The Surrogacy Journey in Illinois

Your Guide to Finding or Becoming a Surrogate in Chicago, Schaumburg, Joilet, and Throughout Illinois

GSHC Surrogacy Agency is proud to work with intended parents and surrogates throughout Illinois, from Chicago to Springfield, Rockford, and beyond. Whether you’re hoping to find a surrogate to help grow your family or are interested in learning about becoming a surrogate yourself, the team at GSHC is here to guide you through the entire process. Keep exploring to learn more about surrogacy in Chicago and throughout Illinois.

Who Uses a Surrogate?

Surrogacy offers hope and possibility to a diverse range of intended parents. Here are some of the individuals and families who choose surrogacy:

  • Infertile Couples: Couples experiencing infertility often explore surrogacy when other methods, such as IVF, don’t succeed.
  • LGBTQ+ Families: Surrogacy allows same-sex couples to fulfill their dreams of starting or growing their families.
  • Single Parents: Surrogacy is a powerful option for individuals choosing to embark on solo parenthood.
  • Women Facing Pregnancy Challenges: Women with medical conditions that prevent them from safely carrying a child often turn to surrogacy.

Whether you’re from Chicago, Schaumburg, Joliet, or elsewhere in Illinois, the supportive laws and resources in the area make surrogacy a viable option for all kinds of intended parents.

Become a Surrogate in Illinois

Becoming a surrogate is a deeply personal and life-changing decision. Whether you’re in Chicago, Joliet, Schaumburg, or anywhere else in Illinois, GSHC is here to provide you with guidance, support, and resources to make this journey meaningful and rewarding.

Surrogate Compensation in Illinois: How Much Are Surrogates Paid?

Surrogacy compensation in Chicago varies depending on individual experience, qualifications, and the unique circumstances of the surrogacy. Base pay usually ranges from about $40,00 to $80,000, and is determined based on prior surrogacy experience, pregnancy history, the specifics of the surrogacy contract, any unique medical needs, and other factors. Base compensation is paid in regular installments. In addition to base pay, allowances cover other necessities such as surrogacy-related travel, maternity clothing, housekeeping, insurance, and more.

Learn More About Surrogate Compensation

Surrogate Requirements in Illinois

Surrogacy requirements will be slightly different depending on the particular agency one works with, but most agencies in the Chicago area have similar criteria. At GSHC, we maintain stringent requirements to help ensure a happy, healthy journey for everyone involved. Comprehensive medical and psychological screenings will be done to ensure all surrogates are both physically and emotionally prepared to undertake this unique experience. Additionally, all surrogates must be within a certain age range, have a healthy BMI, have a stable home life and financial situation, and more.

Learn More About Surrogate Requirements

Become a Surrogate in Illinois

Do you live in Chicago, Schaumburg, Naperville, Joliet, or anywhere else in the area? Do you dream of helping someone grow their family? The path of surrogacy may be your calling. Connect today with GSHC and answer the call to become a surrogate.

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Find a Surrogate in Illinois

GSHC can help you find a surrogate in Illinois and will assist you at every stage of this special journey — from the initial matching process, during which we’ll help pair you with surrogates who may be a good fit for your preferences and needs, to legal processes, all the way through delivery, after which you’ll go home with your new baby.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in Illinois?

Surrogacy costs in Illinois can vary from case to case, depending on the surrogate’s prior experience, whether you use an egg donor, any special requests agreed upon in the surrogacy contract, unexpected circumstances or medical needs, and more. Our team is committed to transparency throughout the entire process, and we work closely with intended parents to outline all anticipated costs in detail at the outset.

Learn More About Surrogacy Costs

How to Find a Surrogate in Illinois

Finding the right surrogate is a collaborative and carefully managed process:

  • Start with a Consultation: Speak with experts to understand the surrogacy process and determine your preferences.
  • Eligibility Screening: Surrogate candidates undergo a series of screenings to ensure they meet program standards.
  • Matching Process: Review profiles and select a surrogate whose goals align with yours.
  • Introduction Meeting: Get to know your surrogate to build trust and start your partnership.

