Making the decision to find a surrogate mother to carry your child is a huge decision. And the expenses that go along with that decision can be just as substantial. So…what exactly do the intended parents pay during a surrogacy?
Of course, pregnancy itself is a big expense. Then you add in the IVF treatments and the bill begins to grow substantially. However, that is not the end of the expenses that intended parents must be responsible for. Read on for a list of the most common expenses that fall to the intended parents.
Insurance
If the surrogate mother has insurance that does not cover pregnancies due to surrogacy or if they do not have health insurance at all, the intended parents should purchase a policy that will cover their health needs during the surrogacy.
Medical Expenses
Any medical expenses not covered by health insurance should be taken care of by the intended parents.
Clinic Fees
Any fees (including medications and testing) accrued from the IVF clinic during gestational surrogacies fall to the intended parents.
Attorney Fees
The intended parents are responsible for paying both their attorney and that of the surrogate mother as well as cover the costs of any legal fees associated with the actual birth.
Agency Fees
If the intended parents work with a surrogacy agency (as opposed to finding a match on their own), they are responsible for paying those fees.
Surrogate Fees
The intended parents are, of course, responsible for compensating the surrogate mother as outlined in their contractual agreement.
Miscellaneous Fees
There are also miscellaneous fees that may fall to the surrogate parent. Some examples of this are travel expenses, childcare costs, lost wages, prenatal vitamins, and visits to the doctor’s office. If the surrogate mother has to pay these, she should be reimbursed by the intended parents.
As you can see, being an intended parent comes with large expenses. This should be taken into consideration if you are thinking about pursuing surrogacy as an option.
Although every situation is different, it is safe to assume that a surrogacy can cost you anywhere between $50,000- $100,000. However, many people are deciding that having a child is worth the investment.