A Guide to Surrogacy in Illinois
Illinois is a fantastic state for surrogacy! Surrogacy is legal in Illinois and Brownstone Surrogacy is proud to work with surrogates in Illinois, intended parents in Illinois, and some of the Land of Lincoln’s best fertility clinics.
Brownstone Surrogacy supports local surrogates and intended parents from all the wonderful parts of Illinois: from Chicago to Springfield, Rockford to Peoria. Learn more about the surrogacy process in Illinois and then take our short quiz to find out if you qualify.
You can read the stories of some of our fantastic Illinois surrogates here (CBS Chicago) and here (DeKalb Daily Chronicle)!
The surrogacy process looks different for each surrogate and each set of intended parents based on their preferences and goals and on the state in which they live. But there are a few common steps to becoming a surrogate in Illinois:
Step 1: Make Sure You Meet the Requirements to Become a Surrogate in Illinois
To be a surrogate in Illinois, you should:
- Be between 21 and 42 years old
- Have a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 32
- Have a history of full-term, uncomplicated pregnancies
- Have had no more than 5 deliveries or 3 c-sections
- Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident living in Illinois
- Not smoke or vape or have a history of drug or alcohol abuse
- Not be treated for or on medication for serious depression or anxiety or another psychological disorder
- Be financially stable and not receiving government cash assistance
If you want to know more about whether you would qualify to be a surrogate in Illinois, take our short quiz or contact us.
Step 2: Educate Yourself about Being a Surrogate in Illinois
Surrogacy is not a quick and easy process, but it will be one of the most rewarding things you do in your life. There are countless parents (including many in Illinois) who turn to surrogates each year to build their families because of repeated pregnancy losses, devastating cancer diagnoses, or an inability to have a biological family any other way (i.e., same-sex male couples).
It’s important to understand exactly what to expect from the surrogacy process in Illinois, from screening to matching to contracts to pregnancy. You can read more about each step here. If you have specific questions that are not answered on our extensive FAQ page, please reach out to us. An experienced surrogate on our team will clarify things and walk you through the process.
Step 3: Choose a Licensed Illinois Surrogacy Agency
Surrogates – whether in Joliet, Naperville, or Champaign-Urbana – should always work with a reputable, licensed surrogacy agency. Brownstone Surrogacy is one of only a handful of surrogacy agencies nationwide licensed by the government, so you have the peace of mind knowing that we operate according to the highest ethics and standards.
We can match you with intended parents in Illinois and provide truly local support. We know the fertility clinics, doctors, and mental health professionals local to Illinois and the surrogacy lawyers with deep expertise in the state’s laws. Your agency should empower you – not make decisions for you. At Brownstone, we are your trusted advocates and we practice surrogacy the right way.
Step 4: Choose an Experienced Illinois Surrogacy Lawyer
Once you are matched with intended parents, you will need to select an experienced surrogacy lawyer to form a contract. Our attorney-led agency stands ready to refer you to the best surrogacy lawyers in the state, including Heather Ross, Nidhi Desai, Ryan Ferrante, Joanna Beck Wilkinson, and Karen Spence.
At Brownstone, we are attuned to the details of Illinois’s surrogacy law – the Illinois Gestational Surrogacy Act – and make sure you know your rights. For example, it is written in Illinois’s law that all surrogates receive independent legal counsel. With Brownstone you can also expect:
- 24/7 support at every step of the process
- Mental health counseling paid for by the intended parents
- Life insurance providing a benefit of $750,000 paid for by the intended parents
With the right surrogacy agency and surrogacy lawyer in your corner, you’ll always have folks that are advocating for you.
How Much Do Surrogates Get Paid in Illinois?
As a surrogate in Illinois, you have the opportunity to earn at least $70,000 and up to $90,000 or more.
Surrogates help determine compensation and benefits, but here is what is typical:
- Base compensation: $60,000 – $75,000+
- Monthly expense allowance: $3,900 ($300 per month for an average of 13 months)
- Automatic bonuses and fees: Over $4,000
- Potential compensation: Variable
- Guaranteed support:
- Life insurance with $750,000 coverage for your beneficiaries
- An attorney of your choice
- At least $1,000 in mental health support
- All travel expenses paid for you and a companion
- Independent escrow management to ensure your compensation, reimbursements, and medical expenses are paid in full and on time
- 24/7 support from our dedicated team
Learn more on our compensation page.
Why Choose Brownstone to Support Your Surrogacy Journey in Illinois
Surrogacy is personal for us. Our founder Jarret and his husband became fathers to two girls through surrogacy and Yesenia, our Director of Surrogate Services, is an experienced gestational surrogate. Our passion for surrogacy goes even deeper than our own experiences: The Brownstone team is dedicated to ensuring that families have a personal experience. We get to know you and your family, your story, and your goals and hopes for this surrogacy journey. You’ll have our cell phone numbers and our promise to provide true support every step of the way.
A Guide to Surrogacy Laws in Illinois
The Illinois surrogacy law makes gestational surrogacy legal in Illinois. Illinois law for surrogacy establishes a few unique things that are important to know:
- Illinois has an administrative parentage process that is one of the easiest in the country.
- For a surrogacy arrangement to be enforceable under law, at least one intended parent must be the biological parent of the child (although there is an alternative path to parentage available to non-genetic parents).
- Surrogates must be at least 21 years old, undergo medical and mental health evaluations, have already given birth to at least one child, and have a health insurance policy that covers major medical treatments and hospitalization.
- Intended parents and the surrogate must have separate attorneys.
- Attorneys confirm the parental rights of the intended parents through an administrative process with the Illinois Department of Public Health in coordination with the delivery hospital. Then Illinois Vital Records will issue a birth certificate with the intended parents’ information upon birth.
- However, should intended parents want or need a court order, attorneys can also pursue a process through the courts.
What Does Surrogacy Cost in Illinois?
The total estimated cost of a surrogacy journey in Illinois is around $175,000 though it can fluctuate.
Expected costs of the surrogacy process:
- Surrogate compensation (base and automatic): $60,000 – $75,000+
- Surrogate compensation (variable): $1,000 – $20,000+
- Agency fee: $50,000
- Attorneys’ fees: $10,000 – $12,000
- Insurance fees and out-of-pocket medical expenses: $6,000 – $30,000+
- Escrow, travel, and other miscellaneous expenses: $3,000 – $10,000
- Total Average Cost of Surrogacy: $140,000 – $200,000 (excluding fertility clinic expenses)
Brownstone’s all-inclusive agency fee covers:
- Management of your entire journey, from start to finish
- All costs of surrogate recruitment and screening
- All costs of intended parent screening
- Coordination of the embryo creation process, as needed
- Coordination of unlimited IVF or transfer cycles
- Free rematch services if your surrogate is disqualified, withdraws, or has three unsuccessful transfers
- Personal, knowledgeable, and compassionate support
How To Find a Surrogate in Illinois
If you are an intended parent looking for a surrogate in Illinois, Brownstone Surrogacy can help. We proudly work with the many excellent fertility clinics throughout the State of Illinois, including Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI), InVia Fertility Specialists, and Kindbody / Vios.
Find Out More about the Process for Surrogates
Ready To Get Started?
Brownstone Surrogacy is licensed as a surrogacy matching program by the New York State Department of Health. Our license number is GS221023. We are proud to be among the few agencies licensed by a governmental regulator.
“Gestation is a marvel, no matter how it is accomplished. But gestation isn’t the real magic. Love is the magic. Love is the only magic.” – Early: An Intimate History of Premature Birth and What It Teaches Us About Being Human by Sarah DiGregorio