Can I Find a Free Surrogate Mother for My Surrogacy Journey?

If you’re considering building your family through surrogacy, you know that you have an expensive route ahead of you. Surrogacy can be a complicated journey, and there are many moving parts and professionals required in order to complete this process safely and legally. There is not a great deal of options when it comes to making surrogacy more affordable, but there is one big one — deciding to find a free surrogate mother.

Often, the base compensation paid to a gestational carrier can be one of the largest aspects of an intended parent’s surrogacy cost. By eliminating this compensation, intended parents can pursue a significantly cheaper family-building journey.

However, the path to find a free surrogate mother is not as easy as it may seem. There are many things to consider before embarking on this kind of surrogacy journey and, when you learn more about it, you may even discover that it is not the right path for your family.

Below, we’ve tackled a few of the important facts about working with a surrogate mother for free to help you decide what is best for your family-building journey. Remember, our surrogacy professionals are always available at 1-800-875-2229(BABY) if you have any more questions about surrogacy costs, surrogate compensation and the possibility of working with an uncompensated gestational carrier.

Can a Surrogate Mother Do It For Free?

As you research surrogacy, you’ll likely first learn about the most common surrogacy path — compensated surrogacy. In this situation, a gestational carrier is paid base compensation (as well as reimbursement for any medical and pregnancy costs) in exchange for her services and sacrifice in carrying an intended parent’s baby. This process is available through most of the United States, depending on the laws of the state where the gestational carrier lives and will give birth.

However, you may also stumble across another surrogacy process: an altruistic surrogacy. During this process, intended parents find a free surrogate mother — someone who is willing to carry a child without receiving a base compensation. A woman’s medical and pregnancy costs will still be covered in this kind of surrogacy arrangement.

It is perfectly legal for a gestational carrier to carry a child altruistically. In fact, it is required in certain states that prohibit paid surrogacy contracts.

Are There Any “Pro Bono” Surrogate Mothers?

While it is certainly possible for a surrogate mother to do it for free, altruistic surrogacy is far less common than compensated surrogacy. Understandably, many women desire compensation when becoming a gestational carrier. After all, they are sacrificing their own time, energy and body to help someone else, and they often don’t feel comfortable doing so without some token of appreciation.

However, there are still women who are willing to complete altruistic surrogacies. Often, these are women who know the intended parents they wish to carry for. Perhaps a gestational carrier is a sister or friend of an intended mother, and she is happy to make this sacrifice for her loved ones. On the other hand, a woman may wish to become a traditional surrogate (in which she is related to the baby she carries) — a path which, in many states, cannot be legally completed if she receives base compensation. However, traditional surrogacy can be a risky legal and emotionally process that is uncommon today — and, even if you find a traditional surrogate for free, you should seriously consider the risks before moving forward with this path.

If you are looking to find a free surrogate mother, you might start by looking within your own network for an eligible friend or family member who wishes to carry for you. Otherwise, finding an altruistic surrogate is often a path you must take on your own. Many agencies (including American Surrogacy) typically work with gestational carriers who wish to receive compensation. So, to find a surrogate mother for free, you may need to search online and identify a surrogacy situation yourself.

Things to Consider About an Altruistic Surrogacy

For you, as an intended parent, working with a free surrogate mother may seem like the perfect path. It allows you to cut down on your surrogacy costs, of which there will be many. However, before you decide to pursue an altruistic surrogacy, it’s important that you think about this path from the perspective of the woman who will carry your child.

Surrogacy is a lot of work for a gestational carrier. Not only is she sacrificing a year or more of her time and energy to help you, she will also incur certain risks during the surrogacy process. A traditional pregnancy is risky for a pregnant woman, and a gestational pregnancy is no different — especially when you think about the extra medical procedures and medications required to impregnate a gestational carrier.

