Tough Economy Tightens Surrogacy Market

By Molly M. Ginty, Women's eNews. Posted June 26, 2008.

(WOMENSENEWS) -- In Orange County, Calif., Amy Kaplan of West Coast Surrogacy has seen intended parents -- those wishing to treat their infertility problem by having another woman carry a fertilized egg for them -- save money in various ways.

Some have relatives serve as volunteer carriers. Others donate their extra eggs to fertility clinics, which can sometimes lower their costs for having the eggs harvested for in vitro fertilization.

"I've seen intended parents consider hiring less-expensive carriers overseas," says Kaplan. "Recently, I've even seen them liquidating their 401(k)s in the hope of having a child."

Unlike procedures for treating breast cancer, heart disease or other major health conditions, surrogacy to treat infertility is relatively new, small scale and unregulated.

For these reasons statistics about the industry -- including the income of its clients -- are unavailable. However, extensive interviews with industry insiders challenge the stereotype -- fueled by Tina Fey's recent Baby Mama film -- that surrogacy is only for the affluent.

But in the future, economic hardship may make that more true, says Kaplan.

"In the past, people would refinance their homes to get an extra line of credit," she says. "But since the subprime mortgage crisis struck last fall, that's now impossible for many people."

Surrogate Births Rise

Surrogate births in 2007 rose to 1,000, up sharply from 260 in 2006, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology in Birmingham, Ala.

Health advocates cite several reasons for this rise. Surrogacy is becoming more effective, with a 70 to 90 percent success rate compared to 40 percent a decade ago. It's more acceptable thanks to media exposure like Baby Mama, in which a marketing maven who's told her uterus is misshapen hires another woman to bear her child.

And it's in greater demand due to rising infertility, which has increased twelvefold since the 1930s.

At the same time, the costs of surrogacy have also risen, up by about 20 percent since 2004, well ahead of the pace of inflation.

Unable to pay for surrogacy procedures, which are not covered by health insurance, many intended parents are giving up sooner, after one or two failed attempts at fertility treatments.

Others are trying to save money by taking risky measures such as finding carriers without the help of an agency that can screen them, forgoing all but the essential legal paperwork, and working with doctors and carriers in developing countries for a savings of up to $50,000.

A Life Line

At a time when many Americans are struggling with job losses and high mortgage payments, surrogacy may seem like a luxury. But for women who feel a pressing need to bring new life into the world surrogacy can seem like a literal life line.

See more stories tagged with: pregnancy, economy, reproductive justice, surrogacy

Molly M. Ginty is a freelance writer based in New York.

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