Infertility is rising among couples in Cameroon. 1 out of every 4 couples are facing infertility issue and therefore, it is considered as one of the public health issues. However, due to social stigma in society, women are the main suffers for the whole time. Many factors drive the decision to not seek infertility treatments in the first place such as expensive infertility treatment, seeking traditional social stigma, involved legal complexity, non-availability of dedicated fertility centers in the country, etc.
One of them is Surrogacy Cost in Cameroon which could really drive the final decision for the surrogacy procedure. Here, this article will help you to understand the various aspects of surrogacy with its full-detailed cost and learn about the factors that influence the overall cost.
Introduction to Surrogacy in Cameroon
Surrogacy is a form of arrangement in which another woman is involved as a substitute for carrying the pregnancy for another couple. The other woman is known as a surrogate mother who agrees, either for the monetary rewards & compensation (Commercial surrogacy) or with the intent to help the couple (Altruistic surrogacy).
In general, the surrogacy process is performed under the legal agreement/contract which includes the necessary provision for the protection & rights of each involved party. The legal agreement is a mandated procedure and it also depends on the legal framework for the surrogacy procedure in the country.
Mainly, Surrogacy arrangement is classified into two types: (i) Traditional Surrogacy and (ii) Gestational Surrogacy.
(i) Traditional Type- In the Traditional type, the surrogate mother is either naturally or artificially inseminated with the intended father’s sperm. For this reason, she will share the biological relation with the child. This makes the legal processes more complex while making the child custody petition in the court by the intended couples.
(ii) Gestational Type- In the Gestational type, the surrogate mother is just responsible for carrying the pregnancy in her womb. She will be impregnated with the formed embryos with the combination of both reproductive gametes i.e. eggs & sperm from the intended partners. This makes both of them to be biologically related to the child. This somewhat makes the legal process for the parental rights transfer over the child easier and less complex.
Framing of Legal Contract for Surrogacy in Cameroon
Due to the absence of any formal legal comprehensive regulations for the Cameroonian people (couples or individuals), legal complexities could be the major challenges in the protection of rights for both surrogate & intended couples.
However, this complexity can be tackled by framing the right legal contract which terms the rights, responsibilities, right expectations through the procedure, parental rights & born child custody, etc. It would be helpful for both parties to protect their respective rights during the procedure.
The legal contract is an important procedure between the surrogate and the intended couple. The whole surrogacy procedure is complied by both involved parties, under the mandated legal agreement.
The essential elements of the legal agreement include the following listed things:
- Acknowledgment from the surrogate & explicit Consent from both intended couples & surrogates is necessary.
- Must mention & understand all the medical procedures involved such as the embryo transfer procedure & pre-natal care.
- Detailed mentions & expectations regarding a healthy pregnancy by the intended couples for the surrogates.
- The contract should also mention the ‘contract termination clause’ where peaceful termination could be possible without the conflict of interests.
- The legal agreement also outlines the maintainability of privacy or confidentiality during the whole surrogacy procedure.
- The main key section of the legal agreement is about the financial arrangements for the surrogate. It is about the comprehensive detail about all the compensation or reimbursement, medical costs, health insurance, travel or food allowances, etc.
- The legal agreement also covers the part of the ‘post-birth legal parental rights’ of the child.
Legal Parental Rights After the Birth
There are two ways to get through it. The parental rights will be obtained from the ‘adoption’ concept or ‘pre-birth parentage orders’.
- Post-birth Adoption: It involves a court approval procedure by providing surrogates’ consent for transferring the legal rights to the intended couples.
- Pre-birth Parentage Orders: It involves taking court approvals for the legal parental rights by filing a petition to court before the birth of the child.
However, the provision mentioned in the legal agreement states that the surrogate will have to waive off the rights and pass the custody of the child to the intended couple, right after the birth of the child.
Surrogacy Journey in Cameroon
The surrogacy journey could be complex- financially, emotionally, and legally complexity-wise. The whole journey would take about 20-36 months to complete which generally includes finding a surrogate and matching with the intended parent’s preferences.
After matching the suitable surrogate, she will undergo several diagnostic tests & examinations, which she just has to pass and fit for the surrogate role. After that, there is a mandate legal agreement will be signed between both parties i.e. surrogate & intended couples.
The eggs & sperm retrieval procedure is performed to collect the sample in a small petri dish for the fertilization process. This will lead to the formation of the embryos, prepared & cultured until the blastocyst stage. The embryo is then implanted into the surrogate’s uterus. After the successful implantation, the blood tests will be taken for confirmation of the pregnancy. The surrogate will receive the full pre-natal care, regular checkups, and necessary food & nutrition allowances.
The child will be delivered by the surrogate until mature pregnancy and will be handed over to the intended parents. She will receive the necessary compensation with mandatory insurance. The legal parental rights will be transferred back to the intended couples. This is how the standard surrogacy procedure will be performed.
So, What will be the Surrogacy Cost in Cameroon?
