Illinois is one of the most surrogacy-friendly states in the country, which makes it a great place to start your surrogacy journey. And when you choose to work with a surrogacy agency in Illinois, this family-building process is even easier.

Contact us today if you’d like to start your surrogacy journey. We can connect you with a surrogacy professional at an agency that can give you a free surrogacy consultation.

What is Surrogacy in Illinois?

Surrogacy in Illinois involves a surrogate, intended parents, and various surrogacy professionals that help each surrogacy party through the journey. The surrogate is the person who carries the intended parents’ baby.

During surrogacy in Illinois, the surrogate and the intended parents will stay in contact. It’s common for intended parents to come to some OBGYN appointments and more. Upon delivery, the surrogate will receive her final surrogacy payment, and the surrogacy is complete.

All modern surrogacies between a surrogate and intended parents are gestational surrogacies.

Gestational Surrogacy in Illinois

Gestational surrogacy in Illinois is when a surrogate carries the intended parents’ baby until birth. During the surrogacy medical process, an embryo is created with the intended parents’ or donors’ egg and sperm through IVFand is then transferred to the surrogate. 

The embryo is created with gametes from the intended parents and/or a donor, so the baby is not related to the surrogate.

Working With Surrogacy Agencies in Illinois

Surrogacy agencies in Illinois are experts at helping surrogates and intended parents through their surrogacy journey.

In general, a surrogacy agency will provide the following professional services:

• Matching
• Screening
• Case management
• Support
• Counseling
• Legal assistance
• Professional references
• And more

Even if you already know the intended parents or surrogate you plan to work with – also known as identified surrogacy – you can benefit from working with a surrogacy agency in Illinois.

The following are some of the best surrogacy agencies in Illinois:

• American Surrogacy
• ConceiveAbilities
• The Illinois Center for Surrogacy
• Golden Surrogacy

How to Find a Surrogacy Match in Illinois 

Although you can choose to work with someone you already know to complete your surrogacy partnership, surrogacy agencies in Illinois can help you find a match. 

Generally, agencies that have shorter wait times benefit surrogates and intended parents. For example, American Surrogacy has an average match time of 30 to 90 days. The agency can maintain these times by:

• Prescreening: This ensures that every intended parent and surrogate is physically, mentally, and medically ready to start the surrogacy process.
• In-House Marketing: This helps intended parents and surrogates create profiles to attract the right match.
• Ratio: The agency doesn’t overload its waiting families list and has a 1:1 intended parent-to-surrogate ratio.

How Much do Surrogates Make in Illinois?

Surrogates who choose to receive compensation for their surrogacy services make $45,000-50,000 for their first surrogacy. People who have been surrogates before can often get more compensation, up to $75,000.

Whether you choose compensated or altruistic surrogacy, your surrogacy and pregnancy expenses will always be covered by the intended parents.

Cost of Surrogacy in Illinois 

The surrogacy cost in Illinois for intended parents ranges from $120,000-$250,000. But, you can get a better idea of the cost of surrogacy in Illinois when you work with a surrogacy agency in Illinois with a fixed-fee structure. 

This type of fee structure covers the agency’s services, gestational carrier fees, and medical and legal fees. By choosing an agency that has fixed fees, you can have more financial certainty in your family-building process.

Is Surrogacy Legal in Illinois?

Yes. Surrogacy is legal in Illinois through the Illinois Gestational Surrogacy Act. This Act ensures that surrogates can get paid for their services.

Any surrogacy contract created in Illinois is enforceable. Your contract will ensure that:

• Everyone’s rights are protected
• The intended parents are the legal guardians of their child
• All surrogacy parties are aware of potential surrogacy risks
• The surrogate will receive payment and surrogacy cost reimbursement 
• And more

What are the Steps for a Surrogacy in Illinois?

Intended parents and surrogates can start their surrogacy journeys by reaching out to a surrogacy professional at an agency. When an interested party reaches out to a surrogacy agency, they can expect to go through the following steps:

• Step 1: Undergo surrogacy screenings
• Step 2: Match with a surrogate partner
• Step 3: Create a surrogacy contract
• Step 4: Start the surrogacy medical process
• Step 5: Complete the surrogacy journey

Next Steps Toward Surrogacy in Illinois