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Surrogacy Success Rates: Everything You Need to Know

Hatch Fertility
12/29/2020

Pursuing surrogacy can be a complicated decision for many couples or individuals. Between the high cost of the fertility service, legal negotiations to be had, and fears of complications arising during the service, education is the first step towards being prepared and deciding if surrogacy is the right choice for you in your fertility journey. 

To get a general understanding of surrogacy success rates, we need to explain the role that assisted reproductive technology (ART), plays in the data collection process.

How Surrogacy Success Rates are Collected

While ART is highly successful in overcoming infertility, it can also present other risks or health challenges, including complications due to multiple births. Because of this, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors ART procedures within the US to better understand how it affects those who utilize it.

However, data collection regarding ART can often lag behind or be inaccurate, so it’s important to be careful when reading any official reports. Statistics published may feature inaccuracies for a variety of the different reasons discussed below.

What Impacts Surrogacy Statistics?

While ART cycles done in the US should be reported to the CDC to promote accurate success results, not every clinic does so. Or, even worse, some less-than-reputable clinics will only present favorable results, instead of submitting all crucial information. Because of this occurrence, the CDC performs yearly audits and site visits for clinics that offer ART cycles to gain more visibility into the service.

As previously mentioned, a large factor in understanding surrogacy success rates is knowing that they are rarely current. Surrogacy success rates often include cycles resulting in pregnancy, live births, and frozen embryo transfers that happen at a later time, depending on what the intended parent’s fertility plans are.

Because of the length of time required or chosen during these procedures, the published results are usually two to three years behind the current surrogacy success rate. 

Three Ways to Improve Your Chances of a Successful Surrogacy

We understand the magnitude of how important the surrogate journey is to a family. To ensure that your experience with a surrogate is a positive experience, here are some essential factors to consider that will increase your chances of a successful surrogate pregnancy and delivery.

Healthy Sperm

Odds are highest when the sperm and the egg come from young, healthy, non-smokers. If there are red flags in your family history, or if there is a history of cancer or other diseases that might affect male fertility, it might be best to use a sperm donor.

The Use of an Egg Donor

When it comes to higher surrogacy success rates, the age of the egg donor is more important than the age of the surrogate. A healthy egg that comes from a young donor in her 20s will increase your chances for a successful pregnancy.

Since the baby will not be genetically related to the surrogate, it’s okay if the surrogate is even as old as 42. In fact, it may even be to your advantage to have a carrier who has older children instead of demanding babies and toddlers.

Using a Gestational Carrier

Choosing a surrogate who is a mom herself and has had previous successful pregnancies is optimal as she will be familiar with the physical changes that occur during pregnancy and emotionally prepared to be a surrogate. Furthermore, if she has already birthed a healthy baby, chances are high that she can also carry your baby to full term.

The Odds Are in Your Favor

Thanks to science, the odds of surrogacy success are in your favor. In fact, once the surrogate is pregnant, there is an approximately 95% chance that a healthy baby will be born. There has never been a better time to grow the family you’ve always dreamed of.

If this is the right fertility service for you, don’t hesitate and contact us today to schedule your initial consultation. We can help you find the perfect match to increase your chances of a positive experience and a successful surrogacy.


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