Surrogacy with a Family Member: Understanding the Costs and Emotional Journey
The surrogacy cost with a family member would be much less as you can save the surrogate mother compensation, which can be a substantial part of the overall surrogacy cost. Surrogacy is an extremely personal and emotional journey for intended parents (IPs) who are looking to expand their family via third-party reproduction methods.
In some cases, intended parents may have close family members or friends who generously offer to be their gestational surrogate.
While the idea of having a friend or family member as a surrogate may seem appealing, it’s important to understand the surrogacy process, including the associated costs and legal considerations. In this article, we will explore the topic of surrogacy cost using a family member.
Becoming parents via Gestational Surrogacy is not an easy option. It is an inherently challenging task with lots of medical, legal, financial, and emotional enterprise.
Gestational Surrogacy is an expensive process and actual surrogacy costs vary from case to case and region-wise. While it is a costly process, the expenses can be reduced to some extent with advance planning.
For example, if you have a friend or a family member who is ready to be your surrogate, then you would save the cost of surrogate compensation. In the USA, the surrogate compensation cost goes up from $30,000 to $50,000 and is approximately 30% of total surrogacy costs.
Similarly, if you have undergone the surrogacy process before, you might be willing to go independent or private surrogacy for 2nd time. That would save the cost of a surrogacy agency, which might go up to $35,000 or more. So, private surrogacy costs will be lower if you use your own surrogate mother.
Get in touch for FREE SURROGACY CONSULTING:
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For these reasons, for the parents who have a known surrogate mother surrogacy process is a bit easier ( financially and emotionally) as no surrogate compensation cost is involved, and good emotional bonding with the gestational carrier. But still, there are many things to know and follow before you proceed with an identified surrogate.
More resources on surrogacy cost with a friend:
The average cost of surrogacy with a breakdown of surrogacy cost
How to reduce surrogacy costs?
Surrogate mother’s cost details
The Emotional Aspect of Altruistic Surrogacy with a Family Member
Before delving into the costs, it’s crucial to recognize the emotional and psychological aspects of surrogacy with a family member. This path can be both rewarding and complex. The surrogate, often a sister, cousin, or close friend, may offer to carry the baby out of love and a desire to help. However, the emotional toll on both parties should not be underestimated. It’s essential to have open and honest communication to navigate this journey successfully.
Can I save money by using a family member as a gestational surrogate?
Using a family member as a gestational surrogate can potentially reduce the surrogacy costs if the family member chooses not to be compensated for the surrogacy. However, if the family member requests compensation, the cost of surrogacy with a friend or family member is similar to using a gestational carrier found through an agency, typically ranging between $150,000 and $200,000.
Altruistic surrogacy costs can be much less due to no or lower surrogate mother compensation, which could be almost 30% of the total surrogacy cost.
Understanding the Surrogacy Process
When IPs choose a friend or family member to be their surrogate, they should still follow the established surrogacy process to ensure a smooth and legally sound journey.
- This includes having a legal contract in place to protect all parties involved.
- The medical cost involved before the pregnancy during prenatal care and during birthing.
- The cost associated with a sperm donor or egg donor still applies.
- The miscellaneous cost of surrogacy pregnancy like work loss, therapy sessions, or travelling costs, etc, might still occur for the intended parents.
- While using a friend as a surrogate may reduce certain costs, it’s essential to be aware of the overall expenses associated with surrogacy, which might be much broader than just surrogate compensation.
How Much Does Surrogacy Cost Using a Family Member?
Surrogacy for a family member is possible and common practice. If you are considering having a friend or family member act as your gestational carrier, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the costs involved. A typical surrogacy journey consists of various expenses, including:
The Financial Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of the potential costs associated with surrogacy using a family member:
|
Expense |
Cost Range |
|
Legal Fees |
$2,000 – $6,000 |
|
Medical Expenses |
$15,000 – $30,000 |
|
Compensation for Surrogate |
Varies (can be lower) |
|
Pregnancy-Related Costs |
Varies |
|
Counseling and Support |
$2,000 – $4,000 |
|
Maternity Clothing |
$500 – $1,000 |
Surrogate Mother Costs
These costs encompass the surrogate’s base fee, additional compensation and benefits, and potential expenses for her and her family. In the case of using a family member or friend as your surrogate, they may choose not to ask for compensation. However, intended parents may still offer to cover expenses such as maternity clothes, housekeeping, childcare, and other necessities that arise during the pregnancy.
