Surrogate Mother Cost- Factor Affecting the Surrogate Mother Cost in India

Today, the surrogate mother’s cost is charged only for her medications & expenditures in the program and is accounted within the surrogacy cost in India, from 18 lakh to 20 lakhs because the Indian Surrogacy Regulation Act 2021 permits only altruistic surrogacy, the surrogate is not compensated. But there are various factors affecting the surrogate mother cost in India which are clearly explained in this context.

Surrogate mother cost in India

Before 2021, the cost of a surrogate mother in India is about Rs. 5 laksh to Rs. 6 lakhs. Today, commercial surrogacy is banned in India and only altruistic surrogacy is permitted where the surrogate is the relative of the intending parents and she does not tend to receive any financial compensation. The surrogate medication, tests, and other expenditures are covered within the inclusive surrogacy cost of Rs. 18 lakhs for self-cycle and up to Rs. 20 lakhs for the donor cycle.

Altruistic surrogacy cost

A surrogacy journey where the surrogate mother is the relative or close friend of the intended parents and she is not financially compensated is altruistic surrogacy. In India, the altruistic surrogacy cost is Rs.18 lakhs for self-cycle (self egg+self sperm). The altruistic surrogacy cost involving donor-cycle (donor egg+ partner sperm, or self-egg+donor sperm, or donor embryo) is Rs. 20 lakhs onwards. In both journeys, the inclusive surrogacy cost covers complete surrogacy procedures involving consultations, legal documentation fees, IVF procedures, surrogate preparation & expenditures, donor assistance, embryo transfer to surrogate uterus, and child delivery. The Fertility Cure surrogacy centre also provides additional services and facilities like travel assistance, donor assistance, surrogate assistance, and a surrogate mother home.

Surrogacy payment schedule

The Fertility Cure is the only surrogacy centre in India that allows intended parents to pay the surrogacy cost at different intervals. The table below represents the Surrogacy Payment schedule in rupees:-

Factors affecting the surrogate mother cost in India

Factors affecting the surrogate mother cost in India are because of the process and procedures which are very important to achieve surrogacy and for the overall well-being of the surrogate mother. The surrogate is provided with the same treatment as is adopted for an egg donation recipient and such factors are covered under the inclusive surrogacy cost.

1. Screening cost: Before the medical surrogacy process, the surrogate undergoes medical screening to ensure she is healthy enough to carry a surrogate pregnancy. Specialists will evaluate her stability in being the surrogate, she must satisfy certain criteria including a clean reproductive background, stable reproductive systems, and free from any diseases, which means her overall stable health.
2. Treatments or tests cost:  A surrogate has to undergo medication and treatment or tests to stabilize her reproductive system especially the uterus to accept the intended parent’s embryo. In addition to a standard physical & bloodwork, an ultrasound is done to examine her uterus. The medication and treatments involve costs.
3. Cost of surrogate home: During the surrogacy procedure, the surrogate has to stay in the surrogate home provided by the working surrogacy centre. It makes it easier for the team to give her complete care and regular monitoring throughout the procedure. It involves the fees of the healthcare professionals.
4. Cost of fooding and diet: Eating healthy food or following an expert diet is always important for the surrogate for a healthy pregnancy. Even though a surrogate is not carrying her child, her health and nutrition needs before and during pregnancy are essentially the same as a standard pregnancy.
5. Surrogate clothing cost: Especially during pregnancy, the surrogate body changes with the growth of the fetus and she needs clothing according to her body demands. Also, during childbirth, different clothing is required for the child and the surrogate. All these expenditures are the factors that affect the surrogate mother’s cost.
6. Additional cost factors: Sometimes the surrogate can feel sick or have health problems during pregnancy. In such cases, she needs special care and appropriate treatment for her well-being which will ensure the child’s health. It involves the medication cost, expert fees, and additional treatments and test costs.

Issues of Surrogate Mothers in India

The surrogacy agreements are treated at par with other contracts under the Indian Contract Act 1872 and other laws applicable to these kinds of agreements. Both the couple/single parent and surrogate mother need to enter into a surrogacy agreement covering all issues, which would be legally enforceable. However, a special provision is provided for the surrogate where she can terminate the agreement if her health deteriorates or if she doesn’t feel like the continuation of the procedure.

Some serious issues during the pregnancy include gestational diabetes, hypertension, or potential damage to reproductive organs. As with any pregnancy, there is also the risk of a surrogate miscarriage or preterm labor.

Does the surrogate mother get paid in India?

As of today, the surrogate mother does not get paid in India except for her medication, food, clothing, etc.  This is because India allows only altruistic surrogacy which clearly says no compensation to the surrogate and she must be the relative of the intending parents. All the expenditures involved for the surrogate mother are covered within the inclusive surrogacy cost and no separate payment or reimbursement is allowed.

Is surrogacy legal in India?

