Surrogacy gives the opportunity of having children to those who are unable to on their own. This could be single people, heterosexual couples or LGBTQ+ couples wanting to start a family. Figures show that in the previous decade, the number of parents using surrogates in England and Wales quadrupled.
At the Assisted Conception Unit we provide fertility treatments for patients using a surrogate. We do not match surrogates with families.
Success rates
Gestational surrogacy using IVF has a success rate of around 75%. Once the surrogate is pregnant that rate increases up to 95%. When IVF is done using a donor egg there is a 52% success rate.
However, the surrogacy success rate can be affected by:
- the age and general health of the surrogate
- the surrogate’s nutrition intake
- the health of the egg, sperm and embryo
- environmental factors such as exposure to pollution or tobacco smoke
What is surrogacy?
Surrogacy is when a woman carries a pregnancy and gives birth to a baby for a couple or an individual who is unable to get pregnant.
It can be an option for women with medical conditions that prevent them from getting pregnant or giving birth. These conditions can include:
- recurrent miscarriages
- absence of the uterus (womb)
- uterine malformation
- repeated implantation failures with IVF treatment
Types of surrogacy
There are two types of surrogacy: gestational and partial.
Gestational surrogacy
In gestational surrogacy – also known as full surrogacy or host surrogacy – there is no genetic link between the surrogate and the baby.
This type of surrogacy uses the eggs of the intended mother or from a donor. The eggs are fertilised using the IVF technique, following a period of ovarian stimulation, during which the intended mother or donor takes medication to stimulate her ovaries to produce eggs.
After the eggs are retrieved and fertilised with sperm from the intended father, or a donor, they are placed into the uterus of the gestational surrogate. The surrogate then carries the pregnancy and gives birth to the baby.
Many people opt for gestational surrogacy because it maintains a genetic link between the intended mother, father and their child.
Partial surrogacy
Partial surrogacy – also known as traditional surrogacy or straight surrogacy – involves the fertilisation of the surrogate’s egg with the intended father’s sperm or sperm from a donor.
Done using intrauterine insemination (IUI) where your consultant will place the sperm in the uterus. IUI uses sperm that has been processed and concentrated. It is timed to when the surrogate’s ovary releases eggs increasing the chances of pregnancy. In partial surrogacy, the surrogate is the biological mother of the baby.
How to start the surrogacy process
Although we do not match surrogates with families, we understand the important considerations demanded by surrogacy. If you’re looking for a surrogate, thinking of becoming a surrogate or wondering how to start the surrogacy process there are a number of surrogacy organisations who are able to help.
These organisations will be able to help you decide your preferences with regards to a surrogate arrangement. The four main surrogate organisations in the UK are:
Benefits of surrogacy
Benefits of gestational surrogacy
- allows intended parents to have their own children
- maintains a genetic link between parents and child
- intended parents and gestational carriers can keep in contact and form relationships easily
Benefits of partial surrogacy
- allows intended parents to have their own children
- the surrogate doesn’t need to go through a complex medical procedure, compared with IVF used in gestational surrogacy
- typically costs less than gestational surrogacy
Risks of surrogacy
Surrogacy carries the risk of common and more serious side effects associated with any pregnancy.
Common side effects can include morning sickness, soreness and discomfort. Rarer more serious side effects can include organ damage, hypertension and gestational diabetes.
Risks of gestational surrogacy
- lack of full control over the pregnancy, such as self-care
- the IVF process is complex for the surrogate
Risks of partial surrogacy
- potentially more emotionally complex compared to gestational surrogacy, as the surrogate is the biological mother of the baby
- surrogacy agreements can’t be enforced by the law in the UK meaning if there is a dispute about who the child’s legal parents are it could be decided in the courts
Surrogacy consultation and investigation packages price list
Explore our fertility consultation and investigation packages for intended parents of surrogacy.
Consultations and investigations are not included in treatment packages unless stated otherwise.
Investigation packages do not include additional tests, screenings or analysis your consultant may request. Please refer to our full fertility investigations price lists for further information.
Our prices are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.
Price: £450
All new patients will require an initial consultation.
A follow-up appointment is required to initiate further investigations and treatment. This appointment will need to be face-to-face if you have not been in contact with your consultant for 6 months or more.
