Affording surrogacy?

[arc5005]

Surrogacy is expensive. How realistic is it for a recent medical school graduate to be able to afford the cost of surrogacy? I mean, it's not as expensive as buying a house, but it is on par with buying a luxury vehicle; however, I doubt there are the same type of loans offered for surrogacy as a car. You could always try for a home equity loan, but how many recent med school grads will have had a home for that long by then? Is this a cost that might have to wait until after residency? It almost seems unrealistic to be able to afford surrogacy after med school, or right after residency since loans & interests will still be extremely high.

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[LizzyM]

People I know who have done this have been in their late 30s-early 40s and have sufficient income to afford it. Assuming that you are planning to attend medical school in your 20s, you might want to postpone starting or adding to a family in this way until you are finished with training and can afford the process and the outcome (raising a kid is not cheap, particularly if circumstances dictate that you won't have the luxury of a stay at home parent).

 

[arc5005]

People I know who have done this have been in their late 30s-early 40s and have sufficient income to afford it. Assuming that you are planning to attend medical school in your 20s, you might want to postpone starting or adding to a family in this way until you are finished with training and can afford the process and the outcome (raising a kid is not cheap, particularly if circumstances dictate that you won't have the luxury of a stay at home parent).

I wonder if physicians with lower incomes, like peds, family med, ID, and psych are still able to afford surrogacy & debt.

 

[Law2Doc]

I wonder if physicians with lower incomes, like peds, family med, ID, and psych are still able to afford surrogacy & debt.

Well, they could always make money serving as surrogates for the more lucrative specialties first -- a form of "pay it forward"?

 

[LizzyM]

I wonder if physicians with lower incomes, like peds, family med, ID, and psych are still able to afford surrogacy & debt.

It all depends on the lifestyle you want and your total debt. Live frugally and don't borrow more than you need to live a modest life, live frugally in residency and beyond and begin paying back debt, plan to save for what really matters to you.

 

[LizzyM]

Well, they could always make money serving as surrogates for the more lucrative specialties first -- a form of "pay it forward"?

Heh? If this is a biological male hiring a surrogate... no amount of servicing the more lucrative specialties is going to pay off the bill for surrogacy.

 

[Lost in Translation]

What's all this about? Please educate me I'm naïve.

 

[Law2Doc]

What's all this about? Please educate me I'm naïve.

Hiring someone to carry your fertilized egg.

 

[Spector1]

why not adopt a child? there are plenty of kids in need of loving families.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Hiring someone to carry your fertilized egg.

Okay so I thought that's what this was... but why are we having a discussion on it?

 

[takeurmeds02]

Okay so I thought that's what this was... but why are we having a discussion on it?

You're annoying.

 

[Lost in Translation]

You're annoying.

It just seems like such a strange thing to ask advice for on a random Internet forum. Like LizzyM said: raising a kid is no joke. Finish other, more time-urgent things like getting into med school and getting into residency.

 

[takeurmeds02]

It just seems like such a strange thing to ask advice for on a random Internet forum. Like LizzyM said: raising a kid is no joke. Finish other, more time-urgent things like getting into med school and getting into residency.

While that may be true, the initial question was still very relevant to this site which serves to bring together and discuss the different aspects of medicine outside of just the stats and education. It's like shadowing; you're not there to solely learn about the basics of medicine. You're also there to gain an understanding of how medicine can affect your personal life. Not to say that this should be your primary or only fountain of info but SDN can be a pretty valuable resource.

 

[rilte4]

It just seems like such a strange thing to ask advice for on a random Internet forum. Like LizzyM said: raising a kid is no joke. Finish other, more time-urgent things like getting into med school and getting into residency.

It's not. With the timeline and rigor of med school/training and the financial considerations of someone on this path, all of it's relevant when talking about family planning. If someone is considering that option, knowing how and when others have gone about it helps. Plenty of women ask around for advice on when others have chosen to have a child during med school/residency. OP's not having the child as we speak, just asking about it.

 

[Law2Doc]

...Finish other, more time-urgent things like getting into med school and getting into residency.

That's kind of the point. A biological clock has a termination date. While you are spending time doing school and residency you can miss the window on your fertility. So some plan ahead. Surrogacy is a part of that planning for some.

 

[Goro]

Adoption is a whole lot cheaper.

Surrogacy is expensive. How realistic is it for a recent medical school graduate to be able to afford the cost of surrogacy? I mean, it's not as expensive as buying a house, but it is on par with buying a luxury vehicle; however, I doubt there are the same type of loans offered for surrogacy as a car. You could always try for a home equity loan, but how many recent med school grads will have had a home for that long by then? Is this a cost that might have to wait until after residency? It almost seems unrealistic to be able to afford surrogacy after med school, or right after residency since loans & interests will still be extremely high.

 

[Spector1]

Adoption is a whole lot cheaper.

and a lot more worthwhile too.

 

[bc65]

Are you asking a theoretical question, or a practical one? If you're asking for yourself, you should probably see a fertility specialist immediately, as they might want to harvest eggs now, for use later, if that's an option. If you're speaking theoretically, then perhaps you should be asking about infertility treatments, rather than surrogacy, as most infertility treatments don't involve in-vitro fertilization, let alone surrogacy.

A round of in vitro fertilization can cost about $10,000 to $12,000. I think getting donor eggs can add about 15-20k to that cost. Many people go through several rounds of IVF before having success or giving up, so they might end up spending up to 50k, without egg donors.

Google just told me that a round of IVF plus egg donor plus surrogacy fees plus legal fees will total about 90k.

