Surrogacy in Australia costs- what do intended parents need to pay for in surrogacy in Australia? It’s a challenging question to answer, because every situation is different. So much can depend on the success or otherwise of IVF treatment, what sort of treatments are required, whether donors are involved and whether Medicare rebates are payable. And then pregnancy can be very unknown, even for someone who has been pregnant before. A lot depends on how many treatments and appointments the surrogate needs, whether she is unwell and needs time off work, and what sort of support her family needs for childcare, house cleaning, etc. The list can seem endless.

If you’re interested in surrogacy in Australia costs, this chart was developed by an intended parent to help you plan it out.

I have provided a list below of costs that you might expect in a surrogacy arrangement. Like all the lists I have on the website (including Setting Expectations for our Surrogacy Journeys, which you should read if you haven’t already) this is only meant as a guide and you will need to do some work together as a team to come up with a budget and expected expenses as they apply in your situation. If you would like to use this guide, you can print out a Surrogacy Costs downloadable template to get you started. It might also be useful to give the list to your surrogate and ask her and her partner to make some estimates about what they think their expenses might be. Many intended parents will have their own spreadsheet to manage their expenses, and may even be willing to share that information with you in the Australian Surrogacy Community Facebook group.

If you are new to surrogacy, you can read about how to find a surrogate, or how to become a surrogate yourself. You can also download the free Surrogacy Handbook which explains the processes and options.

SURROGACY IN AUSTRALIA COSTS TO EXPECT AND PLAN FOR

IVF treatment

IVF expenses
Medication
Clinic fees
Screening and testing
Embryo storage

Process expenses

Legal fees – one lawyer for birth parents, one for intended parents
Counselling
Psychological Assessments
Medical screening
Clinic fees

Pre-Pregnancy and Trying to Conceive

Counselling
Medication and supplements
Travel and parking
Accommodation
Ovulation and pregnancy test kits
Allied health – acupuncture, naturopathy, etc
Childcare for appointments
Health Insurance
Life insurance and Income protection
Removal of IUD

Pregnancy

Multivitamins and supplements
Medication
Maternity clothing
Counselling
Childcare
Cleaner
Travel and parking
Accommodation
Allied health – massage, acupuncture, etc
Obstetrician/doctor
Hospital
Doula/private midwife

Birth

TENS machine hire for birth
Doula/private midwife
Birth photographer
Obstetrician/doctor
Hospital
Childcare

Post Natal & Fourth Trimester

Maternity pads and breast pads
Cleaner
Travel and Taxis
SRC shorts
Medication and Pain Relief
Obstetric/midwife appointments

Lost Income – Surrogate

Counselling appointments
Legal appointments
Fertility and medical appointments
Maternity appointments
Pregnancy-related illness
Maternity leave (pre-birth and birth)
Maternity leave (post-birth)
Surrogate’s Partner leave

Parentage Order

Counselling
Legal fees – you don’t have to have a lawyer, you can DIY your Parentage Order.
Court filing fee

While you’re talking about money, make sure to consider the HOW as well. How will the team manage the surrogacy costs? Surrogates often don’t like talking about money, so the intended parents may need to be firm to keep on top of the money side of things. There are some ideas about managing money conversations in this blog post.

You can also check out this post for a broader discussion about how much altruistic surrogacy might cost.

Surrogacy laws vary from state to state, and this can also impact on the cost of surrogacy. Make sure to check out the surrogacy laws in your state.

Sarah has published a book, More Than Just a Baby: A Guide to Surrogacy for Intended Parents and Surrogates, the only guide to surrogacy in Australia.

You can find more information in the free Surrogacy Handbook, reading articles in the Blog, by listening to more episodes of the Surrogacy Podcast. You can also book in for a consult with me below, and check out the legal services I provide.