What Is Lost Wages in Surrogacy?

Last updated: · · Based on data from 196+ surrogacy agency compensation packages

Lost wages reimbursement covers income a surrogate loses when she misses work due to surrogacy-related medical appointments, procedures, or recovery. It's a standard part of professional surrogacy contracts and is separate from base compensation.

Why Lost Wages Matters for Surrogates

Medical appointments during surrogacy happen during business hours. Early-morning blood draws, monitoring appointments, and the embryo transfer itself all take time away from work. Without lost wages coverage, you'd absorb those costs out of pocket.

How Lost Wages Works in Surrogacy

Lost wages are typically calculated based on your documented hourly or daily rate. You submit time-off documentation (pay stubs or employer verification), and reimbursement is processed from the escrow account, usually within a few weeks.

Self-employed surrogates use a different calculation — usually based on average daily or hourly rate from tax returns or invoices.

Real-World Example

If you earn $25/hour and take 4 hours off for a transfer day appointment, you'd submit a claim for $100 in lost wages. For a surrogate who earns $60,000/year ($29/hour), a 3-day bed rest episode from transfer recovery would yield ~$696 in lost wages reimbursement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are lost wages in surrogacy?
Lost wages reimbursement covers income a surrogate loses when missing work for surrogacy-related medical appointments, procedures, or recovery. It's a standard contract provision separate from base compensation, calculated based on your documented hourly or daily rate.
How are lost wages calculated for surrogates?
Lost wages are calculated from your documented pay rate — hourly wage, salary divided into daily rate, or average self-employment income from tax returns. You submit time-off documentation (pay stubs or employer letters) for reimbursement from escrow.
Do surrogates get lost wages for every appointment?
Most contracts cover lost wages for all surrogacy-related medical appointments, procedures, and recovery periods that require time off work. This includes monitoring appointments, the embryo transfer, and any pregnancy-related medical visits that cause missed work.
Are lost wages covered if a surrogate is self-employed?
Yes. Self-employed surrogates typically calculate lost wages based on average daily or hourly income from recent tax returns or invoices. Your independent legal counsel can help negotiate clear language for how self-employment lost wages are documented and reimbursed.

Related Surrogacy Terms

Bed Rest Pay Monthly Allowance Surrogacy Contract C-Section Bonus Gestational Surrogacy Compensation
Make sure your contract includes proper lost wages coverage →

Source: SurroScore's proprietary database of surrogate-reported compensation data and agency compensation packages, collected from direct agency outreach, public filings, and verified surrogate reviews. Data current as of March 2026.