If your sister wants to serve as your surrogate, she can! It’s common for family members to want to help their siblings grow their family after witnessing their struggle with infertility.
Contact a surrogacy professional today if you are ready to start your surrogacy journey.
Continue reading to find out the frequent questions (and answers) people ask about having a sibling surrogate.
Can a Sibling be a Surrogate?
Yes! Your sister can serve as your surrogate.
Like every other surrogate agreement, the surrogate you work with must fulfill a surrogate agency’s screenings before she can start the process.
How Does Surrogacy Work With a Sibling Surrogate?
Surrogacy with a sibling has the same steps as any other surrogacy journey. However, you’re already one step ahead because you know the surrogate!
If your sibling successfully goes through an agency’s surrogacy screenings, you can skip the matching portion of the surrogacy journey and move ahead in the process.
From here, you and your surrogate sibling will go through these steps:
- Create the surrogacy contract with the help of an attorney: You and your sister will work with separate surrogacy attorneys to ensure both of your rights and protected. During this step, you and your sibling surrogate will also agree on her base compensation.
- Start the medical surrogacy process: You and your partner will provide sperm and eggs (or you’ll use donor gametes), which a doctor will use to create an embryo. (All surrogacy journeys are gestational; this means the surrogate is unrelated to your child.) Next, your sibling will go through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and test for pregnancy. If a pregnancy is confirmed, you will continue working with your sister and watch your baby grow.
- Take your baby home: Once your sibling surrogate gives birth, you’ll take your child home and enjoy parenthood!
Can a Sibling be a Surrogate for Free?
If your sister is comfortable waiving her right to surrogate base compensation, you can save a great deal of money on your surrogacy. The following definitions explain the two types of surrogacy journeys you can take:
- Altruistic surrogacy: Altruistic surrogacy is when a sibling surrogate waives her right to base compensation. This fee is on top of the compensation she will receive for all her surrogacy- and pregnancy-related expenses. Although altruistic surrogacy journeys are selfless, most surrogacy agencies suggest women receive some type of extra compensation for unexpected costs.
- Compensated surrogacy: Compensated surrogacy is when a surrogate receives base compensation (typically between $45,000 and $75,000) for her time.
No matter what type of surrogacy you choose to pursue, you will not have to pay for an agency’s matching services because you’ve already identified the surrogate you want to work with.
What Should I Consider Before Working With a Sibling Surrogate?
Being a surrogate for a sibling is different for everyone, but there are a few unique circumstances to consider.
- You know the surrogate: If your sibling acts as your surrogate, you are most likely very close.And because you are close, your sister will serve a special role in your baby’s life.
- Old sibling rivalries could resurface: Even close siblings have old feuds. It’s common for these types of issues to come up during emotional times. Try to talk through all these potential problems before the surrogacy journey begins.
- Surrogacy is a complicated experience: Although your surrogacy will have many exciting moments, it will also have challenging times. Consider how you and your sister would handle these inevitable stressful situations.
How can a Surrogacy Agency Assist My Surrogate Sibling and Me?
Although you could choose to pursue independent surrogacy, your surrogacy journey will go much smoother with the help of a surrogacy agency.
Surrogacy agencies provide the following services to intended parents during the surrogacy process:
- A surrogacy professional who will provide emotional and practical support through your journey
- Other surrogacy professional references (including fertility clinics, attorneys, etc.)
- Financial protection (through fixed-fee structures, transparent budgets, etc.)
- And more
The following surrogacy agencies are great places to consider working with:
Start Your Surrogacy Journey Today
Embarking on your surrogacy journey with your surrogate sibling is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Once you know the match is right, contact a surrogacy professional to embark on your path to parenthood today.