Following an unsuccessful treatment cycle, a follow-up consultation is free of charge if booked within six weeks of a negative pregnancy test.
View our fertility consultation price lists for further information.
Price: £1,361
What is included:
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1 and 2) test
- Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test
- Hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) test
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG and IgM test
- Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV 1 and 2) test
- Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis tests
- Cystic fibrosis test
- Haemoglobinopathy (sickle cell and thalassemia screening)
- Karyotype genetic test
- Blood group test
View our fertility blood tests and screening packages price lists for further information.
Price: £784
What is included:
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1 and 2) test
- Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test
- Hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) test
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG and IgM test
- Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV 1 and 2) test
- Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis tests
These tests may need to be repeated if additional cycles are performed at more than 3 month intervals.
View our fertility blood tests and screening packages price lists for further information.
Price: £257
What is included:
- Nucleic acid test (NAT) HIV viral load
View our fertility blood tests and screening packages price lists for further information.
Price: £924
What is included:
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1 and 2)
- Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test
- Hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) test
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG and IgM test
- Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV 1 and 2) test
- Rubella IgG and IgM test
- Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis tests
- Thyroid function (TSH) test
- Haemoglobinopathy (sickle cell and thalassemia screening)
- Blood group test
View our fertility blood tests and screening packages price lists for further information.
Surrogacy treatment packages price list
Explore our fertility treatment cycles for patients using a surrogate below.
Please contact our team for full treatment costs which will be provided as a personalised, costed treatment plan.
Additional charges including treatment changes, cryopreservation, medication and administration fees may apply. Please refer to our fertility price lists for further information.
Our prices are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.
Price: £4,850
What is included for intended parents:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Egg collection under sedation, including anaesthetic fees and theatre fees
- Sperm preparation
- IVF procedure
- Blastocyst culture and assessment (if required)
- Embryo freezing and storage during quarantine
- Follow-up appointment prior to surrogacy transfer
- Up to six fertility counselling sessions
- HFEA fertility regulators fee
What is included for the surrogate:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Embryo transfer
- Pregnancy test (bHCG)
- Early viability pregnancy scan
- Discharge to GP including letter of summary for parental order after delivery
Price: £4,778
What is included for intended parents:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Egg collection under sedation, including anaesthetic fees and theatre fees
- Sperm preparation
- IVF procedure
- Blastocyst culture and assessment (if required)
- Embryo freezing and storage during quarantine
- Follow-up appointment prior to surrogacy transfer
- Up to six fertility counselling sessions
- HFEA fertility regulators fee
What is included for the surrogate:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Embryo transfer
- Pregnancy test (bHCG)
- Early viability pregnancy scan
- Discharge to GP including letter of summary for parental order after delivery
Price: £4,850
What is included for intended parents:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Sperm freezing and storage during quarantine
- IVF procedure
- Blastocyst culture and assessment (if required)
- Embryo freezing and storage during quarantine
- Follow-up appointment prior to surrogacy transfer
- Up to six fertility counselling sessions
- HFEA fertility regulators fee
What is included for the surrogate:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Embryo transfer
- Pregnancy test (bHCG)
- Early viability pregnancy scan
- Discharge to GP including letter of summary for parental order after delivery
Price: £4,025
What is included for intended parents:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Egg thaw
- Sperm preparation
- ICSI procedure
- Blastocyst culture and assessment (if required)
- Embryo freezing and storage during quarantine
- Follow-up appointment prior to surrogacy transfer
- Up to six fertility counselling sessions
- HFEA fertility regulators fee
What is included for the surrogate:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests
- Embryo transfer
- Pregnancy test (bHCG)
- Early viability pregnancy scan
- Discharge to GP including letter of summary for parental order after delivery
Price: £2,250
What is included for intended parents:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning.
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform.
- Embryo storage during quarantine (if applicable).
- Follow-up appointment prior to surrogacy transfer.
- Up to six fertility counselling sessions.
- HFEA fertility regulators fee.
What is included for the surrogate:
- Nurse consultation and treatment planning.
- Access to online consenting and patient education platform.
- Cycle management including monitoring scans and blood tests.
- Embryo transfer.
- Pregnancy test (bHCG).
- Early viability pregnancy scan.