Using an Egg Donor and Surrogate in Illinois

When intended parents require both an egg donor and a surrogate, the process may seem complex, but in Illinois, it’s well-regulated and straightforward. Legal protections ensure that intended parents are recognized as the legal parents of their child.

As a dual surrogacy and egg donation agency, GSHC simplifies this process by managing everything under one roof. Serving intended parents throughout Illinois, from Chicago to Naperville, we streamline every step to make your experience seamless.

LGBTQ+ Surrogacy in Illinois

Illinois <> is a growing hub for inclusive surrogacy, offering LGBTQ+ individuals and couples supportive pathways to parenthood. GSHC specializes in personalized care to help create families with respect and compassion.

Find a Surrogate in Illinois

Illinois is one of the best states in the U.S. to find a surrogate, and GSHC is here to guide you every step of the way, whether you hail from Chicago, Schaumburg, Joliet, Naperville, or elsewhere in the Prairie State. Connect with us and let us help you find your ideal surrogate match.

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Surrogacy Laws in Illinois

Illinois is one of the most surrogacy-friendly states in the U.S., with well-established laws under the Illinois Gestational Surrogacy Act (2005). This act outlines clear legal protections and requirements for surrogacy agreements, ensuring a smooth process for intended parents and surrogates.

To qualify, intended parents must demonstrate a medical need for surrogacy, and the surrogate must meet specific eligibility criteria, including being at least 21 years old, having had at least one successful pregnancy, and undergoing a thorough medical and psychological evaluation. Pre-birth orders are available, allowing intended parents to be listed on the birth certificate immediately after the child's birth.

Both gestational and traditional surrogacy are recognized, though the legal framework is more robust for gestational arrangements. Legal representation for both parties is required to ensure compliance with the act and protect everyone's interests.

The GSHC Surrogacy Process in Illinois

GSHC Surrogacy Agency provides a structured and supportive surrogacy process. Here’s a step-by-step overview of their approach.
GC Step 1. Application & Screening
Every surrogate candidate begins with an application and undergoes a thorough screening process to ensure readiness and eligibility for the program.
IP Step 1. Initial Consultation
The surrogacy journey starts with a consultation to discuss your goals, answer questions, and map out the process tailored to your needs.
GC Step 2. Profile Creation
Surrogates create detailed profiles that reflect their values, motivations, and experiences, helping intended parents find the right match.
IP Step 2. Seeking a Surrogate
During the initial matching process, GSHC will assess surrogates’ profiles and compare them with the intended parents’ preferences, values, overall personalities, and expectations to find potential pairings.
Step 3. Making a Match
After the intended parents have reviewed the surrogate profiles, they can decide whether to proceed with particular candidates. GSHC will set up in-person meetings so all parties can get to know one another and determine compatibility.
Step 4. Legal Contracts
Once a match has been made, the surrogate can begin initial medical and psychological screenings to ensure readiness for surrogacy. Next, the intended parents’ attorney will draft a surrogacy contract detailing the requirements and expectations of everyone involved. The surrogate will have the chance to review this document with her own attorney and request any changes or ask any questions she may have.
Step. 5 Medical Procedures
Once all parties are in agreement and the contract is signed, the surrogate can begin medical processes, beginning with hormone treatments that will help prepare the body for pregnancy. Next, embryos will be created and transferred into the surrogate’s uterus via a simple medical procedure.
Step 6. Prenatal Care
Once the surrogate becomes pregnant, she’ll continue to be supported at every step by expert medical professionals and the caring team at GSHC. The intended parents typically accompany the surrogate to doctor’s appointments as well. Once the surrogate is done with fertility treatments, she can transition from the fertility specialist to her own OB/GYN. She’ll also be able to choose the hospital in which she’ll give birth.
Step 7. Birth
As the surrogate goes into labor, the intended parents are typically present at the hospital, ready to offer support and share in the excitement of their baby’s arrival. Legal documents are finalized to ensure the intended parents' parental rights are formally established after the birth.
Step 8. Parental Rights & Post-Delivery Support
Following the delivery, the surrogate may have a brief moment to hold the baby before the intended parents take their child home. The surrogate will then receive essential postpartum medical care and support, allowing her to rest, recover, and reflect on her incredible journey.
Step 9. An Exciting New Chapter
This final step represents a transformative moment for the intended parents as they embrace their new role and begin life with their much-anticipated baby.
Become a Surrogate in Illinois Find a Surrogate in Illinois

