{"id":128550,"date":"2022-02-05T03:32:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-05T08:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/?p=128550"},"modified":"2025-04-28T16:15:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:15:31","slug":"how-much-does-surrogacy-cost-with-a-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/circle-surrogacy\/how-much-does-surrogacy-cost-with-a-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does Surrogacy Cost With a Friend?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Updated 1\/3\/2023<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surrogacy is an emotional and intimate family-building process. It\u2019s no surprise that intended parents (IPs) will have family members or friends offer to be their gestational surrogate. When IPs choose to have someone close to them be their surrogate, they should still follow the surrogacy process, including having a legal contract. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a friend or family member will only reduce the surrogate cost if the woman chooses to not be compensated for the surrogacy. Otherwise, the cost of surrogacy with a friend is similar to the cost of surrogacy with a gestational carrier found for you by an agency and can be between $100,000 and $200,000.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surrogacy Costs With a Friend<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are planning to have a friend or family member act as your gestational carrier, it\u2019s important to understand how the surrogacy process works, and the costs associated with the journey.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A typical journey is made up of the following surrogacy costs:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Surrogate Mother Costs.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These costs are the surrogate\u2019s base fee, plus additional compensation and benefits for her and her family. If you are using a family member or friend as your surrogate, she may not ask for compensation. Intended parents may still offer to pay for things such as maternity clothes, housekeeping, childcare and other necessities that arise during the pregnancy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Agency Fee. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a friend as your surrogate does not mean you have to do an independent journey. Just because an agency isn\u2019t finding your surrogate for you, that doesn\u2019t mean they will not support you through the process. Circle Surrogacy offers a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.circlesurrogacy.com\/parents\/surrogacy-programs\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBring Your Own Surrogate\u201d Program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with reduced costs for intended parents, while still ensuring IPs are protected and supported.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal, Screening, and Support for your Surrogate. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even when you&#8217;re working with a friend or family member, Circle strongly recommends having legal contracts in place, as well as proper screening of your gestational carrier. Also, providing emotional support for your surrogate during the journey is a good idea. If you work with an agency, we will ensure your surrogate has her own legal representation, full screening, and support from a licensed social worker.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Insurance.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your friend can see if her <a href=\"https:\/\/resolve.org\/learn\/what-are-my-options\/surrogacy\/legal-aspects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">health insurance<\/a> will cover a surrogate pregnancy. Many do not, and in this instance, it is up to the intended parents to have proper pregnancy insurance in place for their surrogate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Parent Legal Rights.<\/strong> These are the costs that intended parents can expect to put their names on the baby\u2019s birth certificate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is It Cheaper To Have a Friend Be a Surrogate?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a friend or family member will make your journey special, however the costs of using a friend for surrogacy may be the same as using a gestational carrier that you do not know.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Circle Surrogacy, typical <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.circlesurrogacy.com\/parents\/how-it-works\/surrogacy-cost\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">surrogacy journey costs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are $157,750 (surrogacy only) and $184,750 (surrogacy plus egg donation). Both of these costs exclude IVF costs that are paid to your clinic. If you are using a friend or family member and not paying her a base fee, you can save about $35,000 from the costs listed above.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can You Get a Friend to Be A Surrogate?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a truly special gesture when a sister, cousin or friend offers to be your gestational carrier. This act of generosity and selflessness is truly amazing. If you have someone in mind to be your surrogate but they have not yet offered, perhaps you feel comfortable approaching the subject with them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asking someone to carry a baby for you is a BIG ask. Be sure to think through all aspects of how this will affect your relationship and her life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have someone in your life who is offering to carry your baby via surrogacy, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Will You Use a Surrogacy Agency or Do an Independent Journey?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Part of a surrogacy agency\u2019s job is matching intended parents with a surrogate. But what if you already have someone willing to be your surrogate? Do you still need an agency? In short, it is always a good idea to work with surrogacy agencies if you are not familiar with surrogacy or if you are someone who would like to have professionals manage the process. You can learn more about finding the right surrogacy agency for you in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/circle-surrogacy\/circle-blog-what-surrogacy-egg-donation-program-do-i-need\/\">related blog post<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, some clinics may require you to work with an agency for your journey. However, you can choose to do an independent journey, also called an \u201cindy\u201d journey. Intended parents who choose not to work with an agency will be responsible for finding legal representation, coordinating appointments with the clinic, preparing a birth plan with their surrogate, and preparing all necessary documents for when the baby is born.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Are the First Steps to Starting Surrogacy?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research, research, research! This is the best advice we can give intended parents who are considering surrogacy. Review different agency websites, read about the process, and even meet with surrogacy professionals. Ask questions!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>FAQs<\/h2>\n<h3>How much does an independent surrogacy journey cost?<\/h3>\n<p>The cost of an independent surrogacy journey depends on several factors.\u00a0If you Google \u201c<em>cost of surrogacy without an agency<\/em>\u201c, you will discover that the most significant variables impacting the overall cost include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Surrogate expenses<\/li>\n<li>Location<\/li>\n<li>Surrogacy type (traditional or gestational)<\/li>\n<li>Motivation of surrogate (commercial or altruistic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While independent surrogacy may save money by avoiding agency fees, it&#8217;s important to consider the complexities and potential challenges, such as finding qualified lawyers to help navigate the surrogacy process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Does my clinic need to approve my surrogate?<\/h3>\n<p>Your fertility clinic and doctor will perform a medical screening and testing of your gestational surrogate. It is also recommended that you have your family member or friend go through a psychological evaluation to ensure she is a good fit for gestational surrogacy. If you choose to work with an agency, they will arrange all of this for you.<\/p>\n<h3>What questions should I ask a potential surrogate if I&#8217;m pursuing surrogacy on my own?<\/h3>\n<p>Some important questions to ask include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"i8Z77e\">\n<li class=\"TrT0Xe\">What are your values? What is important to you?<\/li>\n<li class=\"TrT0Xe\">What kinds of things do you like to do? What are your interests?<\/li>\n<li class=\"TrT0Xe\">What is your family like? Are they supportive of your surrogacy plans?<\/li>\n<li class=\"TrT0Xe\">Have you been considering surrogacy for a while?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>What are the pros and cons of an independent surrogacy compared to working with an agency?<\/h3>\n<p>The primary advantage of an independent surrogacy journey, at least on the surface, is it is typically less expensive. This is usually true for people who are familiar with the surrogacy process. The disadvantages of going it alone include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lack of guidance and built-in support system<\/li>\n<li>Increased risk of legal or financial complications<\/li>\n<li>More time-consuming<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Circle Surrogacy\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.circlesurrogacy.com\/parents\">Parenthood Through Surrogacy<\/a> page is filled with information for intended parents who are just starting out and answers many questions IPs may have. Their experienced team is always there to answer questions and provide information. You can reach the team by filling out <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.circlesurrogacy.com\/forms\/become-a-parent-application\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this form<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, emailing <\/span><a href=\"mailto:info@circlesurrogacy.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">info@circlesurrogacy.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or calling 617.439.9900.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Updated 1\/3\/2023 Surrogacy is an emotional and intimate family-building process. It\u2019s no surprise that intended parents (IPs) will have family members or friends offer to be their gestational surrogate. When IPs choose to have someone close to them be their surrogate, they should still follow the surrogacy process, including having a legal contract. Using a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":128553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_links_to":"","_links_to_type":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1220,1222,1219],"tags":[944,1366,995,667,1355],"blog":[722],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128550"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=128550"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130599,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128550\/revisions\/130599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/128553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=128550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=128550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=128550"},{"taxonomy":"blog","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forms.circlesurrogacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog?post=128550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}