Agency Fee
Opting for a friend as your surrogate does not necessarily mean forgoing the support of a surrogacy agency. Even if an agency is not involved in finding your surrogate, they can still offer valuable guidance and assistance throughout the process. Circle Surrogacy, for example, provides a “Bring Your Own Surrogate” Program that offers reduced costs for intended parents while ensuring their protection and support.
Legal, Screening, and Support for Your Surrogate
Regardless of whether you are working with a friend or a gestational carrier found through an agency, it is highly recommended to have legal contracts in place and proper screening for your surrogate. In addition, providing emotional support for your surrogate during the journey is crucial. If you choose to work with an agency, they will ensure that your surrogate receives her own legal representation, undergoes comprehensive screening, and receives support from licensed social workers.
Insurance
It is important to determine whether your friend’s health insurance will cover a surrogate pregnancy. While many insurance policies do not include this coverage, intended parents should ensure that appropriate pregnancy insurance is in place for their surrogates.
Parent Legal Rights
The process of establishing parental legal rights may involve additional costs, such as obtaining and finalizing the baby’s birth certificate.
Cost of surrogacy with a friend or family member
What is the cost of Surrogacy for a family member?
Being a surrogate for a friend comes with a great responsibility for both the surrogate and the intended parents.
Every surrogacy process is unique and it needs to be planned and executed individually. To know the actual cost of surrogacy using family members you will consult a surrogacy professional.
A surrogacy professional can guide and help you in identifying the services you would need and the cost associated with those services for your case.
Let us look at some of the prices that you can skip and some that you have to pay even when a friend or family member is a surrogate.
What you do not need to pay?
- If you have found a surrogate on your own and you are doing the surrogacy within your family, then you do not require the matching and screening process. These processes are included when you find a surrogate with a surrogacy agency. So, in this case, no fee surrogate matching fee is needed.
- In most of the cases of identified surrogacy, the intended parents and the surrogate opt for altruistic surrogacy. In altruistic surrogacy, there is no compensation for the surrogate.
However, the intended parents are obliged to pay or reimburse all medical costs associated with surrogacy. So, the surrogacy cost of using a family member will be much lower as compared to the surrogate mother taken from the agency. Your relative or family friend might also be ready to provide you with the services for free. That entirely depends on person to person.
So, in this way you can save the compensation of the surrogate which is generally $30,000 in most of cases, thus reducing expenses a lot.
What do you need to pay?
Even when you are working with an identified surrogate, be it a friend or a family member, you need to avail yourself of the services provided by the agency to prevent any more complications in the further stages.
#1. It is essential to have a medical screening and a psychological assessment of the identified surrogate. It is done before the start of the surrogacy process.
Going through the screening process ensures that both parties are prepared in all three senses – emotionally, physically, and mentally. The screening process will ensure that the surrogate mother is medically fit and has a good chance of becoming pregnant after the medical procedure of IVF.
#2. Also, you need to work with a reproductive attorney who will look after the legal aspect of surrogacy agreements. Don’t forego the cost of the attorney as your attorney will be the one who will look after the complex legal issue and will advise you when needed. He will look after the laws and the surrogacy contract.
#3. You will require a medical clinic or IVF professional to look after your case. For the surrogacy process, you need to create embryos with the help of the right fertility doctor. The medical cost of doing the IVF process along with genetic testing and embryo transfer in a surrogate mother is an essential cost of surrogacy.
#4. Having a surrogacy consultant who can guide and advise you about the steps you need to take to avoid errors on the way. You might have a known surrogate mother, but still, your agent can navigate you through the surrogacy process and guide you with different steps to save surrogacy costs without compromising the quality of the process. In short, a surrogacy professional can help you in reducing the errors and trials during this important journey.
#5. The other way out may be you hire an agency that will take care of and coordinate for you. You might not take their surrogacy matching services but you can take their case management services. But remember like the specialist above agency will also have its charge. In this way, private surrogacy costs will be lower as you do not need full agency services.
Payable Surrogate mother cost using a family member
If you have previously researched the cost of surrogacy, then you might know that surrogacy costs around $1,50,000+. The best news is that if you have an identified surrogate who is a friend or a family member, then the cost is significantly lower.