Due to the non-availability of the surrogacy legal framework in Cameroon, it is quite difficult to find dedicated fertility centers that provide surrogacy services in the country. However, with the availability of few fertility centers in the key cities of Cameroon such as Douala, Yaoundé, and Garoua, it is possible to get infertility treatments for the common people. However, affordability is one of the main concerns in the prospective intended couples.
The estimated surrogacy cost in Cameroon ranges between $15,000 – $30,000. It can go higher if considering the complexity of the infertility case and the non-availability of the fertility centers in the cities. It is important to mention that the overall speculated cost range, is entirely based on the current IVF cost in the country.
For a better understanding of the surrogacy cost in Cameroon, one needs to understand all the included cost components in the overall cost.
- The surrogate reimbursement- It depends on the surrogate to surrogate. The compensation could range between $7,000 – $15,000, depending on the factors such as her socio-economic background, terms & agreements, and risks.
- The IVF cost- The IVF cost currently ranges between $3,500 – $6,000. It could depend on the factors like fertility clinics, medications, experts, etc.
- The surrogacy agency/clinic fees charges- The clinic fees or agency fees could range between $3,000 – $5,000. It could depend on factors like the reputation of the clinics/agencies and their role.
- Use of Donor eggs/sperm/embryos- It depends on the legality & complexity regarding the usage of donor reproductive gametes in the country. It also depends on the factors like availability of donor programs in the clinic or region. It could range between $1,000 – $2,500 (if applicable).
- Use of Additional ART techs- It depends on the complexity of the infertility case of the couples. The use of Advanced ART techs such as ICSI, IUI, LAH, Genetic Testing, Cryopreservations, etc. Each one will be added as a separate charge. It could range between $6,000 – $10,000 (if applicable).
- The legal agreement- It depends on factors like legal complexity & legal professionals’ expertise to handle it. This cost ranges between $2,000 – $3,000.
Factors That Affect the Overall Surrogacy Cost
Factors such as the:
- Type of surrogacy opted,
- The reputation of the agency/clinic,
- Infertility expert’s experience,
- Your infertility case and its complexity
- Regulations & laws for legal procedures & requirement of strong legal professionals
- The region or city in Cameroon, etc are the factors that could affect the cost components prices and the overall surrogacy cost in Cameroon.
Why ‘Med Fertility Center Cameroon’ Could Be Your Best & Affordable Choice for Surrogacy?
Med Fertility Center Cameroon is one of the leading IVF & surrogacy center in the country. The center has the mission to provide compassionate & comprehensive ‘Reproductive Care’. The center has the capability to complete its mission with the advanced medical infrastructure (state-of-the-art) & infertility experts. The center wants to remove the obstacles of infertility from your life to achieve the dream of parenthood life.
Here’s why you should trust us for your infertility treatments, especially for IVF & Surrogacy:
- We have the excellence of over 30 years in the infertility treatment field.
- We carefully understand the needs of the potential couples to provide an excellent medically customized plan.
- We have the compassion to blend cutting-edge medical science with compassionate care & solution care.
- We have provided guidance to over 2,500 successful IVF pregnancies.
- We also understand that ‘love is for everyone’ that’s why we offer surrogacy & IVF to the LGBTQ community.
We facilitate the proper guidance throughout the journey for you to create the family you have envisioned. Reach out to our website to know more, https://medfertility.com/.
Ready to book a free consultation with us, call us here, +254 701 669315, or email your query to info@medfertility.com
Final Thoughts
However, surrogacy costs in Cameroon would seem to be daunting figures to you, but believe me, it is a much lower cost than you can expect in other developed countries on a medical tourism basis.
Due to the increase in the demand for surrogacy in the country, legal authorities would also consider the needs by making proper regulations regarding it. Consider the insurance and other financial options to better manage. Believe me, start taking steps, everything will sort out once you start, take the proper time to choose a good surrogacy center. Put your time and money as an investment to your future family with your child.
FAQs
Why do Some Women Choose to Become Gestational Surrogate Mothers?
However, there can be cases where surrogate mothers are doing this to earn some extra money by carrying a child for others. But it is also true that in most countries, surrogate mothers have the intent to help other women to have a child so, that they can achieve their parenthood journey.
What are Infertility Reasons to have Surrogacy?
There are many infertility reasons why the woman isn’t able to carry the pregnancy by herself such as early Menopause, Endometriosis,
How Long Does Surrogacy Take Time?
Surrogacy is a very complex procedure and it requires you to be emotionally & financially invested in the whole procedure. Finding a suitable surrogate to bring your baby back home takes around 18 to 36 months. You need to plan your work, home, and frequent visits to your fertility doctor.
Being a Surrogate, How Can I Prepare Myself for the Separation After the Baby’s Birth?
It is natural to have concerns or there could be emotional bonding between the pre-born child and you. It is a very common procedure as you cannot keep a baby which is not yours and it is a very normal procedure to separate after the birth of the child as per the legal agreement. You just have to make reality expectations and if need to talk to your surrogacy agency, then get help from them.
Read Also :-