If a woman does not receive compensation as a token of her intended parents’ gratitude, she may feel taken advantage of — which can greatly impact your relationship with her. Similarly, if you are an intended parent in an altruistic surrogacy, you may feel incredibly indebted to your gestational carrier. These kinds of feelings can quickly cause tension in a relationship, even between friends and family members.

So, before you go looking for any “pro bono” surrogate mothers, we encourage you to reach out to our surrogacy specialists at 1-800-875-2229(BABY). Our specialists can discuss with you the pros and cons of this path, including the responsibilities you will have to take on if you choose to find a free surrogate mother instead of a compensated one. We can also explain the benefits of finding a compensated gestational carrier with our agency and help you get started whenever you are ready.

For more information, contact American Surrogacy today.

47 thoughts on “Can I Find a Free Surrogate Mother for My Surrogacy Journey?”

  1. I’m desperate for a baby…but I think I’m to old I’m 52
    I haven’t had a period for 2 years now
    Please can you help me

    Teresa fry

  2. My husband and I are searching for a surrogate that won’t cost an arm and a leg. We are just in the beginning process of finding information about the whole process! I’m 47 and my husbands 37. We have a 7 year old and I have a 16 and 19 year old and I can’t have kids as with my 7 year old I had a c section and had 3 surgeries thereafter to save my life due to complications. So now we want one more! Any ideas? Reached out to friends and family but no one can… want to start this ASAP… thank you!

    1. Hi, Jolynn — You can learn more about our agency’s surrogacy program by contacting us online. Our specialists can talk to you in more depth about how the process works and the average expenses for this kind of journey. Thanks!

    2. Do you have any information on finding surrogates. My husband and I have tried for a while now and no luck . I’m looking to find a surrogate to carry our child without it costing an arm and leg

    3. Hello Jolynn!
      I know this is unconventional. However I have recently realized that my age is a barrier to me becoming a surrogate (I am 36). I had always planned to do this and now I see I have waited maybe too long. Maybe this comment will be deleted but I would be happy to see if we could talk about some options.

  3. My boyfriend and I recently had a baby and I can’t have anymore since my last two pregnancies, I have had preeclamsia. I was looking into the future having more, but the cost is way too much. I’m hoping to find something that isn’t costing an arm and a leg. I’m also worried: I love my boyfriend and they’ll be using his sperm but I’m worried about not being able to bond with future baby — because it was technically using another woman’s egg + his sperm doesn’t feel right.

    1. Hi, Kimberly — It sounds like you have a lot of questions about gestational surrogacy, and that’s great! We encourage you to speak with a surrogacy specialist for more information; you can contact us online or call us at 1-800-875-BABY(2229). You might also consider speaking with an infertility counselor to learn more about your options and to work through some of the emotions you’re struggling with. You can learn more about moving from infertility to surrogacy here: https://www.americansurrogacy.com/parents/infertility-to-surrogacy We hope to hear from you soon.

  4. Hello my name is inesha I’m a 45 year old woman & my husband is 28 he don’t have no kids but I have 5 of my own & they all grown my husband desperately wants to have his own baby where we can share one together due to the fact I’m not able to have anymore due to my age & having my tubes tied but I would love to share raising a child with him I don’t want to pay a arm & leg to have a baby but we desperately would like to have one please help who do I need to contact or someone reach out to me about more information please & thank you

  5. I’m looking for a surrogate mother to carry my child I didn’t tried over and over again to get pregnant and this time I don’t do not want to be disappointed I really don’t so someone please help me

  6. Hello. I’m a single man looking for a surrogacy mother. I can’t seem to find anyone willing to help me have a child. It would be great to be a father with no strings attached to the mother and due to not having the sufficient funds, have been unable to find a surrogate to pay. If anyone has any information on free surrogacy mother’s, please contact me below

  7. ( sry left the first comment as a reply to someone else’s post)

    Hello I am 30yr old dude in California that can never come out to his parents due to one being heavily religious and then other being a Vietnam vet. Would love someone to help me on this new journey that I would like to start with my biological child. If anyone can help or point me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

  8. Im 28 yes old, with two beautiful children but unfortunately got cervical cancer at 24 and had a partial hysterectomy in 2018.
    I still have my ovaries but not my cervix or uterus.
    I want to find someone to carry my husband and I’s child but I can’t afford paying $40K+.
    I would feel so much more complete with another child of ours running around.

