Is Surrogacy Legal in Missouri?

Beginning Your Surrogacy Journey in Missouri

Eggceptional Fertility understands the hopes and dreams you have for your family, and we strive to make this journey as easy as possible for you. Choosing the right surrogate is a big decision, and we are honored to assist you on this journey. Our thorough screening process finds exceptional and dedicated surrogates who are prepared to make your family’s dreams a reality. Our staff of experienced and compassionate professionals will help guide you through your surrogacy journey.

We provide in person, phone, video conference, and email communication options to make our services more accessible. There is never a charge for a consultation with Eggceptional Fertility. We are excited to get to know you and help you on your journey!

What Does Surrogacy Cost in Missouri?

Surrogacy requires a substantial financial investment. The exact amount depends on several factors, including surrogate experience, location, health insurance, and more. In broad terms, the total cost of surrogacy includes:

• Agency Fees
• Legal Fees
• Medical Fees
  • Egg retrieval or donor egg/donor sperm (if applicable)
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF)
  • Embryo transfer
  • Prenatal appointments
  • Labor & delivery
  • Postpartum recovery
• Surrogate-related expenses
  • Surrogate compensation
  • Medical screening and psychological evaluation
  • Health insurance
  • Travel expenses
  • Additional benefits

Typically, the intended parents pay for all related surrogacy expenses. Some surrogates have their own medical insurance that covers surrogate pregnancies. In these cases, intended parents may give their surrogate a slightly higher compensation because they don’t have to purchase a separate health insurance plan. Intended parents often provide additional benefits as laid out in their surrogacy agreement; for instance, house-cleaning services, a maternity clothes stipend, or if needed, childcare for the surrogate’s own children. Once you find your surrogate, you will meet together with attorneys to create a legal agreement that lays out the exact compensation and benefits.

How To Find a Surrogacy Agency

Surrogacy requires a significant emotional, physical, and financial investment. Naturally, you want a quality and caring agency with you as you navigate this life-changing experience. A great surrogacy agency will:

• Have Experience: Every surrogacy journey is unique and has its own special considerations. Your surrogacy agency needs the experience and knowledge to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected situations. An experienced surrogacy agency can answer your questions and leave you feeling confident and secure in their abilities.
• Communicate Clearly and Openly: Surrogacy is a complex process. Your agency will handle the details, but you should fully understand the process, payment details, and expectations along the way. Quality surrogacy agencies clearly present the financial aspects, including agency fees, with no hidden costs or vague promises.
• Treat You with Compassion: The path to parenthood through surrogacy involves an incredible mix of emotions – excitement, anxiety, joy, frustration, anticipation – sometimes all at the same time! The best surrogacy agencies understand that even if they’ve helped hundreds of couples through the process, you are experiencing it for the first time. You deserve individualized support, care, and should never feel like just another patient.

If you keep these key factors of experience, transparency, and compassion in mind, you can find an excellent surrogacy agency near you.

Who Can Use a Surrogate?

Surrogacy allows people who cannot carry or deliver a baby on their own to become parents, often while still sharing a biological connection with their child. In surrogacy, a gestational carrier (or “surrogate”) receives an embryo developed from the intended parents and/or an egg or sperm donor. The surrogate then carries the pregnancy and then delivers a baby. The surrogate doesn’t have any parental rights to the baby. In fact, surrogates generously offer to bring someone else’s baby into the world simply because they want to help people become parents. In return for the surrogate’s effort and time, she receives compensation from the intended parent(s).

A Missouri couple or individual might choose to find a surrogate for any of several reasons, including:

• They have healthy eggs but can’t safely become pregnant.
• They had a prior hysterectomy.
• Neither parent can carry a pregnancy (for instance, gay male couples).

Some intended parents may also need to use donor eggs or sperm on their path to parenthood.

How to Begin the Surrogacy Process in Missouri

In the surrogacy process, intended parents first schedule an initial consultation with a surrogacy agency. This first appointment allows the intended parents to get to know their agency and vice versa. At Eggceptional Fertility, we offer a free initial consultation to all intended parents where we ask about your hopes, goals, and questions about the process. We will also go through the entire experience in more detail, including how we help you find a surrogate through our expert matching process. From there, we’ll start scheduling meetings with potential surrogates until you find the right fit for your family building goals. You can read more about the surrogacy process here. While the process is complex, it all starts with a single step: schedule your initial consultation today.