Last year I helped a friend crunch the numbers on her IVF plus surrogacy journey in Russia. The agency verbally quoted 500,000 RMB; she ended up spending close to 520,000. Where did the extra 20,000 go? Honestly, every line on that quote sheet hides something easy to miss. So here’s the full itemized account we went through, as a reference for anyone else doing their budget right now.
The Most Overlooked Line on the Agency’s Quote Sheet
The first quote we received said “Package: 380,000 RMB,” and it looked pretty comprehensive. Only after asking line by line did we learn that the 380,000 covered just the surrogate’s compensation and the clinic’s base fees. Embryo screening (PGT-A) was billed separately—about 12,000 RMB for a batch of 5 embryos, plus 3,000 for each additional one. Her batch produced 9 blastocysts, so screening everything cost over 20,000 RMB. Then there was the “surrogate pregnancy nutrition allowance,” roughly 4,000 RMB per month, paid outside the contract month by month—that’s 40,000 over ten months.
Actionable tip: when you get a quote sheet, ask three things first—is embryo screening charged per embryo, are pregnancy allowances included in the package, and who pays for the second matching fee if the surrogate withdraws midway. These three items typically account for 15–20% of total spending.
Same Cycle, Why Do Some People Spend 200,000 More?
For the same IVF treatment in Russia, the bill looks completely different for someone who succeeds on the first try versus someone who goes through repeated transfers. I’ve seen one case: the woman was 37, AMH 1.1. Her first cycle retrieved 6 eggs, which yielded 2 blastocysts; after screening, only 1 was transferable, and it failed to implant. Another stimulation, another round of screening—two cycles cost her family roughly 200,000 RMB more than a first-try success.
So don’t budget for “success on the first attempt.” Plan for 1.5 to 2 cycles. With a base of 380,000, mentally prepare for 500,000 to 550,000. That way you won’t panic, and your decisions won’t get pushed around by emotion.
How Long Does the IVF Process Take? The Timeline from Stimulation to Bringing Baby Home
Many people only count the medical cycle and ignore the legal and waiting periods. The realistic timeline looks like this: first trip to Russia, stimulation to egg retrieval takes about 14–18 days; blastocyst culture and screening reports take 3–4 weeks; matching with a surrogate, if smooth, takes 4–8 weeks—during high-demand periods it can stretch to 3 months; then the surrogate’s pregnancy runs 40 weeks plus postpartum paperwork.
All told, from starting the cycle to holding your baby: 14 months at best, and we’ve seen cases take 21 months.
Actionable tip: plan visas, flights, and translator-accompanied visits around 2–3 week stays each time. The male partner may only need 5–7 days to complete sperm collection and notarized documents—staggering the schedules wrong means buying an extra plane ticket for nothing.
How to Pick an Agency: The Liability Clauses Your Contract Must Have
When comparing surrogacy agencies, what should you look at? Don’t compare prices first—read contracts first. We reviewed contracts from three agencies and focused on three things: first, whether the agency covers major pregnancy risks for the surrogate (like gestational hypertension or preterm birth), and up to what limit NICU costs are written in; second, the parentage establishment process and document checklist after birth, specifying exactly which items the agency handles; third, how quickly rematching happens after a failed surrogate match, and whether it costs extra.
One agency verbally promised “unlimited rematching,” but the contract only said “resolved through negotiation.” That’s an instant pass. If it’s not in black and white, it doesn’t exist.
Back to that 520,000: 380,000 package + 20,000 screening + 40,000 pregnancy allowances + about 50,000 for two round trips with accommodation + 30,000 for notarization and legal documents. If your budget sits around 550,000, the Russia IVF plus surrogacy route is doable. If you only have ,000, either trim down to screening only the essential embryos or consider splitting the journey into two phases. Read the contract line by line before you pay a single cent.