Yes, surrogacy is legal in India only for its citizens who are married but unable to have a child and for single widows/divorced mothers. Also, to international intended parents who have an Indian passport by either one or both of the parents.

Commercial surrogacy has been made illegal in India since 2021. Only altruistic surrogacy is permitted that is no monetary gain for surrogates. The surrogate must be the relative of the intended parents, married, aged 21-37, and have atleast one biological child. The latest Surrogacy Regulation Act 2022 has enabled the intended parents to use donor assistance including egg, sperm, or the embryo.

Surrogacy in India for Non-Resident Indians (NRI)

Non-resident Indians (NRI) can undergo legal surrogacy in India unless they have an Indian passport. Thousands of NRI have enjoyed full surrogacy privileges in India even though they have emigrated to some other country due to various reasons including work, education, residence, or some other purpose. All NRI-intended parents seek to pursue surrogacy or any infertility treatments because here in India, the surrogacy legal procedure is smoother, easier to arrange for the surrogate mother, freedom to use donor assistance, the success rate is higher, and most importantly surrogacy cost is much affordable than any other countries.

Surrogacy process

The surrogacy process in India is smoother accounting for all the processes and procedures including, legal framework, transportation assistance, IVF procedures, donor assistance, surrogate arrangement, etc. The Fertility Cure professional team has explained in detail the surrogacy processes below:-

1. First step: Deliver free surrogacy consultations via phone calls or video calls by surrogacy specialists and legal surrogacy lawyers.
2. Second step: Screening and evaluation of the intended parent’s reproductive gametes that is qualities of eggs and sperm by various testing methods and also reproductive systems causing infertility.
3. Third step: The legal surrogacy lawyer will initiate a legal surrogacy framework for the program.
4. Fourth step: Intended parents, surrogate mothers, donors, and fertility cure team will sign an altruistic surrogacy contract agreement under the legal lawyers.
5. Fifth step: Arrangement and preparation of the surrogate in order to receive the embryo into her uterus.
6. Sixth step: If surrogacy involves the donor cycle, then matching is done between the egg donor and the surrogate mother.
7. Seventh step: The IVF procedure is done that involves superovulation, egg retrieval, sperm collection, and fertilization of the gametes.
8. Eight steps: The best-quality embryo is picked by the embryologist and transferred into the surrogate uterus. The surrogate is regularly monitored via bloodwork and ultrasound to check the lining of the uterus and pregnancy.
9. Ninth step: The surrogate’s pregnancy is confirmed within the 6th to 7th week after embryo transfer. You will feel the first heartbeats of your prospective child and be excited.
10. Tenth step: After full-term pregnancy, our coordination team will arrange hospitals for the delivery of surrogates. During delivery, the legal team will furnish the legal paperwork for your baby(ies).
11. Final step: Embrace your child, this step is the most anticipated stage of the journey, filled with excitement, and surprising wonders and you may feel like an end. But it will be your most awaited new beginning for your family. Our team will arrange all the formalities and send you back home with your child.

Surrogacy laws in India for single parents

According to Indian surrogacy laws, only single mothers who are either divorced or widowed are allowed to use the surrogacy program along with the donor sperm. However, the surrogate should be the relative of the single mother and should not be compensated financially which is medically termed as altruistic surrogacy.

The Surrogacy Regulation Act, of 2021, has banned commercial surrogacy and allowed only altruistic surrogacy. The latest surrogacy laws in India for single parents is of 2022 which enabled single parents to use donor assistance in surrogacy.

Why choose the Fertility Cure for surrogacy in India?

In India, the Fertility Cure is the only surrogacy centre that strictly abides by the surrogacy laws and the surrogate mother qualifications. The centre is 25+ years old, one of the oldest counting centres equipped with all the ART facilities of the world standards. The centre has the most expert and efficient specialists who commit to rebuilding parenthood for intended parents at an affordable price.

The team makes sure parents receive the healthiest surrogate mother at a reasonable cost and perform their best to minimize those factors that affect the surrogate mother’s cost. The centre has assured surrogacy success rate of 75% up to 95%.

FAQs

1. What is the surrogate mother cost in India?

Way back in 2021, Intended parents had to provide INR 5 lakhs to 6 lakhs as the surrogate mother cost in India as a base compensation. However, today only altruistic surrogacy is legal in India where she should be the relative of the intending parents and does not receive any reimbursement or compensation financially. All the medications and expenditures of the surrogate mother during the surrogacy are covered under the inclusive surrogacy cost of Rs. 18 lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs as described above the page.

2. What factors affect the surrogate mother cost in India?

Through surrogate mothers, the most desperate intended parents rebuild their parenthood again. During surrogacy, the surrogate requires complete care and nourishment including her overall health. The factors that can affect the surrogate mother’s cost include:

• Surrogate screening cost,
• Treatments or tests cost,
• Cost of surrogate home,
• Cost of fooding and diet,
• Surrogate clothing cost,
• Additional cost factors.