So, here are a few things that you need to pay for even when the surrogate is a friend or a family member –
#1. Insurance for surrogate mother – Make sure that you have insured your surrogate properly. The insurance will cover all things like antenatal parental care, ultrasound exams, delivery so on and so forth. The amount of the insurance policy will depend on the type of plan you are opting for. Other expenses have been covered by the insurance, but first, you have to pay something around $5000 from your pocket for your known surrogate insurance.
#2. Maternity clothes – These will account for around $500 to have a new set of wardrobes that will fit you in several months of pregnancy. The value will be specified in the contract
#3. Transportation expenses – These will account for travel before and during the surrogacy pregnancy. It varies depending on the area where the surrogate is based and her doctor’s office. It includes the parking fees in subsequent visits to the hospital.
#4. Medication – Before the transfer of the embryo, the doctor may prescribe some of the medicines which can cost between $2000 to $5000. Medicines can be oral as well as in the form of injection. These medications are continued until the 12th week of pregnancy. There are supplements as well that will cost you an additional $500 or more.
#5. If the surrogate gets sick during pregnancy and the doctor prescribes her bed rest then you will have to pay wages for her lost days. Similarly, if her husband is not willing to go to work and look after the surrogate, then you have to pay his lost wages as well.
More resources on affordable surrogacy price options:
Why Does Surrogacy Cost So Much in the USA?
Top 4 Cheapest Countries For Surrogacy That Parents Should Know (in 2024)
Best Countries for Surrogacy ( In 2024)That Parents Need To Know
Countries Where Surrogacy Is Legal (International Surrogacy 2024)
Conclusion
Surrogacy with a friend can be a cost-effective and rewarding option for intended parents seeking to build their family. By following the established surrogacy process, including having a legal contract and ensuring proper screenings, intended parents can navigate the journey smoothly.
It is vital to thoroughly understand the costs associated with surrogacy, even when using a friend as a surrogate. By considering all the factors involved and seeking guidance from a reputable surrogacy consultant you can make informed decisions and embark on a successful surrogacy journey.
Being a surrogate for a friend is a kind gesture and can financially and emotionally help childless couples.
So, we can clearly see that having a friend or relative as a friend can help save a lot of money for the intended parents. On top of that, if you handle it yourself, private surrogacy costs will be much lower.
What if you do not have a known surrogate mother and at the same time cannot afford high surrogacy costs?
For such couples, the option of international surrogacy is there. East European countries like Ukraine Georgia, Mexico, and Colombia offer affordable yet legally secure surrogacy at a fraction of the surrogacy cost in the USA.
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. We have been working in the surrogacy domain since 2010, and can are happy to help you in your successful surrogacy journey.
Get in touch for FREE SURROGACY CONSULTING:
Mobile: +91-8800481100 ( WhatsApp, Line, Viber)
Email: neelam@ivfconceptions.com
FAQs for Surrogacy Cost using a Family Member
Yes, it is possible to be a surrogate mother for a family or friend if you feel comfortable about it. Also, it is good to clear the financial aspect of surrogacy and have a legally binding agreement to avoid any issues later on.
The typical cost of surrogacy in the USA is in the range of $150,000 to $200,000. So, you can exclude the surrogate base compensation of around $35,000 to $40,000 from this cost.
How does surrogacy work with a family member?
The process of surrogacy remains the same without a family member, however, you do not need to search for a surrogate mother if you have someone in your family. So, it saves time and cost for your surrogacy journey. Also, it can give yo peace of mind to have someone closer to you as your surrogate mother.
If you choose not to pay a base fee to your family member acting as the surrogate, you can potentially save approximately $35,000 from the typical surrogacy costs.
Yes, if you can afford the cost associated with a surrogacy agency fee. Surrogacy agencies can provide professional management of the process, guidance, and support, and ensure that the necessary legal and medical procedures are followed. Some clinics may require working with an agency, and agencies can assist in coordinating appointments, legal representation, and preparing necessary documents.
Yes, your fertility clinic and the doctor will typically perform medical screening and testing for your family member acting as a gestational surrogate. It is also advisable for your family member to undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure she is a suitable candidate for gestational surrogacy.
References:
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine
- Resolve: The National Infertility Association
- American Pregnancy Association
- Creating a Family