In a world where some very deserving individuals and couples can’t have children by traditional means, surrogacy becomes a grand act of kindness. It becomes a grand act of kindness by the surrogate mother who gives of her time and body to make other people’s dreams come true. So it seems fair that surrogates are properly compensated and one of the questions we often encounter in the process is do surrogates get paid monthly?
To be clear, surrogate pregnancy is a mutually beneficial process. The intended parents will get the opportunity to love and raise a child, an opportunity they might not otherwise get. The surrogate mother benefits in two ways. First, they get the self-gratification that comes from doing something wonderful and kind on behalf of others. Second, they do get compensation for becoming a surrogate mother.
In the following sections, the information will focus on how surrogacy works, the process of becoming a surrogate mother, the responsibilities of being a surrogate, and how much money does a surrogate make.
HOW DOES SURROGACY WORK IN PHILADELPHIA?
When an individual or couple discovers they can’t have children by traditional means, their options are pretty much reduced to abortion or surrogacy. If they choose surrogacy in Philadelphia, they can start the process by enlisting the services of a surrogate agency in Philadelphia.
The agency will be charged with discussing the process with the intended parent or parents. The purpose of this initial discussion or interview is to determine exactly what it is that the intended parents want to achieve. The discussion will also focus on the cost of surrogacy for the intended parent or parents.
After signing a contract with the intended parent or parents, the agency must then go in search of a suitable woman who is willing to go through surrogate pregnancy. As part of the discussion with the prospective surrogate, a good portion of the discussion will focus on the surrogate price.
Prior to receiving any form of compensation, a woman must qualify to serve as a surrogate. As you can imagine, the standards are pretty high for the benefit of all interested parties. As a point of reference, here are some of the general qualifications a surrogate must meet:
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Be between the ages of 21 and 40 - Created with sketchtool.
Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 20 and 32 - Created with sketchtool.
Must have gone through at least one successful pregnancy with no history of pregnancy or delivery complications - Created with sketchtool.
Must live in a stable environment – women currently raising children are preferred - Created with sketchtool.
Must be free of any kind of substance abuse or addiction - Created with sketchtool.
No history of felony criminal behavior - Created with sketchtool.
Must be in good physical and mental health
After going through the qualification process and getting approval, the surrogate will eventually get matched with an intended parent or parents. Once matched, the interested parties will get a chance to meet. If both parties agree to move forward, a contract is signed, and the in vitro fertilization process is initiated.
Throughout the process, the answers to some specific questions will get answered. On the part of the surrogate, the prices for a surrogate mother often get a lot of attention. Questions like do surrogates get paid monthly do get addressed.
At this point, we think it would be prudent to speak of the financial aspects of surrogacy.
HOW MUCH DOES A SURROGATE MOTHER GET PAID?
Before answering questions like do surrogates get paid monthly, it seems prudent to discuss the actual surrogate price. It’s important to point out that surrogate compensation will vary by state and by the agency. As a surrogate agency in Philadelphia, we’ll focus mostly on our prices.
Surrogates are compensated at two levels: level one is the base surrogate fee and level two encompasses extra fees and reimbursable. The following prices are current estimates. If you are considering surrogacy through our Surrogacy Center of Philadelphia agency, please contact us for exact and current prices. Here are the current estimates:
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Base surrogate fee: $35K (up to $40k for experienced surrogates - Created with sketchtool.
Monthly misc. allowance: $200 per month - Created with sketchtool.
Embryo transfer compensation: $1,000 - Created with sketchtool.
Full medical and life insurance coverage during pregnancy - Created with sketchtool.
Maternity clothing allowance: $500 or more to be negotiated - Created with sketchtool.
Fees for extra invasive processes: $500 per - Created with sketchtool.
C-Section fee: $3k - Created with sketchtool.
Childcare and lost wage reimbursement
HOW DO SURROGATES GET PAID?
The question do surrogates get paid monthly is answered by discussing the actual payment process. It should be noted that some payments are made monthly, some intermittently as needed, and the rest paid at the time the baby is delivered to the intended parents.
At the beginning of the surrogacy process, intended parents are required to make payments. The payments will include the agency’s free ($21K at our facility) and the surrogate’s compensation. The total surrogate compensation package is usually estimated to be between $55K and $60K.
The surrogate payments to the agency are made in three increments unless otherwise negotiated. As the payments are made, the surrogate’s money is placed in an escrow account to be processed as stated by the surrogacy contract. At all times, the surrogate will have access to their escrow account. They’ll be able to see detailed transactions and where the due balance sits. The payments are made directly from the escrow company to the surrogate via direct bank-to-bank transfer.
For the benefit of the surrogate, some payments are made right away. That would include the initial monthly allowance amount and the clothing allowance. As the surrogacy process progresses, other payments will be made for things like childcare reimbursement (when necessitated), reimbursement from lost wagers, and breastmilk pumping fees (actually paid weekly).
As stated earlier, the final payment will be made after the baby has been delivered to the intended parent or parents. Said payment will include the base fee, plus all of the other fees that accumulated during the surrogacy process.
The above information is subject to change and some negotiation. If you are interested in serving as a surrogate mother, you are to be commended for the depth of your caring. The fact you will be compensated will in no way detract from the magnitude of what you are agreeing to do for strangers.
If you would like more information about the surrogacy process, please contact us at your earliest convenience. An online application form is available for your convenience.
