Thousands of couples, single parents, and LGBT couples fulfill their dreams of parenthood through surrogacy every year. Surrogacy has become more acceptable in the last few years, but the cost of this procedure is still a significant obstacle for many hopeful people burdened with infertility.

If you are considering using a surrogate mother, you have to weigh the cost of treatment carefully in different countries before making a decision.

Here is a breakdown of the surrogacy costs (including surrogate mother cost or pay) in four popular countries.

United States of America

The United States offers the best treatment quality and services for surrogacy, but the costs can be very restrictive. For years, surrogacy in the country has been priced way beyond what the middle class can afford. The fees can vary based on:

  • The clinic you choose,
  • State where you get the procedure done,
  • And, whether the surrogate mother is working through an agency or not.

However, in general, the process can go over $100,000 with all related costs.

The surrogate’s fee itself can go up to $20,000, and this is just the first part of your investment. The legal and agency costs, if any, will go up to  $30,000. The surrogate’s health insurance company may cover some of the medical expenses, but insurance coverage on surrogacy is still not clear at this stage. It is common for an insurance company to deny or exclude coverage for surrogacy completely.

Apart from surrogate and legal fees, the $100,000 also includes medical costs for the entire pregnancy process. This includes prenatal visits, delivery costs, test charges, and so on. These can go over $10,000 in most cases. If the clinic performs IVF or some other artificial insemination procedure, there is an additional cost of $4,000-$10,000.

Ukraine

The cost of surrogacy in Ukraine is far less than the average cost of programs in the United States, although most clinics only accept married couples.

Once again, the circumstances of the couple and the surrogate mother determine how costly it can be. On average, the total cost of surrogacy can be anywhere from $35,000 to $40,000 if the couple is from the U.S. or U.K. Couples from Europe may have to pay slightly more because of the additional legal assistance required.

India

India is a trendy country for surrogacy. The surrogacy industry in India is valued over $440 million per year, and it is growing at a rapid pace. The cost of surrogacy in the country can start at $12,000, but the price can differ widely with location and clinic. Each clinic has its fee structure, and payment packages change frequently.

If you plan to visit India for surrogacy, make sure you contact clinics from different regions in the country and compare costs, services, and quality of treatment.

Here is A Quick Break Up of Costs:

  • In vitro fertilization, including surrogate recruitment and preparation- $7,000
  • Costs during the pregnancy period, including caretaking, housing, life insurance, and surrogate compensation- $11,500
  • Medical costs, including antenatal care, antenatal hospital fees, and medicines- $2,000
  • Delivery and legal costs- $2,500

The total cost of surrogacy can range between $20,000 and $25,000, but remember that the quality of services you get determines the costs. The better the clinic and the surrogacy service, the higher the cost. However, it is rare to see surrogacy cost over $30,000 in India.

Thailand

Surrogacy in Thailand costs the same as that in India, if not more, and many clinics in the country follow high Western medical standards. Each surrogacy cycle requires you to sign a legal contract. You can visit the clinic and meet the surrogate in Bangkok to minimize expenses and begin the process faster.

Once the contract is signed, you are required to make the first payment. The payment schedule varies with each clinic, but some may ask you to pay the fees for an egg donor and surrogate directly to their account at the appropriate stage. If you pay to the clinic or surrogate agency, you may have to pay a little higher to account for tax.

Pregnancy is confirmed after the surrogate’s first scan and the doctor’s confirmation of a gestational sac in the womb. After this, equal monthly payments are due through the pregnancy period. This is different from most Indian surrogacy clinics, where pregnancy is confirmed after a blood test, and the adopting parents have to start making monthly payments after that. Here is a breakdown of surrogacy costs in Thailand:

  • First payment for surrogacy- $21,000 to $38,000 (Surrogate Mother Cost)
  • In vitro fertilization/ICSI cost- $4,800 to $5,800
  • Delivery- $3,000
  • Egg donor- $200 to $600
  • PGD- $3,000 to $4,000
  • Microarray- $3,800 to $6,500

Conclusion

With such a vast range of costs and other factors to consider, you must do enough research before deciding the country and clinic for your surrogacy. Most importantly, you have to learn the legalities of the country, so you know what to expect. You may want to seek help from support groups in your country or locality, like the Rite Options Surrogacy Center in the U.S. or Center for Surrogacy and Egg Donation.