top of page

Surrogacy Cost Worksheet

Surrogacy is expensive. There's no getting around that. With regard to costs, Folkstory's goal is to two-fold: 1) to make surrogacy more accessible to real folks by charging a modest agency fee; and 2) to make the other expenses involved in the process as transparent as possible so you know what to expect.

Agency fee

This is the fee for coordinating the entire 15- to 24+-month process: $10k due at matching, $5k due at medical clearance, $5k due at heartbeat confirmation.

Costs in green are agency fees. All other costs are paid out to third parties.

$20,000

Matching fee

Includes recruitment, application process, initial record review, in-depth interview and education session, questionnaires to assess personality and preferences, financial and criminal background checks, psych evaluation with a licensed clinical psychologist, an OB/midwife visit with PAP smear and surrogacy counseling, professional health insurance review, midwife review of medical records, and a remote "home visit."

$5,500

Initial screening (for IPs using their own GC)

Includes financial and criminal background checks, psych evaluation with a licensed clinical psychologist, an OB/midwife visit with PAP smear and surrogacy counseling, professional health insurance review, and midwife review of medical records. 

$2,250

IP psych workup

Includes a psych consultation for the IPs and one mediated group meeting with the IPs and GC.

$850

GC medical workup

The medical testing the GC will undergo, including blood work, saline sonogram, hysterosalpingogram, mock embryo transfer, and (sometimes) a mock cycle. 

$4,500

GC compensation

Including base comp, additional comp, psychological support, life/disability insurance. Varies depending on experience, the state she lives in, and whether she has surrogacy-friendly health insurance.

$60,000–$75,000

GC health insurance

Depends on whether the GC has surrogacy-friendly health insurance and, if not, whether such a plan can be purchased through the MarketPlace or if private, surrogacy-specific insurance would be required.

$12,000–$36,000

Fertility clinic fees

Including frozen embryo transfer and remote monitoring.

$8,000–$9,000

GC meds

Medications for frozen embryo transfer cycle and mock cycle (if needed), as well as hormone supplementation during early pregnancy.

$1,200–$4,000

GC travel & childcare for travel

If needed.

$4,500

Legal fees

For both the IPs and the GC.

$8,400–$15,000

GC lost wages

Time off work for medical screening, appointments, and recovery postpartum.

up to $4,000

Escrow management

$1,850

TOTAL*

$119,300–$180,200

*All costs listed above are estimated and could end up being less or more, depending on what state you live in, in addition to other factors. This estimate assumes that the intended parents already have euploid embryos in storage. Other costs may apply, including FDA testing of IPs (if not already done), lost wages for GC's partner/support person, etc. GC = gestational carrier; IP = intended parent. 

Please note that the estimate above does not include variable costs, such as payment for undergoing a C-section, for losing a reproductive organ, etc. These items will be outlined in a detailed cost worksheet. 
bottom of page