Cost of Gay Surrogacy in Mexico

Mexico has become a popular destination for same–sex couples who are seeking to start a family through surrogacy. With its favorable laws, male couples from all over the world are now looking to Mexico to fulfill their dream of having children. Mexican laws on surrogacy are inclusive, allowing both residents and non–residents, regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation, to pursue surrogacy in the country. In this article, we will delve into the world of gay surrogacy in Mexico, explore the many benefits and advantages of choosing this destination for starting your unique journey, learn all about your spending, including the actual and hidden fees, compare the basic and premium surrogacy programs, investigating the reasons for higher price tags than expected, and returning to premium bundles with a baby born guarantee as a money–saving alternatives to the other packages. Let’s start.

Choosing Mexico for Surrogacy: Benefits and Advantages

Mexico is a popular destination for surrogacy due to its favorable laws. Both Mexican residents and non–residents, regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation, are legally allowed to pursue surrogacy in Mexico. There are two types of surrogacy arrangements available: altruistic and commercial.

For those looking to create IVF embryos, Mexican or traveling egg donors are available. In addition, it is possible to cryoship the donor’s eggs or intended father’s vitrified sperm to Mexico. If desired, preimplantation genetic testing can be done to screen embryos before transfer to a surrogate mother. Sex selection is not prohibited, so it is possible to choose the baby’s gender.

Once embryos are created, there are various options available for transfer to the intended parents. It is possible to transport an embryo to Mexico and start a cryotransfer program using gestational surrogacy. Alternatively, vitrified intended father’s (fathers’) sperm and IVF embryos can be cryogenically shipped from Mexico after a surrogacy program is completed. Remaining IVF embryos that won’t be transferred in the ongoing cycle can also be vitrified and stored in a Mexican surrogacy clinic for future IVF surrogacy or cryoshipped to another destination that is selected by the intended parents.

There are several programs available for surrogacy in Mexico. Basic programs cover one fresh and some of the basic programs may cover also one frozen embryo transfer, while Premium programs provide unlimited trials, powerful backups, and cover most expenses, including incidental fees. For those interested in having twins, there is the “Twins with two surrogate mothers” program, which synchronizes two gestational carriers’ embryo transfers, with each carrying one baby. There is also the option of selecting twins using a shared egg donor (Twins using a shared egg donor/“Fraternal Twins”) or creating two cohorts of embryos using different egg donors. This results in genetically related babies in the case of a shared egg donor or unrelated babies in the case of different egg donors, each carrying the genetic makeup of the respective father and egg donor.

Egg Donation in Mexico: Legal and Regulated.

Egg donation is legal in Mexico, and there are a number of fertility and surrogacy clinics offering this type of treatment. Donors are thoroughly examined to ensure that they are suitable to donate their eggs (have a good ovarian reserve, produce viable and healthy oocytes, are not suffering from a hormone imbalance, diabetes, and so on), and do not carry any diseases (viral, STDs, genetic, immunological, etc.). Most Mexican egg donors are young women between 18 and 30 years old, and only a few clinics accept donations from women above 30 but below 36 years old.

In addition to the thorough examination of egg donors, Mexican fertility clinics also follow strict guidelines for the egg donation process. These guidelines cover the screening and selection of donors, as well as the fertilization and transfer of embryos. Donors are typically compensated for their time and effort, although the amount of compensation varies depending on the clinic and the individual donor.

It is important to note that Mexican law prohibits the buying and selling of human eggs, so compensation is limited to covering the donor’s expenses and providing them with a reasonable amount of compensation for their time. In addition, egg donation in Mexico is typically anonymous, with donors and recipients not knowing each other’s identities. However, some clinics may offer the option of a semi–open or open donation process, where the donor and couple seeking donated eggs can choose to have some degree of contact or exchange of information.

Overall, egg donation in Mexico is a safe and regulated process, with many reputable clinics offering this service to single males and male couples opting for surrogacy.

Family Balancing through Gender Selection: A Legal Option in Mexico.

