Everything to know about celebrity surrogacy: As Paris Hilton becomes latest in a line of stars to welcome a baby via gestational carrier, FEMAIL reveals the sky-high costs, iron-clad NDAs, and watertight arrangements behind the A-list births
- Paris announced that she and Carter Reum welcomed a baby boy on Tuesday
- She joined a long list of stars who have turned to surrogacy recently
- FEMAIL has revealed what it’s really like to carry a celebrity baby
When Paris Hilton, 41, announced that she and her partner, Carter Reum, also 41, had secretly welcomed a baby boy via surrogacy on Tuesday, she joined a long list of stars who have been turning to gestational carriers recently.
Many of Hollywood’s most famous faces have opted to use surrogacy to expand their families in recent months – including Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson, Rebel Wilson and Ramona Agruma, and Elon Musk and Grimes – but the process comes at a steep price.
Welcoming a child via surrogacy can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for the average person, and celebrities have to fork out even more, thanks to the ‘special arrangements’ that are needed to ensure their privacy.
When Paris Hilton (seen with her partner, Carter Reum) announced she had welcomed a child via surrogacy, she joined a long list of stars who have been turning to gestational carriers
Welcoming a child via surrogacy can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for the average person, and celebrities have to fork up even more. Paris’ hand is seen with her baby’s
As Paris joins the long list of stars who have had a baby via surrogate, FEMAIL has lifted a lid on what it’s really like to be a celebrity carrier. Alec and Hilaria Baldwin are seen with their kids
Stars will go through great lengths to keep the details of their surrogacy hidden from the public, enlisting iron-clad NDAs and watertight arrangements that keep their carriers sworn to secrecy.
On the other hand, expecting a celebrity baby certainly comes with its perks – and the surrogates are often treated to lavish gifts and glamorous accommodations from the stars, with some even providing them with their own private chefs, nutritionists, and personal trainers.
Gina-Marie Madow, ESQ Director of Legal Services at ConceiveAbilities, told DailyMail.com that celebrities using surrogacy and sharing their stories had helped ‘normalize it’ and ‘inspire more women’ to get involved in the process.
‘We recently hired [research firm] Accelerant Research to better understand surrogacy. Our research shows almost half of the people surveyed were first exposed to surrogacy through a TV show, or a celebrity surrogacy story like Paris Hilton’s,’ she said.
‘It also shows that women who have read about or watched celebrity surrogacy journeys are inspired to learn more about becoming a surrogate.
‘Celebrities sharing their surrogacy journeys also normalize the surrogacy process, normalizing the fertility treatment for hopeful parents to grow their families via a surrogate.’
As Paris joins the long list of stars who have had a baby via surrogate, FEMAIL has lifted a lid on what it’s really like to be a celebrity carrier – from glamorous treatment to a slew of contracts.
The cost of surrogacy: Celebrities pay hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the carrier only makes a small percentage of that
It was reported in 2017 that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West paid their surrogate $45,000 when she welcomed their daughter, Chicago. They also used a surrogate for their son, Psalm
In 2017, when news hit the web that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were using a surrogate to welcome another child, TMZ reported that the former couple had paid the woman carrying their daughter $45,000.
And while some felt it was a low number, considering the pair are worth millions of dollars, Stephanie Caballero, founder of Surrogacy Law Center in California, told The Cut at the time that $45,000 was a ‘standard’ profit for an ‘experienced surrogate’ – insisting that women carrying celebrity babies aren’t allowed to be paid any more than surrogates for average people.
Breaking down the average cost of surrogacy
Egg donation: $20,000 – $30,000
Embryo creation: $20,000 – $30,000
Agency fee: $20,000 – $50,000
Legal fee: $7,000 – $15,000
Carrier compensation: $30,000 – $60,000
Insurance: $12,000 – $30,000
Average total: $100,000 – $200,000
Source: US News
‘You don’t get more to carry a celebrity’s child,’ she said.
‘That is actually the going rate.
‘She may be a second-time surrogate, usually a first-time surrogate [gets] about $30,000 to $35,000.’
Extraordinary Conceptions also reported that the amount that the carrier is going to be paid is set long before they are matched with parents, and that ‘paying a gestational carrier more money could also be viewed as coercion.’
Stephanie also pointed out that offering surrogates extra money to carry famous children can attract the wrong type of people, and that it’s safer to keep all prices the same – celebrity or not.
