Surrogacy in Illinois: All Intended Parents Need to Know

The World Center of Baby aims to provide accessible information to intended parents on the surrogacy journey. Follow through the article to gain a deeper insight into surrogacy in Illinois, to discover the essence of nuances.

Surrogacy in Illinois: What the Land of Lincoln Offers Intended Parents?

Talking about surrogacy-friendly states, Illinois is unquestionably is the one on the cutting edge. Successful surrogacy in its modern meaning was first declared in 1980. Her first surrogate mother was 37-year-old Elizabeth Kane of Illinois. The woman, who could not conceive and carry a child naturally because her fallopian tube was blocked, entered into a contract with Kane under which she was artificially inseminated with the genetic material of an infertile woman’s husband. After giving birth, Kane received a financial reward. At the same time, Kane had three children of her own. Nowadays, surrogacy in Illinois is regulated by the 750 ILCS 47/ Gestational Surrogacy Act.

What Does Surrogacy in Illinois Cost?

Surrogacy agencies in the United States are costly. The same goes for lawyers, health care, and delivery, not to mention genetic tests, travel expenses, and health insurance. The cost of a surrogacy journey in Illinois ranges between $100,000 and $125,000, which is at least three times more expensive than the price of similar programs in Ukraine or Georgia. This is why some couples living in the US apply for surrogacy programs abroad, especially if they know that they are likely to require several IVF cycles depending on their health condition.

Regulations Between Intended Parents and a Surrogate Mother in Illinois

The surrogacy law in Illinois regulates a parent-child relationship between a baby and one’s intended parents when a gestational surrogate is carrying the child. This relationship must be established before the birth of the child. Upon the regulations, among the requirements are as following:

at least 1 of the intended parents must be the child’s biological parent being carried by the gestational surrogate
all parties and spouses or partners involved in the surrogate arrangement must sign certified statements consenting to establish the child’s parentage
a surrogate birth should occur in an Illinois clinic other than the clinic planned for the delivery; the person preparing the birth certificate must be advised of the surrogate parentage statements

As for the representatives of the LGBTQ community, both of the intended parents will be named on the final birth certificate as co-parents. Besides, a non-biological parent in a gay couple can obtain a second parent adoption based solely on the fact that the child was born in Illinois.

To become a surrogate mother in Illinois, a female must also meet specific requirements:

be 21 to 44 years old
have given birth to at least one child of your own
enjoy the pregnancy
healthy with a body mass index (BMI) under 32
willing to undergo medical and psychological evaluations

Finding a Surrogacy Agency in Illinois

Before you choose to proceed with your process, you should keep in mind that even the best surrogacy agency in Illinois is not a «one-size-fits-all» solution. To find the agency that would meet your expectations and be the perfect match, you need to consider the following:

What are the screening procedures intended parents and surrogates need to undergo?

What requirements do surrogates and intended parents have to meet to progress the journey?

What are the matching algorithms for intended parents and surrogates?

What services does the surrogacy agency cover?

Does the agency offer legal representation for each party?

What are the expenses and average fees that an intended parent will typically pay for the services?

Since every surrogacy journey is unique, finding the one that will fulfil the intended parents’ expectations is essential.

Final Thoughts

Surrogacy in Illinois is an option for many intended parents who are willing to expand their families. However, it may require a fair share of money and time to find the top-notch option. So it is advisable to do prior research and maybe consider options abroad.

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