Unlike most countries, sex selection for family balancing is legal in Mexico. Gender selection in Mexico is typically done through a process called preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), which involves testing the embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) for genetic conditions and chromosomal abnormalities. This allows for the selection of embryos with the desired gender before they are transferred to the surrogate mother’s uterus for pregnancy. Additionally, it may be helpful to note that some clinics in Mexico may have specific regulations or limitations on gender selection. Couples need to research and discuss their options with a qualified medical professional.

Surrogacy Regulations in Mexico.

Surrogacy is legal in Mexico; both altruistic and commercial surrogacy arrangements are allowed, but traditional surrogacy, where the surrogate mother acts as both the Egg Donor and surrogate mother, is outlawed. In late 2021, the Supreme Court declared surrogacy a protected medical procedure, and some Mexican states now allow intended parents to be listed on their baby’s birth certificate immediately upon birth. However, not all jurisdictions have adopted the Court’s directives. The court ruling also established that each state has to regulate surrogacy, and surrogate mothers can be compensated for some expenses but cannot use their own eggs. Obtaining a court order that approves the terms of the agreement between the surrogate mother and intended parents is a crucial part of surrogacy programs in Mexico. Any baby born through a surrogate pregnancy in Mexico has Mexican citizenship and can opt for a Mexican passport, which allows them to return home with the baby and gives them the option of getting Spanish/USA/etc. nationality once in Spain/USA/etc. The advantages of surrogacy in Mexico include availability for anyone, including the LGBT community, singles, married, or common–law partners, and the possibility of choosing donors visually as the images of the donors can be provided.

How Long Does it Take to Match with a Gestational Surrogate in Mexico?

Matching with a gestational surrogate mother routinely takes between one and two months.

Surrogacy Timeline: Matching, Carrying, and Bringing Baby Home.

The average journey length from signing the contract to taking the baby home is 11–12 months. Matching takes nearly one month, and an additional month is typically spent on screening and preparation. Nine months are for carrying the baby, and 1 or 2 months are spent in the bustle and hassle of prepping the documents to take the baby home. In some cases, such as when the surrogate mother is completing surrogacy and the intended parents have selected her to carry a surrogacy pregnancy for them, the waiting time may take up to 9 months until the baby is born, plus an additional nine months of growing the baby for the couple, and one month for completing the paperwork and getting ready to come back home with the baby.

How Many Embryos Can Be Transferred Per Trial in Mexico?

In Mexico, three IVF embryos can be transferred at once.

Why Do Mexican Surrogacy Clinics Limit Embryo Transfers To Two?

Although three embryos can be transferred per trial, most fertility and surrogacy clinics will transfer a maximum of two embryos to boost the chance of successful embryo implantation resulting in a viable pregnancy and, at the same time, to avoid multifetal pregnancy, which is associated with increased risks of anemia, a phenomenon called the vanishing twin syndrome (a condition in which one of the twins or multiple embryos dies in utero), miscarriage of one or more embryos or fetuses, gestational hypertension (gestational high blood pressure), gestational diabetes, placental abruption, preterm labor, and birth (after 20 weeks but before 37 weeks gestation), Cesarean delivery, and congenital disabilities.

Surrogacy and IVF Procedures for Male Couples in Mexico.

Gestational surrogacy using a frozen embryo (cryogenic shipping of an embryo (the embryos) to Mexico and using them in surrogacy).
Gestational surrogacy using an embryo made of frozen donor’s eggs (or vitrified eggs from two different donors) and fresh or frozen sperm of the intended father/fathers (the vitrified eggs or/and sperm are transported to Mexico, fertilized with the intended father’s (fathers’) sperm and an embryo/ the embryos is/are transferred to the gestational carrier).
Gestational surrogacy with an embryo created via IVF procedure using the Mexican/Traveling donor’s eggs and one intended father’s sperm or sperm of both intended fathers.
Twins using a shared egg donor/“Fraternal Twins” (the program in which two sets of IVF embryos are generated using sperm from each of two fathers, but with eggs from the same egg donor. The result is that the babies are genetically related through the egg donor, but each carries the genetics (genetic makeup or DNA) of the respective father.
Alternatively, it is possible to choose two different egg donors and create two cohorts of embryos using sperm from each of the fathers and eggs from the different egg donors. The result is the babies are not genetically related through the egg donor (unlike the “fraternal twins” program), and each of them carries the genetic makeup of the father and the egg donor.
Gestational surrogacy for HIV–positive intended fathers.