‘Here’s the thing, if you pay a surrogate, let’s say, who’s giving birth for Kim and Kanye, $100,000, anybody would raise their hand and say, “Sure, six figures? I’ll carry your baby,”‘ she explained.
‘You don’t want somebody to come forward like that. You want a woman who has raised her hand and said, “This is something that I want to do. I have uneventful pregnancies, I love being pregnant. I want to help somebody and give them a baby.”‘
One surrogacy website stated that its ‘benefit packages are the same for all surrogates, regardless of who the intended parents are’ and that the ‘compensation depends on the surrogate mother’s level of experience.’
Experts claimed that $45,000 was a ‘standard’ profit for a surrogate and that women carrying celebrity babies aren’t allowed to be paid any more than other surrogates (stock image)
The average total cost for surrogacy ranges between $100,000 and $200,000. Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson welcomed their son via surrogacy
And while the actual carrier doesn’t have a higher income, Stephanie noted that stars using surrogacy do usually have to pay more to agencies due to the ‘special attention’ they will receive.
Agencies will take extra measures to help ensure the stars’ privacy and make them feel comfortable every step of the way, which means they can ask for a higher rate.
According to US News, the total cost for surrogacy for the average person ranges between $100,000 to $200,000, depending on a series of factors.
This includes egg or sperm donation if needed, embryo creation, the agency fee, insurance, and the carrier’s compensation.
In addition, most agencies don’t provide legal services, so parents might have to pay for an outside lawyer to create necessary documents regarding the pregnancy and adoption once the baby is born. Parents also have to cover any complications that arise during the pregnancy.
Gina-Marie, from ConceiveAbilities, told DailyMail.com that the company charges $164,000 for a base package that includes ‘recruiting, screening and matching you with a healthy and qualified surrogate, obtaining insurance coverage for your surrogate, coordinating the legal and escrow work, a generous base compensation for your surrogate, and additional compensation for potential additional medical procedures, medication cycles, travel and expert surrogacy journey management.’
TMZ reported that Kim and Kanye paid a total of $113,850 to welcome their daughter, Chicago, via surrogate in 2018.
The perks of carrying a celebrity’s baby: While they may not make extra money, carriers get treated like royalty during the pregnancies
While carriers don’t earn extra money, they do often get a lot of perks. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra are seen with their daughter whom they welcomed via surrogacy
While women who are carrying celebrity babies don’t earn extra money, Stephanie told The Cut that they do often get a lot of perks.
She said that parents want their surrogate to be as comfortable as possible, so celebrities working with surrogacy will provide their carriers with a range of VIP amenities like a private chef, personal trainer, and even spa days.
‘If [Kim’s surrogate] wants pregnancy massages, she gets that,’ she said. ‘She’ll probably have, knowing Kim, who’s very healthy with her body right now, she’ll probably have a nutritionist, she may have food service, all organic food.
‘She may even have a chef. She may have a personal trainer come to her house. So she may have all those other perks.’
Stars provide their carriers with a range of VIP amenities like a private chef, personal trainer, and even spa days. Naomi Campbell is seen with her daughter, who she had via surrogate
In addition, Teo Martinez, the CEO of Growing Generations, noted that stars sometimes ask their carriers to relocate so that they could be closer to them, and that they’ll compensate them for having to travel.
‘Some intended parents, celebrities, or other VIPs, will want the surrogate to deliver in [a specific hospital],’ he revealed.
‘Let’s say the surrogate lives in Texas. So, they may say, “Listen, will you be willing to relocate in the last six to eight weeks of the pregnancy? We’ll pay for your travel here, your housing expenses, if you need to bring your family, we’ll do that, pay for all that and then a bonus on top of that.”‘
Gina-Marie explained to DailyMail.com that it was not uncommon for celebrity parents to give their carriers gifts or do something ‘extra special for them after the birth to ‘show their appreciation.’
The iron-clad NDAs: Stars have to go through extra measures to ensure their privacy when working with a surrogate
Celebrities also go through extreme measures to keep the details of their surrogacy private. Rebel Wilson is seen with her daughter, who was welcomed via surrogate
Page Six reported that celebrities will go through extreme measures to keep their identities secret from their own carriers at first, to ensure that the surrogate doesn’t have any ulterior motives or isn’t taking advantage of some of the perks they may receive.
