Surrogacy in Florida
Surrogacy in Florida: Is It Legal in Everglade State?
Surrogacy in Florida is permitted by Section 742.15, Fla. Stat. Gestational Surrogacy Agreements. Such an agreement presupposes a surrogacy legal contract to be created between the intended parents (IPs) and a gestational surrogate (and her spouse, if she’s married, to declare that he has no parental rights over the future baby). The gestational surrogacy contract must be created through participants’ individual attorneys after they’ve been matched together but before they begin any of the surrogacy’s medical processes.
Besides, the surrogacy law in Florida also protects same-sex couples’ access to family-building options. The surrogacy process for male and female gay people is usually similar to the process for opposite-sex couples. The only decision-making issue is to choose who of the intended parents will give its genetic material for in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure. However, under Florida’s surrogate statute, surrogacy agreements allow automatic parental rights only for legally married commissioning couples. LGBTQ+ singles must proceed with their surrogacy journey under Florida’s adoption laws.
What Is Surrogacy in Florida Cost?
The average price of surrogacy in Everglade State varies from $110,000 to $200,000. That is a pretty wide range indeed. The final price tag for surrogacy may differ due to different reasons. Estimated surrogacy expenses include:
- surrogacy agency management fees
- legal payments
- medical screening, related medications, and embryo transfer
gestational carrier prenatal and delivery care - surrogate compensation
Surrogate Mother Florida Qualifications
The requirements to participate in a surrogacy program as a gestational surrogate in Florida are pretty strict. They are as follows:
- the ages between 21 and 40
- experience of delivering at least one healthy child
- no prior pregnancy complications, including no deliveries before 35 weeks
- no more than 2 c-sections
- no more than 5 childbirth
- financial stability government assistance (State-funded insurance, Food stamps, WIC, Housing, AFDC)
- no criminal reports background
- no harmful addictions (alcohol, smoking, drugs)
- U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status
- meet body mass index (BMI) requirements
- providing medical records to the clinic
- willing to undergo a psychological evaluation
- undergoing medical screening (both a woman and her husband/partner)
- no active sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, substance abuse, significant medication use, and prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- a willingness to be wholly committed to the intended parents and honest participating
A surrogate mother in FL can make up to $65,000. Yet, the exact cost of remuneration of gestational carriers depends on individual surrogacy agreements with intended parents
Alternatives to Surrogacy Agency in Florida
Despite various options of surrogate assistance in Florida, the journey itself is not a budget-friendly process. For that reason, many intended parents seek solutions abroad. To fulfil their dreams of parenthood, IPs must take several considerations into account:
- meeting high standards of reproductive medicine
- high level of professionalism of local specialists
- local authorities’ loyalty to surrogacy
- non-judgemental attitude towards LGBT community if necessary
The countries that meet the above criteria are Mexico, Colombia, and Ukraine. Moreover, price policies provide affordable solutions compared to the United States. So maybe instead of finding the best surrogacy agency in Florida, it is sensible to seek the one that suits you best.
Final Thoughts
The state of Florida provides options for family-building solutions through surrogacy on a jurisdictional level. Nevertheless, the prices are notably high, and the laws around surrogacy are constantly changing. Thus, it is crucial to get familiar with the law and research alternative options if needed.