It’s Not Just Celebrities – Commercial Surrogacy Industry Expected To Grow Tenfold By 2032

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According to Global Market Insights, the commercial surrogacy industry is experiencing a global boom projected to reach $129 billion by 2032, which is exponentially higher than its estimated $14 billion in 2022, led by rising infertility cases and more same-sex couples, want children to have Reproductive awareness thanks to celebrity supporters and an increasing number of fertility clinics.

via surrogate in June 2023.Getty Images

Important facts

Celebrities such as Chrissy Tiegan, Elizabeth Banks, Anderson Cooper and Jamie Chung have been candid about their experiences of surrogacy and have largely praised the process, although some advocates have raised ethical concerns, saying that paying a woman to give birth to a child could harm her exposed to exploitation by wealthier and wealthier more powerful intended parents.

The process of surrogacy — when a woman carries and gives birth to a child for someone else — is growing in popularity due to advances in medical technology and changes in societal attitudes toward non-traditional families, according to research provider IMARC $1 billion in 2018 to an estimated $17.9 billion in 2023.

The New York City Department of Health states that hiring a surrogate in the United States can cost anywhere from $60,000 to $150,000 after deducting legal fees, medical costs, agency fees, surrogate compensation and other costs, compared to $50,000 -dollars in Eastern European countries and between $60,000 and $150,000 to $70,000 in Mexico and Latin America, CNBC reported.

Celebrities from every industry have been vocal in supporting the use of surrogate mothers for the birth of children for a range of reasons ranging from infertility to fear that maternity leave would hinder their careers including Andy Cohen, Jimmy Fallon, Cameron Diaz, Tyra Banks, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ellen Pompeo.

Celebrity surrogacy history so far this year

Erin Andrews & Jarret Stoll – NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews announced Friday that she and her husband, retired NHL player Jarret Stoll, gave birth to their baby girl on June 28. She told NBC that she’s undergone several failed rounds of IVF and that her son is coming after “10 years of hell.”

Annual Cedars Sinai Sports Spectacular at The Compound on July 15, 2018 in Inglewood, California.Getty Images for Sports Spectacular

Clare Crawley & Ryan Dawkins – Bachelorette grad Clare Crawley said Wednesday that she and husband Ryan Dawkins are expecting a baby through surrogate. Crawley, 42, posted on Instagram that she’s “navigating the uncertain world of IVF and all that comes with it.”

Tango at Dignity Health Sports Park on June 4, 2022 in Carson, California.MovieMagic

Chrissy Teigen & John Legend Musician John Legend and model wife Chrissy Teigen welcomed a child via surrogate in June, five months after Teigen gave birth to their third child last year.

White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 29, 2023 in Washington, DC.Getty Images

Paris Hilton & Carter Reum – The hotel heiress and her husband had a baby in February after Hilton froze eggs on the advice of Kim Kardashian. She told Glamor UK she’s “always” been “terrified of giving birth” and previously said she’s had a hard time conceiving.

Annual LACMA Art + Film Gala at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 5, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.MovieMagic

Casey Wilson & David Caspe – Actress Casey Wilson and her husband said they gave birth to a daughter on Jan. 26 with the help of a surrogate, calling the process a “profound experience. Uplifting and inspiring,” reported People.

of Netflix’s “Blockbuster” at Netflix Tudum Theater on October 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.MovieMagic

Important background

The first legal surrogacy agreement in the United States was reportedly signed as early as 1976 and the first legally compensated surrogacy occurred in 1980. By 1983, the practice was a lucrative business, and there were ten family surrogacy agencies across the U.S. willing to do it. The Washington Post reported that she would have to pay between $20,000 and $45,000. Since then, according to Global Market Insights, advances in fertility science, higher birth ages and a growing number of non-traditional families have meant the industry continues to grow. The American surrogacy industry is highly regulated, and surrogacy contracts are still illegal in some states, including Nebraska, Louisiana, and Michigan. New York only legalized the practice in 2021. In Canada and the UK, surrogacy is only allowed if the carrier is a volunteer – paid surrogacy is illegal.

Surprising fact

Before the Russian invasion last February, Ukraine was the second largest surrogacy market in the world after the United States. Expectant mothers had to relocate when the Russian threat became real, the New York Times reported, and international couples risked entering a war zone to reunite with their surrogate mothers and ensure the safety of their babies. Meanwhile, Georgia and Cyprus have taken over much of the international industry, CNBC reported, but it has also spread to Mexico and Latin America, with the owner of a Cancun-based fertility agency citing a 20% to 30% increase in the conflict.

tangent

A fertility doctor last year launched a service similar to dating app Bumble that helps bring families and surrogates together. Nodal was introduced by Dr. Brian Levine and former surrogate Brianna Buck, and is designed to give surrogates more leverage in the matching process and allow them to reach out directly to families looking for a match.

further reading

Commercial surrogacy industry booms as demand for babies increases (CNBC)

“It’s a terrible thing when a grown man doesn’t belong to himself” (New York Times)

This ‘Bumble For Surrogates’ Startup Wants to Bring Transparency to the Surrogacy Industry (Forbes)

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I’m a Texan living in New England with experience in reporting local and current affairs. I have a degree in Journalism and Political Science from Northeastern University and currently live outside of Boston with my husband, dog and cat.

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