‘They keep their information limited in the early stages of the process because they’ve been through so much heartache trying to get pregnant on their own,’ Jane Groenendaal, surrogacy director for New Beginnings Surrogacy Services, told the outlet.
‘They can’t imagine that surrogacy is going to work for them, so they don’t want to get close and attached to their surrogate if she’s not going to get pregnant.
‘Communication definitely starts off slow in the beginning until there’s a confirmed pregnancy.’
Some carriers are asked to sign NDAs – a contract that makes it so they can’t legally tell anyone about it – while others are offered extra income to ensure their secrecy (stock image)
Once the pregnancy is confirmed, some carriers are asked to sign NDAs – a contract that makes it so they can’t legally tell anyone about it – while others are offered extra income to ensure their secrecy – but Teo told The Cut said most ‘understand the gravity of the situation’ without any extra measures.
‘They understand that privacy is key,’ he said.
Jane added to Page Six that a typical HIPAA form is required for all surrogacies, which adds a layer or protection from the start.
‘When the surrogates match with their intended parents, [the surrogate] can’t post things on social media without the intended parents’ permission [due to HIPAA],’ she said.
‘Many times it’s important to them that they don’t put up pictures of either party unless they have their consent.’
Gina-Marie told DailyMail.com that all surrogates and parents using its services sign an NDA during the process, whether they’re famous or not.
‘For a celebrity journey, we would advise additional protections through non-disclosure and agreements to ensure both parties’ privacy is protected,’ she added.
Celebrities who used surrogacy to expand their families: Paris joins a long list of stars who are turning to the process to welcome babies
Anderson Cooper welcomed his two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, in 2020 and 2022 with the help of a surrogate. He is seen with Sebastian
Paris joined a long list of stars who are turning to surrogacy to expand their families. Journalist Anderson Cooper welcomed his two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, in 2020 and 2022 with the help of a surrogate.
‘As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and I’m grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son’s birth,’ he wrote in an emotional post following Wyatt’s birth.
‘Most of all, I am grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, and watched over him lovingly, and tenderly, and gave birth to him.
‘It is an extraordinary blessing – what she, and all surrogates give to families who can’t have children.
‘My surrogate has a beautiful family of her own, a wonderfully supportive husband, and kids, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support they have given Wyatt and me. My family is blessed to have this family in our lives.’
Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wayne, welcomed their daughter, Kaavia James, via surrogate in 2018
Other stars to use surrogacy includes Andy Cohen (left), Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Amber Heard (right), and Tyra Banks
Kim and Kanye used surrogacy to welcome two of their four kids – Chicago in 2018 and Psalm in 2019.
The reality star had previously suffered from a condition known as placenta accreta during her first two pregnancies, which occurs when the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall and can cause severe blood loss after delivery.
‘We are incredibly grateful to our surrogate who made our dreams come true with the greatest gift one could give and to our wonderful doctors and nurses for their special care,’ she said in a statement after Chicago’s birth.
Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wayne, welcomed their daughter, Kaavia James, via surrogate in 2018.
Afterwards, the actress admitted she felt like a ‘failure’ after struggling to conceive on her own for so many years, while praising the surrogacy process.
Other stars to use surrogacy includes Naomi Campbell, Andy Cohen, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Amber Heard, Tyra Banks, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita, and Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden, among others.
Celebrities who have turned to surrogacy to expand their families
- Paris Hilton and Carter Reum
- Rebel Wilson and Ramona Agruma
- Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra
- Naomi Campbell
- Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
- Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
- Andy Cohen
- Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
- Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
- Alec and Hilaria Baldwin
- Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
- Lucy Liu
- Amber Heard
- Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
- Tyra Banks
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita
- Elon Musk and Grimes
- Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Masisani
- Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden
- Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman
- Amy Smart and Carter Oosterhouse
- Giuliana and Bill Rancic
- Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen
- Kristen Wiig and Avi Rothman
- Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef
- Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery
- Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker
- Jordana Brewster and Andrew Form
- Dennis and Kimberly Quaid
- Matt Bomer and Simon Halls
- Michael Jackson
- Elton John and David Furnish
- Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance
- Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower
- Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez
- Anthony Rapp and Ken Ithiphol
- Adrienne Bailon and Israel Houghton
- Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg
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