  9. Me an my boyfriend have two kids but my pregnancies are high risk, I cannot carry a baby due to my last pregnancies I develope too much scare tissue after my c-sections so when I get pregnant and the baby grows the scare tissue stretches and busts open so I start bleeding internally. They require me to be in the hospital for all nine months if I get pregnant again. I can not afford to pay someone to carry my baby. I want to be able to find someone that can carry my egg with his sperm and not be in debt.

    1. Hi, Fay-
      Altruistic surrogacy is rare, but if you have a friend or family member who is able and willing to be your gestational carrier, they may choose to forgo compensation. However, you’d still be responsible for the medical costs associated with IVF and surrogacy, which can be high. If your heart is set on surrogacy, we would encourage you to meet with a financial advisor or to look into fertility treatment grants to help make the process more financially manageable. We wish you the best of luck!

  10. Hi me and my partner live in the UK. I have a 10 year old and he has none we are desperate for a baby of our own but friends nor family want to do the process for us. We’ve been looking at adoption but can not guarantee a baby so have also been looking at surrogacy but the price is crazy! We can afford a baby but not thousands of pounds all in a sitting. Is there actually any women that enjoy doing this for couples struggling?

    1. Hi, Jodie-
      The women who become surrogates absolutely enjoy the experience of helping people to become parents, but the medical costs of surrogacy are often high – fertility treatments, medical screening and tests, embryo transfers and the costs of the pregnancy itself. This is the largest expense for the intended parents. Additionally, surrogates sacrifice time away from their jobs and families, they’ll often spend money to travel for aspects of the surrogacy process and will need time off of work to recover. The compensation that surrogates accept simply offsets the time, money and effort the put forth to help the intended parents.

      We encourage you to look into grants that may help with the medical costs of your surrogacy journey, or to reach out to a private infant adoption agency if your heart is set on adopting a newborn. We wish you the best of luck!

  11. I am Italian but I live in the United Kingdom. I would like to have information which agency I should contact for a free surrogacy in Europe or any other country where I can access.
    Many thanks

    1. Hi me and my husband been to gather 19 years and I have 7 kids they all grown he has no kids we are looking for a surrogate that doesn’t cost to much my husband really wants a baby thanks

  12. Hi I am 40 years old I would like to have another baby but due to complications I had to have an emergency partial hysterectomy therefore I am no longer it would you carry my own child if anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it I don’t have a whole lot of money I have enough to support a family

  13. My name is cami and i am 17 I can’t have kids because of a surgery I had in 2021 the took my right ovaries and was born with out a left one any idea what I can do i really want to ha e a kid of my own

  14. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby since 2012 and still no luck… My doctor done an endometrial ablation and DNC and that took me having kids away…. Looking for a free surrogate mother….

  15. Good day l am a woman of 43 years old and doing very well for herself not married but have a boyfriend we tried several times to make the babe of our own but no luck considering to take this route for surrogacy. I really need a child. Is it possible that l can assisted.

    Thank you

  16. Okay guys im freaking 25 years old i have been trying for almost 2 years now and nothing I dont know what could be the problem but i desperately deserve and need a baby please help me on what i should do i get a monthly check but no where near enough to pay for a surragont at all but i can do at least 500 every month for 9 months if someone can do that

  17. Hello 44 year old woman tried 3 rounds of IVF. Desperate for a surrogate to carry for me. Where can I find someone who will assist for reasonable price.

  18. If you need a surrogate and can’t afford much or at all call or text me. I can’t have a baby. I have no eggs. I can carry but I can’t get pregnant on my own without the egg put in my uterus/womb. We can work something out.

Leave a Reply to American Surrogacy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *