Surrogacy Success Rates: What You Need to Know in 2024
Surrogacy is a life-changing process for many intended parents. As this family-building option becomes more common, one question consistently comes up: What are the success rates of surrogacy? Understanding the factors that influence the success of surrogacy can help intended parents make informed decisions and navigate their journey with confidence.
This comprehensive guide will cover the key aspects of surrogacy success rates, including gestational surrogacy versus traditional surrogacy, the role of IVF, age factors, and how to increase the chances of a successful surrogacy journey.
We understand that choosing a surrogacy agency is a significant decision for couples embarking on their fertility journey. With the high cost of fertility services, legal complexities, and concerns about potential complications, it is crucial to be well-informed and evaluate surrogacy success rates before making a choice.
Currently, gestational surrogacy is a commonly used method to build a family for childless couples and gay couples who seek to have a biological baby. Like any other medical procedure, the gestational or traditional surrogacy process does come with a few challenges.
One major pitfall of IVF surrogacy is not 100% surrogacy success rates on the first attempt. The fertility experts and the intended parents do everything in their capacity to have an optimum success rate of gestational surrogacy, but they know it might take couples an attempt to be successful. Being prepared and having realistic expectations and following a few smart tips might overall experience smooth and hassle-free.
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Surrogacy Success Rates at a Glance
Success rates in surrogacy depend on various factors such as the type of surrogacy, the surrogate’s health, the quality of the egg and sperm, and the fertility clinic’s success rates. On average, gestational surrogacy has a success rate of around 75-95% after 2-3 embryo transfers, making it one of the most effective fertility treatments available.
Types of Surrogacy and Success Rates
There are two main types of surrogacy—traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy—and each comes with different success rates and considerations.
Traditional Surrogacy
In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate’s own egg is used, making her the biological mother of the child. The sperm can come from the intended father or a donor, and the procedure is usually done via intrauterine insemination (IUI).
- Success Rate: Traditional surrogacy has a lower success rate compared to gestational surrogacy because it relies on IUI, which has a success rate of 15-20% per cycle. However, it can increase with more cycles.
- Legal Complications: The surrogate’s genetic connection to the baby makes traditional surrogacy more legally complicated, which can influence the overall success of the process.
Gestational Surrogacy
In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate carries a child that is not biologically related to her. The embryo is created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the eggs and sperm from the intended parents or donors, and then transferred to the surrogate.
- Success Rate: Gestational surrogacy generally has a higher success rate due to the advanced techniques used in IVF. The success rate of live births per embryo transfer is around 50-60% for women under 35, and it decreases slightly as the age of the egg donor or intended mother increases.
- Lower Legal Risks: Since the surrogate has no genetic link to the child, gestational surrogacy is less likely to face legal disputes, making the entire process smoother and more secure.
Key Factors That Influence Surrogacy Success Rates
Several factors impact surrogacy success rates, ranging from the health and age of the egg provider to the fertility clinic’s expertise. Let’s explore these critical elements:
1. Age of the Egg Donor or Intended Mother
- Women under 35 years generally have the highest success rates for IVF and surrogacy, with success rates of about 50-60% per cycle.
- For women aged 35-37, the success rate is approximately 40-50%.
- The success rate drops for women over 40, making it 10-20% per cycle, unless using donor eggs.
2. Quality of the Sperm
- Sperm quality is another essential factor that influences success. Clinics often test for sperm motility, morphology, and count to ensure the best outcomes.
- For men with male-factor infertility, using sperm donors can significantly improve surrogacy success rates.
3. Health of the Surrogate
- A healthy surrogate between the ages of 21-40 is vital for surrogacy success. Most fertility clinics screen surrogates extensively for medical and psychological health.
- Women who have had at least one successful pregnancy and no history of complicated pregnancies are usually preferred candidates, ensuring a higher likelihood of success.
4. Number of Embryos Transferred
- In gestational surrogacy, clinics often transfer one or two embryos to maximize the chances of success while minimizing the risk of multiple pregnancies, which can lead to complications. Single embryo transfers can have success rates of 50-60%.
- Transferring multiple embryos can increase the chance of pregnancy, but also raises the risk of twins or triplets, which comes with higher health risks for both the surrogate and the babies.
5. Quality of the Embryos
- Clinics often grade embryos based on their quality, and higher-grade embryos generally have higher implantation and pregnancy success rates. Embryos that survive the blastocyst stage (5-6 days after fertilization) are more likely to result in a successful pregnancy.
6. Fertility Clinic Success Rates
- The success rate of the fertility clinic is a crucial factor in surrogacy. Some clinics specialize in surrogacy and IVF procedures and boast higher-than-average success rates.
- Always review a clinic’s success rates for IVF, embryo transfers, and surrogacy before choosing a provider.
IVF and Surrogacy Success Rates
The success of gestational surrogacy heavily relies on the effectiveness of IVF. IVF success rates depend on:
- Age of the egg donor or intended mother
- Embryo quality
- Lab technology and expertise
In 2024, advances in IVF techniques such as preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) have improved embryo selection, boosting overall success rates. IVF for surrogacy often yields a 50-60% success rate per cycle when using healthy, young eggs.
Understanding the Role of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
To gain a general understanding of surrogacy success rates, it is essential to comprehend the role of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the data collection process. ART has proven to be highly successful in overcoming infertility. However, it is important to acknowledge that it can also introduce certain risks or health challenges, such as complications due to multiple births. To gain a better understanding of how ART affects individuals and couples utilizing it, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors ART procedures within the United States.
More resources on IVF and surrogacy:
Tips for a successful IVF Cycle?
10 Facts About Surrogacy That Parents Should Know
Embryo Transfer Day: Guide to the Procedure, Process, and Tips
Understanding the gestational surrogacy success rates
The surrogate mother’s success rate is always more as compared to if embryos are transferred to the intended mother. This is due to a reason that fertility expert pays close attention when choosing a surrogate mother.
They have the option to choose from many ladies who have the best reproductive system, no history of miscarriage, and are in the right age group to give the best possible success rate to surrogacy pregnancy. In the case of the intended mother, this is not the case.
Understanding the surrogacy success rates is not a simple task of simply looking at the raw data. It involves looking at various numbers of factors that govern the clinical data of IVF. It is also very difficult to regulate how the statistics are described.
So how these gestational surrogacy success rates are measured?
Let us take the example of the USA.
The surrogacy success rates in the USA are highest due to through screening of egg donors and surrogate mothers and advanced fertility protocol.
In the USA, it all starts with a general understanding of the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) cycle. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors ART using National Assisted Reproductive Technology. It is also known as NASS 2.0.
As per the CDC, ART is helpful for infertile couples to conceive but it also faces some of the most serious challenges in delivery due to poor maternal and child health.
Because of this reason, CDC feels that is important to look out for the safety and effectiveness of ART procedures in the USA. Monitoring the ART will also provide a means for the statistics but they may be inconsistent due to some reasons.
The Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act state that if any of the ART procedures have been performed in the USA should be reported to CDC. The problem is that while reporting to CDC, all clinics may not provide accurate information. A popular clinic will not tell a lie regarding the statistics but they may often share only favorable outcomes with CDC. But, with the help of various audits and NASS2.0, CDC receives data for almost 95% of the performed ART cycles.
Now coming to the surrogacy success rate, it can be more challenging to determine the actual success rate. There are lots of third-party aspects that make it difficult to track success. In most third-world countries, keeping accurate data on the IVF or surrogacy process is still not followed consistently.
One more thing that we need to understand is the fact that the surrogacy rates change from year to year and we have data that is rarely current. That’s because of the fact that the Frozen Embryo Transfer may later result in a successful pregnancy.
Official reports regarding surrogacy are 2 to 3 years behind. Hence, data from 2017 and 2018 are not yet available. For example, during this time most of the data is from 2015 and 2016.
What are the Factors affecting surrogacy success?
There are many surrogacies and IVF procedures carried out by the clinics and they all have different surrogacy success rates.
There are a few fundamental things to do for high IVF surrogacy success rates.
- The highest surrogacy success rate will come from the sperm donor who has gone through a thorough medical examination, the egg donor has positive fertility criteria, and is young and healthy.
- The importance of egg donor age in surrogacy success rates is important and preferred egg donors are in the age group (21 to 37 years of age) with at least one baby of her own and good immunity.
- Selecting an experienced gestational carrier for higher surrogacy success rates.
- A medical procedure where all the latest trend of advanced fertility is utilized in the IVF Process.
- If genetic testing is done in embryos to rule out any chromosomal issues which can lead to failure of implantation or abortion.