How Much Does Surrogacy in Mexico Really Cost? A Breakdown of Expenses.

The budget also plays a key role here; generally, the intended fathers who do not have $/£/€100–300k to spend on building their family, but they may have $/£/€49–90k (which is inclusive of egg donation, embryo creation or shipping costs, sperm vitrification and storage, surrogate mother’s compensation, medical expenses and sometimes, incidentals are also included) Mexico City legal contracts, donor costs and compensation, insurances and the return Parental Order to name just a few). In most cases, this price tag ($/£/€49–90k) also covers vitrification of IVF embryos, a frozen embryo transfer backup, preimplantation genetic testing or sex–selection of the embryo, unlimited egg donation cycles, including re–matching with a new egg donor for a new cycle, unlimited ICSIs, unlimited fresh/frozen embryo transfers, and more services.

Why Are Male Couples Opting for Premium Surrogacy Programs?

Not all programs cover more than one Egg Donor IVF and embryo transfer, frozen embryo backup, gender selection, incidentals, multiple pregnancy fees, Cesarean delivery, and lost wages. That is why it is essential to ask the surrogacy clinic or an agency you will be working with about “What is in the surrogacy bundle?” and “What is not covered?” especially if the surrogacy program costs below $49,000.

The second attempt using a frozen embryo may burn your budget with an extra $/£/€6–8k; the second attempt with a Mexican Egg Donor including egg donation, the surrogate mother’s prepping, and embryo transfer fee) can be an additional $/£/€16–19k. The second attempt with a Traveling egg donor can increase the price to $/£/€23k. The cost of gender selection (PGT–A) will be plus $6,000 to $10,000 (converting in £/€, it is between €5–9k and £4.5–7.9k). Preterm labor and delivery may not be covered and result in an extra $/£/€2–4k, staying in the neonatal intensive care unit for the preemie born at 24–33 weeks gestation may be charged up to $/£/€1+k daily for cases with emergencies, invasive surgeries and medications, and $/£/€200–400 daily for cases that don’t require interventions and expensive medication. Waiting for twins or triplets may increase the surrogacy price tag up to $/£/€5–10k (multiple pregnancy fee), and if the multiples are born via Cesarean section or born prematurely, the total cost may add an extra $/£/€2–10k per baby depending on the health status, medical procedures, medication, and care. Finally, lost wages may result in $/£/€1–10k or even more, and this will make surrogacy total cost much higher than expected.

All in all, a Basic bundle with a price tag of $/£/€49–60k may result in $/£/€100k at the end of the surrogacy process. And vs. Premium surrogacy programs that have “everything in One Bundle” may help to save up to $/£/€40k of the budget, even with a higher price tag that may be between $/£/€70–90k.

What Is In The Typical Basic Mexican Surrogacy Program?

If you are working with a surrogacy agency, the agency fee (covers the following services: Visa invitations (if necessary), pick–up/drop–off, case management, legal support, translation and legalization of necessary documents, assistance in preparing the documents of the baby, etc.)
First appointment with fertility consultant at a surrogacy clinic
Medical screening of the future parents
Medical screening of the surrogate mother
Sperm sample(s) vitrification and storage
Medical screening of an Egg Donor
Ovarian stimulation with medication for a donor (including appointments, lab tests, and ultrasounds)
Medication for endometrial preparation of the surrogate mother
Egg retrieval
Egg donor compensation
ICSI procedure (intracytoplasmic sperm injection can be limited to one)
Extended cultivation
Blastocyst transfer
Pregnancy test and ultrasound scan
Pregnancy care (Prenatal & Postnatal Care)
Maternity hospital fees
Surrogate mother’s monthly allowance and base compensation (if surrogacy is commercial)

Some basic programs may include karyotyping, genetic compatibility test (GCT), Egg Donor insurance/insurance coverage for egg donation services, health insurance for the surrogate mother, Next–Generation Sequencing (NGS)–based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT–A) or preimplantation genetic testing for structural rearrangement (PGT–SR), PGD for monogenic disorders (PGT–M), gender selection of existing embryos, up to 3 days of staying at the maternity hospital for the intended parents, pediatrician services, etc.

