Surrogacy in New York: What You Need to Know

Regulations Between Intended Parents and a Surrogate Mother in New York

For prospective parents in the State of New York, fertility-related difficulties were not only an emotionally difficult time. Still, they were also left without state support in attempts to seek surrogate solutions. This continued until April 2020, when The Child-Parent Security Act: Gestational Surrogacy came into force. The Act requires and guarantees that:

• a child will be legally linked to its parents from the moment of birth;
• all surrogates at least 21 years old;
• a gestational carrier is emotionally and physically equipped to perform its role;
• a surrogate mother will have a total influence on her health decisions during pregnancy;
• intended parents will cover fees for surrogate lawyers;
  intended parents will cover the health insurance costs of their surrogate mom throughout pregnancy and for one year (12 months) after the baby is born;
• if necessary, the prospective parents will cover the expenses of any psychiatric care needed by the surrogate mother if any related issues arise;
• the surrogate mother is entitled to a life insurance policy, which will be paid for by the intended parents and will operate until the start of treatment and one year after the delivery;
  a surrogate mother can waive the agreement at any time until she’s actually pregnant;
• a child born under this agreement will be protected by law in terms of financial and general care

The Act also enables LGBT couples to facilitate the process of family formation. According to the bill, if someone gives birth to a child with no genetic connection to its partner, the child will still automatically belong to the couple. Fortunately, this rule applies even if the couple is unmarried. Thus, male and female gay couples can experience the happiness of parenthood without turning to adoption. Sperm donation rules also protect single moms, as this legally binds their child from birth.

What Does Surrogacy Cost in New York?

Most IPs can expect to be paid somewhere between $80,000 and $250,000. In the long run, however, this may turn out to be more expensive. As mentioned above, surrogate compensatory elements of new New York laws require aspiring parents to pay for certain services within a year after the child is born. The final price for surrogacy will ultimately depend on several circumstances and agreements.