Surrogate mum reveals the financial struggle behind the euphoria of handing over a baby
Brisbane mum Charli Lee thought she knew what she was in for when she decided to carry a child for someone else.
As an altruistic surrogate, she would deliver a baby to a couple who couldn’t do so themselves.
Charli wouldn’t get any money for her efforts, but she would give the gift of life to a deserving, loving couple.
Reasonable surrogacy costs
According to the Surrogacy Act 2010, the birth mother’s reasonable surrogacy costs may include costs associated with:
- Her becoming or trying to become pregnant
- Her pregnancy and birth
- Her or her spouse (if any) being a party to the surrogacy arrangement
- Court proceedings relating to the parentage order
This may include:
- Medical costs for the birth mother
- Costs, including medical, for the child
- Certain health, disability or life insurance premiums
- Certain counselling and counsellor’s report costs
- Legal costs
- The birth mother’s loss of earnings, in certain circumstances
- Other reasonable costs associated with the surrogacy arrangement or the parentage order
“It was something that I wanted to do ever since I saw a documentary as a teenager — at 31, I had already had five children of my own, so I was ready,” she said.
“I always thought it was going to be an emotional rollercoaster, and it was. There were certainly some areas that I probably didn’t consider.”
The intended parents had furnished Charli with a debit card to pay for the incidental costs of carrying their baby.
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