance is unique. If you are considering an independent surrogacy journey, Surrogacy Journey Consulting can provide customized support based on your needs and circumstances. Schedule a free, 30-minute consultation to learn more about our services and how we can help your journey be as quick and smooth as possible! Contact us today at 201-390-7400 or email stephanie@surrogacyjourneyconsulting.com.
