Surrogacy FAQs for Future Intended Parents
1. Where do I start?
Looking for a gestational surrogate is a daunting task. An agency like 3 Sisters Surrogacy is the perfect place to get started on this adventure! 3 Sisters Surrogacy works to match just the right gestational surrogate with a family by thoroughly screening each candidate, performing background, child abuse, and home checks, review medical records, in-depth interviews with candidates, arrange travel and appointments,establish escrow in an independent escrow firm, provide referrals for doctors and attorneys, serve as an intermediary during interviews between both parties, as well as throughout the pregnancy, if needed. Call us at 877-976-9483 or email info@3sisterssurrogacy.com to get more information.
2. Do you work with families outside of Texas?
We work with families ALL OVER THE WORLD!
3. What is your agency fee and what is included?
Our agency for gestational surrogacy (with no egg donor) is $15,950. This fee covers our management of your case, in-depth review of the surrogate, escrow management fee in an independent firm, attorney fees for the gestational surrogate, fees for psychological evaluation, background and child abuse checks. This fee is paid over 3 installments – the first is at the time of signing the agency agreement, the second at the time of signing the contract with the gestational surrogate, and the third installment is due when we get a confirmation of pregnancy. We also provide a beautiful gift to the surrogate after delivery.
4. What are the other fees involved?
The aforementioned fees above are included in our agency fee. Other additional fees are quite variable, depending on where you are in the process, and what facilities you use. They include (approximate):
In Vitro Fertilization – $20,000-$30,0000
Egg donor (if needed ) $10,000 (discounted if you use The Donor Solution) – $12,000 to $15,000 average
Surrogate Base Compensation- $35,000 to $50,0000
Legal – $3,000 – $5,000
Insurance – $0 – $10,000
Other Surrogate expenses – transfer fee, lost wages, child care, travel, maternity clothes, etc. – $10,000 – $25,000
FORTUNATELY, we offer to finance through American Healthcare Lending! Contact us for more information!
5. How does your agency select surrogates?
We receive many applications per week, but only about 5-10% of them ever end up in the candidate pool. Our basic requirements include:
Ages 23-38
Easy Pregnancies
Children living in the home
Healthy lifestyle – no drugs, smoking in the home, healthy eating
BMI<31
No public assistance
Be able to pass background and child abuse check
Be able to pass a psychological evaluation
Have a strong desire to help a couple start their family
Be willing to travel
6. Will your surrogates work with gay couples? Couples of other ethnicities?
We want both our surrogates AND future parents to be comfortable with each other throughout the pregnancies. Some surrogates have expressed a desire to carry for only heterosexual couples, some for only their same ethnic group, while others are more open to all types of families. As we visit with each couple and surrogate, we get to know what their ideal situation is and take that into account as we are introducing all parties involved.
7. Can the surrogate back out and try to keep the baby?
Texas is considered a surrogacy-friendly state, for one because of something called a “Pre-birth Order”. This is legal paperwork drawn up by the parents’ attorney and filed in the courts that establish the legal parentage as the actual genetic (or intended) parents. After this paperwork is filed (generally about 20-22 weeks), the baby is legally the parents’ baby, and their names go on the birth certificate.
8. What kind of relationship will I have with the surrogate?
We leave the development of relationship up to the parties involved. Sometimes the couple wants a close relationship with the surrogate, attend every doctor’s visit, go to yoga together. Other times, a more contractual relationship is desired. Regardless of what type of relationship evolves, it is important to have a good working relationship at the very minimum.
9. Where will the surrogate be implanted with my embryos?
The surrogate will travel to your fertility doctor for the embryo transfer. Typically two visits are required – one for the initial visit, and one for the embryo transfer.
10. Where will my surrogate deliver?
The surrogate usually delivers in a hospital near to here, with her ob of choice, unless otherwise arranged between the future parents and the surrogate.
