Surrogacy can be a family affair. Many women have carried pregnancies for their sister, cousin, aunt, niece, brother, and even children. If you have a family member or close friend offer to be your surrogate, you are very fortunate. You have the opportunity to grow even closer by sharing this special bond, and your family story will be so meaningful. Having your sister as a surrogate means you have someone you already trust carrying your baby, and it also opens you up to some key cost savings.
How Much Does Surrogacy Cost Using your Sister?
Surrogacy is expensive, and it isn’t getting any cheaper. The average surrogacy journey will cost $80,000 – $120,000. Many fees and expenses go into this price tag, and depending on your unique situation, your journey can be below or even above this amount. Assuming she will not be compensated or require customary fees, your sister being your surrogate, will keep costs on the lower end. Compensation is about 25-30% of the cost of surrogacy, and this is what you save by using a family member. Here is an example using the Surrogacy Journey Cost Calculator.
Surrogacy cost for an average journey
The average journey cost is 114,500.00 for a first-time surrogate and using an agency.
Surrogacy cost using your sister and an agency
Bringing the gestational carrier expenses to zero already brings total journey costs below $80,000. Keep in mind if you choose to use an agency, many will discount their fees since you aren’t using their matching service.
Surrogacy cost using your sister without an agency
Now, if you go a step further and decide not to use an agency, your journey would be $59,500.00.
Wow, this means it will cost roughly $60,000 – $80,000 with your sister as a surrogate! As you can see, having a friend or family member act as your surrogate is a game changer in making surrogacy more affordable.
Surrogacy cost using your sister with surrogate-friendly insurance and no agency
Let’s do a bonus one. You may even be super fortunate to find that your sister has surrogate-friendly insurance. In that situation, you’re only paying for what insurance doesn’t cover; let’s estimate $5000. And now your journey cost is $39,500.00
These examples are rough estimates since many factors influence these numbers, like if you have to do more than one embryo transfer. If you’re looking for a full breakdown of surrogacy expenses, check out the free Ultimate Cost Guide To Surrogacy.