- Discharge to GP including letter of summary for parental order after delivery.
Fertility prices and packages FAQs
Please contact our team who will be happy to provided a personalised treatment quote outlining all inclusions and exclusions.
Full payment is required before any fertility treatment commences. Prices already quoted are valid for 90 days.
Our prices are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.
You do not need a GP or hospital referral to book an appointment. Simply contact our team using our online enquiry form to begin your fertility journey.
All new patients will require an initial consultation. A follow-up appointment is required to initiate further treatment.
Consultations and investigations are not included in treatment packages (unless stated otherwise).
All new patients will require an initial consultation to start their fertility journey. Your consultant will advise on recommended fertility investigations and the right treatment for you.
Investigation packages do not include additional tests, screenings or analysis your consultant may request. Please refer to our full fertility investigations price lists for further information.
Please contact our team who will be happy to provided a personalised treatment quote outlining all inclusions and exclusions.
Your consultant will discuss your care fees during your appointment, after which a quote for your treatment will be provided (subject to results of any pre-assessment tests).
Quotes are valid for a period of 90 days post offer – treatment must be paid in full and commenced in this timeframe.
Please note, in the event that your treatment plan needs to be amended your quoted price may change and additional fees may be charged. All changes will be discussed with you.
Cryopreservation of surplus eggs, embryos or sperm is not included in treatment packages (unless stated otherwise).
We offer separate, annual storage for eggs, embryos or sperm for an additional fee.
View our full list of fertility prices and packages for further information.
Prescriptions and medication charges are not included as part of our treatment packages – these can be purchased separately.
Medication can be purchased from Fertility2U but there is no obligation to use this provider. We can provide private prescriptions if you wish to source your medication from elsewhere.
View our full list of fertility prices and packages for further information.
All treatment costs and packages exclude the purchase and transportation of eggs, embryos or sperm (unless stated otherwise).
These charges are paid directly to your chosen cryobank and courier, in addition to our import administration fee. Treatment will only commence when the purchased donor’s gametes are safely in storage at our facilities.
If your gametes or embryos have previously been stored at another clinic using a vitrification system not routinely used at our Assisted Conception Unit, we will need to purchase additional kit to carry out the thawing process safely. This will need to be purchased prior to your treatment starting.
View our full list of fertility prices and packages for further information.
In the event that your treatment plan needs to be amended, your quoted price may change and additional fees may be charged. All changes will be discussed with you.
IVF may be changed to ICSI as late as the day of egg collection. The difference in cost for the medication is £1,000 and will be charged accordingly. This will need to be paid prior to embryo transfer.
If your cycle results in freezing of all eggs/embryos there will be an additional freezing charge of £575. This charge does not apply if you are resuming the cycle and complete the transfer within 90 days. If FET is not completed within this timeframe, cycle will revert to an egg freezing cycle or embryo freezing cycle and the difference in charges would apply.
Your consultant will invoice you directly after your appointment for consultation fees.
Treatment fees must be paid in full before treatment commences. Our prices are reviewed regularly and are subject to change. Prices already quoted are valid for 90 days.
You will be contacted by the finance team to arrange payment. We reserve the right to cancel any appointment if payment has not been received in full and cleared funds.
The most convenient way to pay is via our secure online payment portal.
To discuss alternative payment options, please fill in our online enquiry form.
Occasionally, treatment cycles may need to be cancelled or postponed. In this case, refunds will be available. A charge for services already performed will be applied.
Our team will be able to assist you through the refund process.
In the event of treatment cancellation refunds may be available.
We reserve the right to cancel any appointments if payment has not been received in full and cleared funds.
Please contact the team using our online enquiry form below to find out more.
Related services
-
In-vitro fertilisation (IVF)
IVF is one of several fertility treatments designed to help people with fertility issues to conceive.
-
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
ICSI is a form of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) fertility treatment.
-
Surgical sperm retrieval
Private surgical sperm retrieval treatment from fertility specialists
-
Frozen embryo transfer (FET)
Embryo freezing and transfer is a method of both preserving your fertility and supporting fertility treatment.
Locations
Our fertility services are available at the following locations:
Discover our fertility experts
Meet our team of leading fertility consultants. From infertility investigations to donor treatments, our specialists are here to provide you with personalised care.