Becoming a Carrier or Surrogate

Carriers and Surrogates generally must have had at least one prior pregnancy with a live birth in order to be a carrier or surrogate. Average reimbursement amounts for living expenses range from $18,000 to $25,000. Additional amounts often times are paid for: attorney fees, carrying multiple children, medical expenses, additional medical procedures (i.e. C-Section) and the like. The legal fee cost of drafting the assisted reproductive technology contract typically runs on average between $2,000 and $2,500. The legal fee cost of the second step of amending the birth certificate generally costs between $1500 to $2,000. These estimates are for legal services only and are paid for by the intended parents. The amounts do not include any costs associated with the medical procedure itself or with obtaining DNA testing. These costs also don’t include the cost of legal representation for the surrogate or gestational carrier.

Surrogate-Carrier Medical History Form

Surrogate-Carrier Pregnancy History Form

Surrogate-Carrier Social History Form

Virginia Statutes provide a legal method in Virginia for obtaining a pre-birth order, which allows placement of the name(s) of the intended parent(s) on the original birth certificate. However, the pre-birth order process is intrusive and expensive especially because it requires that a home study be done. The more common process for surrogate mother arrangements involves two basic steps:

The first step in the process is entering into a contract governed by Virginia law prior to the assisted reproductive technology procedure (artificial insemination or in vitro placement) takes place. The second step is having the birth certificate amended after the birth of the child. This two-step process is relatively simple and can be done as long as the child is born in Virginia and at least one intended parent is genetically related to the child. For children born outside of Virginia, a court order is required and the process is more involved but can be accomplished via an Order of Parentage and, when necessary, if one intended parent is not genetically related, a step-parent adoption.