In countries like the USA, the IVF surrogacy success rate of such cases varies between 75% to 85% using high-quality embryos. Also, the success rate of the fresh and frozen embryos is now almost the same. This is possible with the help of new advanced freezing techniques. Also, the rate of surrogacy is 95% when the surrogate becomes pregnant
How to Increase Surrogacy Success Rates
There are several ways to maximize the chances of success during surrogacy:
1. Choose a Reputable Surrogacy Agency
Working with an experienced surrogacy agency ensures access to qualified surrogates, reliable legal services, and high-quality medical care, all of which boost success rates.
2. Opt for Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)
PGT allows for the screening of embryos before implantation to detect genetic abnormalities, increasing the likelihood of a successful pregnancy and live birth.
3. Select a Proven Surrogate
Working with a surrogate who has a proven track record of healthy pregnancies and deliveries can significantly increase the chances of success.
4. Ensure Comprehensive Health Screenings
Both the surrogate and the intended parents should undergo thorough health screenings. Surrogates should be free of major health issues, and intended parents should ensure high-quality eggs and sperm are used.
5. Consider Using Donor Eggs or Sperm
For intended parents with fertility challenges, using donor eggs or sperm from a younger, healthy donor can significantly improve surrogacy success rates.
Surrogacy Success Rates Around the World
Success rates vary from country to country due to differences in medical technology, laws, and the availability of surrogates. Here’s a snapshot of surrogacy success rates in various regions:
| Country | Success Rate | Details |
| USA | 75-95% after 2-3 cycles | The USA has some of the best IVF technology and legal frameworks for surrogacy. |
| Ukraine | 70-85% after 2-3 cycles | Ukraine is popular for its legal surrogacy framework and affordable options. |
| Mexico | 65-80% after 2-3 cycles | Mexico offers lower costs but varying success depending on the clinic chosen. |
| Georgia | 65-80% after 2-3 cycles | Gestational surrogacy is well-regulated, with high success rates in specialized clinics. |
| India (limited) | 50-60% per cycle | While commercial surrogacy is banned, altruistic surrogacy remains an option. |
Conclusion: Surrogacy Success Rates in 2024
Surrogacy continues to be a reliable option for intended parents looking to build their families, especially when using gestational surrogacy. While the success rate can vary depending on several factors such as egg and sperm quality, the surrogate’s health, and the expertise of the fertility clinic, the overall chances are high—particularly for gestational surrogacy.
In 2024, advancements in IVF technology, embryo screening, and medical care have improved surrogacy success rates across the globe. Intended parents can take comfort in knowing that with proper planning, reputable agencies, and skilled medical professionals, surrogacy remains one of the most reliable paths to parenthood.
But, be prepared to have at least 1-3 IVF cycles to have a successful outcome. Most intended parents who have successful surrogacy pregnancies in first embryos transfer. But not everyone is so lucky and being patient and having the realistic expectation help to cope uncertainly of IVF cycles.
To rule out this uncertainty, would-be parents can also opt-out to guarantee surrogacy baby programs, which come with lots of peace of mind. Many IVF clinic offers guaranteed baby plan if the sperm quality is good enough and IVF egg donor and surrogacy services are used.
More guides and resources for affordable international surrogacy countries.
Tips for a successful IVF Cycle?
Why USA Couples Should Do Surrogacy In Georgia, Europe?
Top 5 Best Surrogacy Doctors in Mumbai With High Success Rate (2023)
We have surrogacy services in Ukraine, Georgia, and Colombia where our IVF clinics do offer guaranteed surrogacy baby plans. Money-back or all-inclusive guaranteed baby plans, not only save money and time for the intended parents, but it gives much-needed assurance to the parents that they will get a baby for sure.
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.
Get in touch for a Free Surrogacy Consultancy:
📲 +91-8800481100 ( WhatsApp, Line, Viber)
FAQs: Surrogacy Success Rates
What is the success rate of surrogacy?
Gestational surrogacy has a success rate of 50-60% per embryo transfer, but this can increase to 75-95% after multiple cycles.
How does age affect surrogacy success rates?
The success rate of surrogacy is higher when using eggs from women under 35, where the success rate per cycle is about 50-60%.
Can the success rate of surrogacy be increased?
Yes, factors such as choosing a healthy surrogate, using donor eggs, opting for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), and selecting a reputable clinic can improve success rates.
Which country has the highest surrogacy success rate?
The USA boasts the highest surrogacy success rates, with up to **75-95