Kim Kardashian’s surrogate baby is due in January, so we investigate the secret world of celebrity spawn carrying
Kimye have paid £100k to have a third baby this way, but what really happens?
Forget owning a private jet or having a Birkin handbag on your arm – it seems like the new must-have for celebrities is a surrogate.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting their third child this way after Kim, who’s 36, decided not to carry her third child as she suffered from a dangerous condition called placenta accreta during her previous pregnancies. The pair are expected to add a baby girl to their family in January, with their surrogate reported to be an African-american college graduate, who is married with two children, and who is currently being guarded round the clock by security, which is costing Kimye $2 million.
The pair are the latest in a long line of celebs to have a baby this way. Now,
heat investigates what the process is really like for everyone involved.
THE MONEY QUESTION
Kim’s surrogate is believed to be a gestational carrier, meaning the baby is not the surrogate’s biological child, but that Kimye’s own embryo has been implanted using IVF. There are many reasons for women to decide to be a surrogate, but financial gain can be a huge part – although surprisingly, having a baby for a celebrity doesn’t automatically mean more money.
In America, the fees vary state by state, but on the west coast – and especially California, where Kim is based – they are often higher. The “intended parents” also tend to have better legal protection, too, such as pre-birth orders that dictate they – and not the surrogate – become the baby’s parents upon birth (instead of three days after birth in some states).
It’s thought the woman who is carrying Kimye’s baby will receive £34k – while
another £52k will go to the facilitating agency. Usually, there are also clauses in the contract that a surrogate would receive an extra £4,500 per child if they have a multiple pregnancy or if they have to have a caesarean. The Kardashian-wests will also ensure the surrogate receives financial compensation of £3,600, should she lose reproductive organs during the pregnancy or the labour.
We asked Teo Martinez, CEO and partner of Growing Generations – an La-based surrogacy agency that counts Neil Patrick Harris among its clients – about the process. He explains, “Before a surrogate becomes pregnant, she has to go through a series of health screenings, as well as a lengthy legal process, to ensure that there will be no contest as to the parental rights to the child after he or she is born.
“During the pregnancy, surrogates are typically paid every four weeks, with monthly payments ranging between £1,500 and £2,300. Then, about two weeks after the birth, the surrogate receives a lump sum, equal to about a third of her total compensation. And, just because the surrogate is carrying a celebrity child, does not mean she gets a celebrity ‘bonus’.”
Keeping it private
A-listers value their privacy, and that is understandably even more important when it comes to their family. According to Jane Groenendaal, surrogacy director for New Beginnings Surrogacy Services, not every couple – especially VIP ones – feels the same about giving up their surrogate’s identity. “When the surrogate matches with their intended parents, they can’t post things on social media without the intended parents’ permission,” Jane explains. “Usually, it’s important to them that they don’t put up pictures of either party, unless they have their express consent. The couple chooses how much information to give about themselves. Often, with celebrities, they’ll choose to list only a first name on a contract.” E! News host Giuliana Rancic, 43, and her husband Bill documented their surrogacy journey on their reality show, Giuliana & Bill. The couple kept their surrogate’s identity secret during the show by not showing her face, but after welcoming son Duke Rancic, they introduced Delphine, the French au pair who carried their son to term. “Blurring her [again] would make it look like we had something to hide,” Giuliana explained in 2012.
the qualities of a surrogate
Compassion and commitment are the most essential qualities to being a surrogate, but there are other factors. The health of both mother and child during the pregnancy is of the highest concern, which means a certain amount of responsibility is being placed on the surrogate’s shoulders. According to Conceive Abilties, she must maintain a clean and healthy environment – for herself, and for the sake of the health of the child she’s carrying. Prospective mums should be between 21-39 years old with a BMI between 18-34. It’s vital they are a non-smoker, living in a non-smoking home, and no history of clinical mental illness. As it’s a demanding process, the company requires the surrogates to avoid stressful situations.
the rules
Celebs are usually very disciplined, so they often want the surrogate to adhere to the same standard in order to ensure that they have a healthy baby. Many of the standard agreements state that the surrogate is banned from hot tubs or saunas, can’t go near cat litter, won’t apply hair dye, can only have one caffeinated drink per day, and can’t consume raw fish.
Teo reveals that many VIP clients will also request that the surrogate live in LA, and that the child be born there, saying, “If the surrogate is not local [only 40 per cent of Growing Generations’ surrogates are], the client is expected to pay for all relocation and living costs.”