Twin pregnancies happen naturally when more than one embryo develops at the same time. In most cases it comes as a surprise to the parents. Something similar can happen in surrogacy, and in some cases intended parents choose it on purpose. Here is how surrogate twins come about, what they can cost, and the risks worth understanding before you decide.
When a person or couple wants a child but cannot conceive or carry a pregnancy on their own, surrogacy is one of the paths available to them. It gives intended parents a way to grow their family with more involvement in the process than some other options offer.
In a surrogacy arrangement, the intended parents work with a surrogacy agency that helps coordinate the journey and put a clear agreement in place between the intended parents and the surrogate. The surrogate carries and delivers the baby, and she receives compensation for doing so.
There are two types of surrogacy. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate’s own egg is used, so she has a genetic link to the child. In gestational surrogacy, the egg comes from the intended mother or a donor, not from the surrogate, so the surrogate has no genetic connection to the baby. Most intended parents today choose gestational surrogacy, and it is the standard our program supports.
Some intended parents specifically hope for twins, often because it lets them grow their family through a single surrogacy journey rather than going through the process twice. Twins can come about in two ways.
The more common path is a planned transfer of more than one embryo. A fertility doctor selects healthy embryos and transfers two, and if both implant successfully, the surrogate carries twins. The transfer does not always result in a twin pregnancy, but when it does, this is usually why.
Less commonly, a single transferred embryo splits on its own after the transfer. When that happens, the result is identical twins.
Carrying twins is more demanding than carrying one baby, for both the surrogate and the babies. A twin pregnancy carries a higher chance of:
These are possibilities, not certainties. Many twin pregnancies go well, but intended parents should understand the added risk going in, since the surrogate’s health and the babies’ health come first at every step.
Carrying multiples asks more of a surrogate, so surrogates who carry twins typically receive additional compensation for it, which the intended parents cover. Because compensation figures change over time, the current details are kept on our surrogate compensation page and our surrogacy cost page for intended parents.
Costs can also rise if complications call for extra medical care, such as a longer hospital stay for babies born early. Intended parents are generally responsible for these costs, which is one more reason to weigh the twin option carefully.
Not every surrogate who is approved to carry one baby is cleared to carry twins, and carrying multiples asks more of her body. Fewer surrogates choose to carry twins even with the added compensation, so the pool is smaller. That can mean a longer wait to match, especially as more intended parents ask about multiples.
If you are considering twins, it is worth talking through the added costs, risks, and timeline with your agency before you decide. As a Philadelphia-based team, we are glad to walk you through what it would mean for your journey and help you make the choice that fits your family.