What Is Not Included In The Typical Basic Mexican Surrogacy Program?

Re–matching services with a new egg donor or surrogate mother may be an extra $/£/€1k.
The new surrogate mother or egg donor medical screening and preparation process may cost $/£/€1–2k.
Mexican Egg Donor fees and compensation per one donation cycle turns in an extra $/£/€16–19k.
Traveling Egg Donor fees and compensation per one donation cycle, depending on the donor’s origin, may add to your surrogacy price tag $/£/€19–23k.
Sperm storage may be plus $/£/€500 annually depending on the number of cryovials for cryopreservation of sperm samples.
Embryo storage may be plus $/£/€1k annually depending on the number of cryovials for cryopreservation of embryos.
Multiple pregnancy: twin pregnancy involves extra $/£/€2–4k or extra $/£/€4–10k for triplet pregnancy.
Gender Selection by Sperm Microsort may cost up to $/£/€3k.
PGD with Gender Selection (if not included in the basic program), depending on the number of embryos screened, it may cost an additional $/£/€5–10k.
PGD for aneuploidy (PGT–A) average fees are between $/£/€6–9k for screening a cohort of up to 5 embryos.
Comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) may cover testing of up to 6 embryos for all 24 chromosomes. (including the X and Y chromosomes, also known as the “sex chromosomes”) and may cost an extra $/£/€7–10k.
Deposit for surrogate mother’s emergency care might cost you $/£/€1–3k and can be refunded or kept as a credit in case of not using it.

Budgeting Incidental Expenses:

Compensation paid to the surrogate mother for undergoing C–Section compensation may charge an additional $/£/€1.5–3k.
Compensation paid to surrogate mother for undergoing invasive procedure (Amnio, CVS, or other prenatal diagnostic testing), D&C/D&E, etc.) will cost you a minimum extra $/£/€500 an up to $/£/€ 1k per invasive procedure.
Surgical management of an ectopic pregnancy may cost you up to $/£/€3k, covering surgery ($/£/€2k), medication, and post-surgery care (up to $/£/€1k), plus up to $/£/€1k should be paid to the surrogate mother as a compensation.
Pregnancy termination or selective reduction will take $/£/€1–3k.
Partial loss of reproductive organs may involve additional $/£/€2–4k.
Full loss of reproductive organs may cost you $/£/€3–6k.

Other types of reimbursement:

Reimbursement for lost wages (actual expense varies depending on each case).
Reimbursement for partner’s lost wages (is not paid in all cases).
Reimbursement for childcare expenses (actual expense varies depending on each case).
Reimbursement for housekeeping when on bedrest (actual expense varies depending on each case).

Conclusive Thoughts:

Surrogacy has become a desired option for male couples who want to start a family, but not all countries have laws that allow gay surrogacy. Fortunately, Mexico has emerged as a surrogacy hub for same–sex couples, with laws that allow both residents and non–residents to pursue surrogacy regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation. Mexico offers two types of surrogacy arrangements — altruistic and commercial — and the country also has regulations for egg donation and gender selection. In addition to the legal framework, Mexico has a well–developed infrastructure for surrogacy, with experienced and qualified medical professionals, modern clinics, and reputable agencies that specialize in surrogacy for gay couples. The cost of surrogacy in Mexico is also comparatively lower than in other countries, making it an affordable option for many. However, it is essential to thoroughly research and understand the entire surrogacy process and the costs involved before embarking on this journey.