The Surrogacy Option for Infertile Couples

For couples who decide to put an end to unsuccessful infertility treatment, surrogacy is a good option to parent a child. It’s the closest to having a biological child of your own when all other options fail, with the added benefit of letting you participate closely in your baby’s gestation and birth. Surrogacy, referred to as ‘assisted reproduction’ also benefits women who have no uterus or have a damaged one.

What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is the process wherein another woman helps to carry your child in the event that you are unable to conceive or carry a child of your own. The surrogate mother is willing to be impregnated by InVitro Fertilization (IVF) procedure and then carries the resulting baby for the ‘Intended Parents.’ After the birth of the child the surrogate mother relinquishes all her parental rights to the child.

Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy is also referred to as host surrogacy since the surrogate mother is not biologically related to the child, but merely acts as host for the embryo. This is a good option for women who can produce eggs for fertilization but are unable to carry a child to term. In this type of surrogacy, the sperm and eggs are provided by the intended parents or by sperm or egg donors. The surrogate is implanted with the fertilized embryo through in-vitro fertilization.

Surrogacy Cost

Surrogacy is a costly option for infertile couples. The intended parents have to bear all the expenses of the surrogate's pregnancy and related fees that would cover surrogate screening and counseling, lost wages, insurance, surrogate's transportation, surrogate agency and attorney fees. The other vital expenses include:

• The cost of fertility treatments needed to begin the pregnancy, which may include in-vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination


• Prenatal visits with health care providers


• The cost of delivery


• Food, medicines, and clothing required for the surrogate


• The initial supplies for the baby before the hand-over

Surrogate agencies charge anything in the range of $38,000 to $54,000 as fees, sometimes more or less. This would also typically include legal fees and the cost of paperwork.

Legal Issues in Surrogacy

Before the surrogacy relationship is established between the intended parents and the surrogate, it is necessary to sign a surrogacy contract defining the procedures, expenses, and legal parental rights. Legal concerns are of the utmost importance while pursuing surrogacy.

In Conclusion

Despite the significant financial burden, and the long drawn out processes, surrogacy is a satisfying option for many couples. However finding a suitable surrogate is not easy and the whole process of surrogacy itself is an emotionally-draining one. The necessary psychological assessment and detailed explanation about expectations is vital for a positive outcome of the process.

At East Bay Fertility Center, Dublin, California, Dr. Ellen U. Snowden, Medical Director and physician and her highly qualified team help realize your dream of having a family through the latest technology and most comprehensive consultation in the field of Reproductive Endocrinology. Our gestational surrogacy program is based on personalized care and support, every step of the way. Visit us at http://www.ebfertility.com/ for all your fertility related queries and concerns.