We recently sat down with Shoshannah Roberts–Director of Surrogate Community at Hatch and 4-time surrogate to ask her about how surrogates are compensated. In this interview, Sho will walk us through x, y, and z to help you better understand how surrogates are paid and what can be expected before becoming a surrogate.”
My name is Sho, I am 4x previous surrogate and have worked at Hatch for 15 years. I have done every role at some point in my time at Hatch. I’m currently our Director of Surrogate Community. My department focuses on educating the incredible women who are researching surrogacy, spreading awareness about surrogacy in our physical and online communities, and nurturing our vibrant community of surrogates here at Hatch
Surrogacy is the Wild West these days! There are more surrogacy agencies out there than ever before. It feels like every day there is a new agency cropping up and there is no significant nationwide regulation on who can operate an agency or the ethics agencies need to abide by. There are also more marketing dollars being spent than ever before and surrogates have lots of choices when choosing an agency.
If you're considering becoming a surrogate, these are some of the most important factors to consider:
As someone who has worked in the industry for 15 years, this really saddens me. There are so many agencies out there using deceptive marketing when it comes to compensation. Almost every ad I see talks about how surrogates can make up to $80K, make up to $100K, or some other number that probably isn’t real.
Here’s how it actually works. In surrogacy, there are two types of compensation:
In some cases, there is also additional compensation for unique situations, such as each additional successful surrogate journey or additional comp based on where you live (such as California).
So when the ad says make up to some big number, they are talking about the maximum number – the number for a returning surrogate from California who gets 100% of the allowances. To achieve that highest “up to” amount everything needs to essentially go wrong in a journey, we’re talking extended bedrest due to pregnancy complications and all the extra allowances this would incur.
Sometimes agencies include a surrogate's lost wages in the total compensation figure, which can be problematic. If a surrogate experiences extended bed rest, a significant portion of their "compensation" may actually go toward covering normal household expenses that their regular income would have paid for. Similarly, some agencies include health insurance premiums in the total figure, which can amount to thousands of dollars that aren't actually additional compensation.
At the end of the day it’s clickbait to get more people to click their ads. Surrogate compensation at reputable agencies is fairly consistent across the industry, both in terms of dollars and mechanics and these ads can give people the wrong idea. The issue I have is if they aren’t transparent about that, what else are they not being transparent about?
Surrogate applicants deserve clear, honest information to be able to make an informed decision.
First, transparency is most important. At Hatch, some Surrogates can and will make up to the same amount as all those ads say, but we will never put an ad out like that because its deceptive. Our compensation package is fully transparent and on our website. We are also happy to walk you through how all of this works, at Hatch or anywhere else, so you can be fully educated to make the best decision for you and your family.
Second, we always encourage everyone to do their research and be fully educated before making the decision to work with a specific agency. Surrogacy compensation is just one factor to consider – it is important to weigh that alongside many other factors including your wellbeing and the matching process with Intended Parents.
Ask lots of questions about how the surrogacy compensation works, but also how everything else works. Make sure you feel like the agency has your best interests at heart.
What would you suggest to someone researching agencies or researching compensation at different agencies?
Ask lots of questions. Deciding to become a surrogate is an amazing, but big decision and what agency you work with is also a big decision. You will be working with this agency for over a year. Make sure you feel that they are being honest, trustworthy, and a good partner for you on this journey.
How can a surrogate ensure she gets all the allowances as part of the compensation package?
That is a great question and it is going to come down to each person’s situation and specific journey. In addition to the base allowance, a Surrogate should receive compensation for things like
Surrogacy compensation is not a secret, or at least it shouldn’t be. Ensure that any Agency you talk through will walk through all the mechanics step by step up front so there are no surprises. The easiest way to learn more is to schedule a call with one of our team members (regardless if you are ready to start or even work with Hatch), and we will gladly explain how everything works for your specific circumstances. Trust and transparency are key. Again, if an agency is willing to be misleading on their compensation package, it doesn’t set up the journey for honesty and respect, and it’s hard to know what else might they be misleading you on.
If you are interested in learning more, contact us here.
If you are reading this, that means you are doing your research, which is great! You are amazing for even considering the gift of surrogacy! Compensation is just one of many deciding factors for choosing your agency, and we look forward to speaking with you, getting to know you, and understanding your wants and needs.
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