Where Is the Cheapest Country for Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a fertility treatment in which a woman with a healthy reproduction system agrees to carry and give birth to another couple's child. Finding a suitable gestational surrogate and conducting a legal contract with her can be tedious and challenging, not to mention its high base compensation and extra expenses. This essay briefly discusses different aspects of surrogacy and then introduces the cheapest countries for getting it. 

What Is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a form of fertility treatment that is done as a complement to an assisted reproductive technique such as IVF and ICSI. Mainly, two types of surrogacy are practiced worldwide; traditional and gestational. In traditional surrogacy, which is almost phased out today, the surrogate is actually the child's biological mother. However, in gestational surrogacy, the surrogate only carries and gives birth to the child and has no biological relationship with the baby.

Why Is Surrogacy Used?

Some women may be unable to carry a pregnancy due to various reasons such as advanced age, loss of uterus or a part of it, ovarian or uterine cancer, a health issue that makes the pregnancy dangerous for them, pelvic inflammatory disease, and endometriosis. Also, this method is preferable for same-sex couples and single parents who want to extend their families. 

Factors Affecting the Cost of Surrogacy

The cost of gestational surrogacy can vary based on the following factors:

The country in that you get surrogacy

In some countries, average daily expenses, medications and examinations costs, healthcare services price, and compensation of the surrogate mothers are relatively higher than in other countries. For example, the cost of medical procedures and surrogate mothers in Iran and India is comparatively lower than in European countries and the USA. 

Surrogacy agency fee

The surrogacy agencies offer different prices based on the following:

• The number of surrogates they recruit and suggest to the couples;
• How they screen and examine the surrogates' physiological and psychological traits;
• Legal services that they provide to the surrogate mother and the intended parents;
• How fast they find a suitable surrogate for the couple; and
• How many home assessments and background checks do they do to ensure that everything is ready for starting the surrogacy procedure? 

Cost of legal services and counseling

Making a legal contract between the surrogate and the intended parents is one of the most important steps in this fertility treatment. In this contract, which a surrogacy agency mostly conducts, the responsibilities of both parties are specified, and the base compensation of the surrogate mother is determined. Legal counseling from an attorney or a surrogacy agency can benefit both the surrogate and the intended parents and prevent future legal complications. Since the cost of a legal attorney can be somewhat high, some couples skip it, which is a big mistake. 

Cost of healthcare services

The medications, pre- and post-op evaluations, and the procedure of IVF and ICSI cover the largest part of the surrogacy cost. In some countries, a part or whole expenses of this fertility treatment are covered by insurance or the government's financial assistance. In contrast, in most countries, the intended parents should pay for surrogacy. Remember that additional fertility services such as taking PGD and PGT tests, using donor sex cells, using frozen embryos or sex cells, and transferring two or three embryos (multiple pregnancies) can highly affect the cost of surrogacy. 

Cost of psychological counseling and therapy

Having children through surrogacy is hard and can be challenging for many couples. Seeking help from a professional counselor can help the couple decide better and overcome their concerns and doubts. However, psychological counseling can be costly and add a lot to your expenses.

Cheap Countries for Surrogacy 

In the following, the cheapest countries for surrogacy are introduced in order of their price.

The United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, surrogacy is legal, but it shouldn't be done for commercial purposes. In other words, the surrogate cannot ask for much money to carry and give birth to a baby. However, this country's cost of assisted conception is significantly high.

Colombia 

Just like in the UK, only altruistic and gestational surrogacy is permitted in Colombia. In other words, the surrogate should not have any genetic bond with the child and cannot ask for a large sum of money in return.

Thailand

The cost of surrogacy in Thailand ranges from 55.000 to 65.000 USD, covering the surrogate's compensation, IVF procedure, clinic, surrogacy agency's charges, and required tests and examinations. 

Ukraine 

The minimum price of surrogacy in Ukraine is 32.000 USD, but this number soars up if the intended parents ask for PGD tests and other examinations. Although this country has not been as popular as other European countries for getting surrogacy treatment, it is paving its way to the top of the 'best countries for surrogacy' list due to its well-established laws that protect both the parents and the surrogates.

Georgia 

The Republic of Georgia offers the cheapest medical services in Europe for infertile couples who need gestational surrogacy. The lowest price of surrogacy in Georgia is $32.000, but the all-inclusive packages offered by surrogacy agencies in this country can cost you around $55.000 to $60.000. 

India 

The high rate of surrogacy in India has made it a reliable country for getting this fertility treatment. The base payment for surrogate mothers in India ranges between $10.000 to $16.000. Adding IVF costs to this number, the surrogacy procedure will cost you around 25.000 to 30.000 USD per birth. 

Iran 

The cheapest country for surrogacy in the world is Iran, as the gestational surrogate's fee and IVF procedure will cost you almost 12.000 to 20.000 USD. By getting this fertility treatment in Iran, you can also benefit from quality medical services, clear laws protecting you and your baby, and many donor gametes from egg/sperm banks.

Read more: Surrogacy in Iran

Why Is Iran the Best Country for Surrogacy?

In addition to being the cheapest country for surrogacy, Iran is the best place to get this fertility treatment as the regulations of this country are in favor of the intended parents, surrogate mothers, and the surrogacy babies. This may not be the case in many Asian, African, and Eastern European countries where the cost of surrogacy is lower than average.

FAQs About the Cheapest Country for Surrogacy

1) Which country is the cheapest for surrogacy?

So far, Iran is the cheapest country for surrogacy as the cost of IVF, medications, necessary tests, and surrogate's salaries are low in this country. 

2) How can you reduce the costs of surrogacy?

Surrogacy is costly, but you can reduce some expenses by finding a surrogate on your own and conducting legal contracts without an attorney. However, it is highly suggested not to do so as you may encounter legal complications in the future.

3) Can you skip counseling to reduce your surrogacy expenses?

Skipping legal and psychological counseling during gestational surrogacy is not suggested as this procedure is challenging and should be done with the advice of professional lawyers and psychologists.