Bronzino Law Firm offers wise legal counsel in developing a strong contract with the surrogate mother.

If you are eager—and even longing acutely—to build a family but have been frustrated in attempts to get pregnant or adopt, you may now be looking to enlist the aid of a surrogate mother to fulfill your longings for a child and to build a family.

If your physician recommends gestational surrogacy as your next, most hopeful step, the law in New Jersey is on your side. With the passage of S482 on May 30, 2018, couples who have been unsuccessful with fertility can establish a contract, fully recognized and enforceable, with a surrogate mother who is willing to carry the baby.

To do this, you will need to enter a surrogacy agreement with a surrogate mother, also known as a gestational mother. Under New Jersey law, this person is required to have legal representation.

You, too, will need a legal representative, one who can help you navigate the frequently changing laws around surrogacy in New Jersey. We at Bronzino Law are committed to representing you in your surrogacy agreement with compassion and understanding so that your dream of building a family can come true.

What Does a Surrogacy Agreement Cover?

In New Jersey, these agreements are signed by a “gestational surrogate” (the woman who carries the child but is not related to the child genetically), sometimes her spouse as well, and the “intended parent” or “intended parents.” Both these parties must have their own attorneys representing them.

A surrogacy agreement spells out the intentions, rights, and duties of everyone involved. An agreement covers the span of time from just before the implantation of an embryo up to the moment of birth and sometimes beyond. It relieves the surrogate mother of any obligation to the child after it’s born.

A well-written agreement will spell out all the issues around parental rights. It will also settle issues such as which doctor to consult, which delivery location to use, how many embryos will be transferred, who has control over medical decisions during the gestational period, what to do if multiple embryos become established, how much communication between the surrogate mother and the intended parents will take place during the pregnancy and on the date of birth, how many contacts the parties will have post-birth, including issues of lactation. The agreement covers items like payment of insurance premiums and hospital and doctors’ bills, responsibilities in the case of medical complications, and other expenses. The surrogate mother’s fee is usually itemized in the agreement.

Then How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in New Jersey?

You will most likely work with an agency that will interview candidates for surrogacy and test them for their all-around fitness for the role, both psychologically and health-wise. In New Jersey, an agency will probably cost around $20,000.

The intended parents will also be responsible for all the costs involved in surrogacy, including the surrogate mother’s fee. In New Jersey, a first-time surrogate will earn a fee of between $30,000 and $43,000 or so. An experienced surrogate will garner $45,000 to $50,000.

Other costs involved, such as the mother will likely charge an embryo transfer fee and a fee for undergoing other invasive procedures like amniocentesis if you want that procedure done. You will be responsible for all her doctors’ bills, life insurance premiums for the period of gestation, the surrogate’s lawyer’s fees, and more.

You need to be aware that your personal health insurance plan will not pay for a surrogate mother. The surrogate may have health insurance and may pay for the medical costs of pregnancy—unless the policy excludes surrogacy. However, if so, the intended parents pay health insurance premiums during the pregnancy.

Other costs will be borne by the intended parents. The surrogate mother is paid more for carrying twins and undergoing a caesarian section if the doctor decides that’s best. If the doctor orders bed rest during the pregnancy, the intended parents will pay the mother’s housekeeping costs.

All told, depending on how the pregnancy goes, intended parents can expect to pay between $90,000 and $175,000.

What Does Your Firm Offer?

You can rely on Bronzino Law Firm to dig into every detail and ensure that every contingency is fully explored and accounted for. We will communicate with you effectively throughout the process and ensure that your individual needs and priorities are fully taken into consideration and applied in your case.

We offer this legal knowledge and experience with compassion and sympathy for the frustration and pain you’ve endured and the new hope you have in this surrogacy relationship.

We know that you and your situation are unique, and we are eager to help you navigate your way to building a beautiful family in New Jersey, including in Wall, Asbury Park, Middletown, Toms River, Brick, Manchester, Lacey, and other towns throughout the Monmouth and Ocean County area.

Call Bronzino Law at (732) 812-3102 today for our meticulous and dedicated assistance in helping you to add a child to your family.