One large medical group that I'm familiar with provides medical insurance which covers much of the cost of infertility treatments up to a certain amount. (25k , I believe ) I don't know if they cover surrogacy expenses, but I suspect that they might, although I don't know under what circumstances that would be covered. However, the average US income is about $59,000, and most physicians will earn above 200,000, so that should leave you with plenty of money to put towards fertility expenses. Just remember that will be able to afford almost anything, but not everything, so if you want to afford the fertility treatments, you should avoid buying an expensive house, a fancy car, or exotic vacations.

 

[LizzyM]

Are you asking a theoretical question, or a practical one? If you're asking for yourself, you should probably see a fertility specialist immediately, as they might want to harvest eggs now, for use later, if that's an option. If you're speaking theoretically, then perhaps you should be asking about infertility treatments, rather than surrogacy, as most infertility treatments don't involve in-vitro fertilization, let alone surrogacy.

The person asking may not have ovaries and may not have a potential partner with ovaries. This may not be about fertility and infertility at all.

 

[BluMist]

OP profile says male, though the overall question is interesting to both sexes without deviating too much from the original intent

The person asking may not have ovaries and may not have a potential partner with ovaries. This may not be about fertility and infertility at all.

 

[Padfoot]

I've heard of people going to India, where it is much cheaper. There are ethical issues that come with this though

 

[LizzyM]

I've heard of people going to India, where it is much cheaper. There are ethical issues that come with this though

That option won't be available much longer, if it is still available today. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34876458

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Adoption is a whole lot cheaper.

and a lot more worthwhile too.

Both of you could probably do well to check yourselves and let people make their own damn decisions

 

[Goro]

When people come onto message boards asking for advice, you object to this, especially when we point out the obvious???

Both of you could probably do well to check yourselves and let people make their own damn decisions

 

[RogueUnicorn]

When people come onto message boards asking for advice, you object to this, especially when we point out the obvious???

No one asked for advice on alternative methods of parenthood.

 

[Goro]

Tough. There are a lot of unwanted children in the world.

No one asked for advice on alternative methods of parenthood.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Tough. There are a lot of unwanted children in the world.

That's super relevant.

 

[Goro]

More relevant than spending $90K+ on an invasive procedure that has a decent chance of failure, and more ethical too.

Dx: I'm getting a strong whiff of one of these.
Tx: applying Ignore function. You might feel some slight pressure.

That's super relevant.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

More relevant that spending $90K + on an invasive procedure that has a decent chance of failure, and more ethical too.

That's 100% your opinion of course but who's keeping track right. You should also probably look up the word "relevant," I do not think it means what you think it means

Dx: I'm getting a strong whiff of one of these.
Tx: applying Ignore function. You might feel some slight pressure.

View attachment 198165

That's cute.

I'm surprised you don't wade into the WAMC subforum and yell "but there are floors in the world that need cleaning"

 

[Dr. Death]

Have kids in med school so medicaid covers it cuz you have 0 income!

 

[Dr. Death]

No one asked for advice on alternative methods of parenthood.

No one asked your advice on this forum

 

[Glazedonutlove]

That's 100% your opinion of course but who's keeping track right. You should also probably look up the word "relevant," I do not think it means what you think it means

That's cute.

I'm surprised you don't wade into the WAMC subforum and yell "but there are floors in the world that need cleaning"

be nice to goro

 

[RogueUnicorn]

be nice to goro

his status as an adcom doesn't give him free pass from me, nor should it from anyone

 

[Glazedonutlove]

his status as an adcom doesn't give him free pass from me, nor should it from anyone

if you read his posts above, he was simply offering a suggestion. People have strong feelings about this stuff, so it's easy to over react I get it

 

[RogueUnicorn]

if you read his posts above, he was simply offering a suggestion. People have strong feelings about this stuff, so it's easy to over react I get it

It was a haughty and judgmental one which was out of line so I called him out on it. As you note this is a sensitive-ass issue, one he might know if he, you know, touched patients. If he wants to get in a tizzy over it that's his business.

 

[bc65]

The person asking may not have ovaries and may not have a potential partner with ovaries. This may not be about fertility and infertility at all.

Yes, which is why I wrote " they might want to harvest eggs now, for use later, if that's an option." There are many possibilities, and my answer was designed to cover many of them. In addition. unlike many other responses, I actually answered the question.

I have to agree that I don't think telling OP to adopt is helpful. There's an entire specialty of medicine devoted to infertility. I don't think that specialty is irrelevant or unnecessary. Besides, adoption is neither inexpensive nor easily accomplished these days.

 

[arc5005]

Yeah, there are 0 ovaries in my relationship. hah. Also, I think it is great that people adopt, but I don't think adoption is for me.

 

[ditritium monoxide]

It was a haughty and judgmental one which was out of line so I called him out on it. As you note this is a sensitive-ass issue, one he might know if he, you know, touched patients. If he wants to get in a tizzy over it that's his business.

It wasn't out of line. Adoption is significantly cheaper than surrogacy, and it is worthwhile to point this out. Why so sensitive?

That he isn't a doctor doesn't mean he can't figure this out on his own :/

 

[ditritium monoxide]

That's 100% your opinion of course but who's keeping track right. You should also probably look up the word "relevant," I do not think it means what you think it means

That's cute.

I'm surprised you don't wade into the WAMC subforum and yell "but there are floors in the world that need cleaning"

Have you left your high school years?

 

[RogueUnicorn]

It wasn't out of line. Adoption is significantly cheaper than surrogacy, and it is worthwhile to point this out. Why so sensitive?

That he isn't a doctor doesn't mean he can't figure this out on his own :/

sht dog i hear janitorial school is cheaper than medical school, why not mop some floors

 

[ditritium monoxide]

sht dog i hear janitorial school is cheaper than medical school, why not mop some floors

I don't see the equivalency. Being a janitor and physician are two very different professions. Adopting a child vs conceiving one via a surrogate both let you raise a child.