Surrogacy in Illinois FAQ

  • Anyone interested in becoming a surrogate in Chicago must first meet the requirements set forth by the specific agency they work with. These requirements may vary slightly but, in general, are designed to protect the health and well-being of both the surrogate and the baby.

    Some of GSHC’s surrogacy requirements include:

    • Age 21–38
    • Good overall health and healthy BMI (31 or less)
    • No smoking or drug use
    • Have given birth to at least one child you’re raising on your own
    • No more than five previous pregnancies
    • No more than 3 C-sections
    • No felony convictions
    • No communicable diseases
    • Stable housing and home life
    • Financial stability, no government assistance

  • If GSHC moves forward with a surrogate application, we’ll conduct a thorough review of her medical history and a background check. If she continues forward, we can then begin the exciting process of matching the surrogate with the intended parents. Surrogates will create detailed profiles outlining their qualifications, overall personality, and reasons for pursuing surrogacy. Intended parents will have a chance to review these profiles and pick out any that spark their interest. GSHC will then set up a time for all parties to meet and better to get to know each other. If everyone is happy with the arrangement, legal processes can begin.

  • Surrogacy costs in Illinois can vary case by case, but at least $144,000 is a good benchmark. Various factors will come into play, including prior surrogacy and pregnancy experience, special requests agreed upon in the surrogacy contract, or unexpected medical needs. Other allowances will also be provided to cover things like maternity wear, transportation to appointments, housekeeping, insurance, and, in some cases, lost wages and childcare.

  • At GSHC, we specialize only in gestational surrogacy, in which the surrogate does not use her own eggs and therefore is not genetically related to the child. With traditional surrogacy, on the other hand, the surrogate uses her own eggs and therefore is genetically related to the child. Traditional surrogacy is much less common and is much more emotionally and legally complex.

    Unlike most states in the U.S., Illinois does not usually require intended parents — whether heterosexual, LGBTQ+, single, or couples — to obtain parentage orders from the courts. As long as a legally binding surrogacy contract is in place and at least one parent is genetically related to the child, the intended parents’ name will be on the birth certificate.

    However, different laws will apply when no intended parent is genetically related to the child; this will typically require an adoption. Working with an attorney specializing in such cases will help create as seamless an experience as possible.

  • In Illinois, surrogate compensation will be clearly outlined in the contract. Compensation will encompass base pay, various allowances for additional surrogacy-related expenses such as logistical costs, and reimbursement for insurance and prescription premiums. At GSHC, we take pride in offering all surrogates generous pay that reflects the deep physical and emotional commitment involved in surrogacy.

  • As with any pregnancy, surrogacy comes with certain risks and may involve some of the usual side effects, such as morning sickness, fatigue, tender breasts, and frequent urination. All pregnancies, whether involving a surrogate or not, will be unique, and experiences can vary widely from person to person. The caring, knowledgeable team at GSHC will be on hand every step of the way, from the initial application and matching process to medical screenings and legal manners, all the way to delivery.

Why GSHC: About Our Surrogacy Agency

GSHC Surrogacy Agency is an internationally recognized, full-service boutique agency dedicated to helping families grow through surrogacy and egg donation. With a core ethos centered on a passion for assisted reproduction and family building, we prioritize the highest level of service for both intended parents and surrogates. What sets us apart is our unique approach – 100% of our Case Managers are former surrogates themselves, providing unparalleled empathy and expertise. Our extensive pool of surrogates, close relationships with elite professionals, and commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity ensure a seamless journey toward parenthood. With GSHC Surrogacy Agency, you're in safe hands every step of the way. Learn more about how we can help facilitate your surrogacy journey in Illinois.

Start your surrogacy journey with us.

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