Sibling Project / Sibling Journey
What is a sibling project / sibling journey?
A sibling project or sibling journey — also known as a subsequent surrogacy journey, sibling surrogacy plan, family expansion surrogacy, or repeat surrogacy project — refers to a gestational surrogacy arrangement undertaken by intended parents (IPs) to have another child, often using the same gestational carrier or embryos from a prior IVF cycle. It builds on an existing surrogacy experience to expand a family, leveraging familiarity and stored embryos for efficiency and emotional continuity.
How does a sibling project / sibling journey work?
IPs initiate a sibling project by reconnecting with their surrogacy agency or gestational carrier from a previous journey, or matching with a new carrier. If cryopreserved embryos remain from earlier IVF ($1,000-$2,000 storage), they’re used for Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), costing $3,000-$7,000. Otherwise, new IVF cycles ($10,000-$20,000) create fresh embryos. A new gestational carrier agreement (GCA), costing $5,000-$10,000, outlines terms, often mirroring prior agreements for consistency. The carrier undergoes FET, pregnancy, and delivery, with expenses ($100,000-$200,000 total) funded by IPs via escrow. The process mirrors the first journey but may be faster due to established trust and protocols.
What’s its role in surrogacy?
The sibling project is a significant pathway in gestational surrogacy, allowing IPs to grow their family using proven medical and relational frameworks. It offers carriers a chance to deepen bonds with IPs, carrying a sibling for a known family, while leveraging existing embryos reduces costs and time. By streamlining logistics and emotions, it reinforces surrogacy’s flexibility, aligning with the GCA’s legal clarity to ensure a smooth expansion of parenthood.
What are common features?
- Cryopreserved embryos: Uses stored embryos for cost-effective FET.
- Repeat carrier option: Often involves the same carrier for continuity.
- Streamlined process: Builds on prior GCA and agency relationships.
- Adjusted compensation: Carriers may receive similar ($30,000-$50,000) or higher fees for repeat journeys.
- Emotional familiarity: Leverages existing trust, easing communication in open surrogacy.
What is the history of sibling projects / sibling journeys?
Sibling projects emerged in the 1990s as IVF and cryopreservation advanced, allowing embryo storage post the 1984 first frozen embryo birth in Melbourne, Australia. Surrogacy hubs in Los Angeles, California, popularized repeat journeys by the late 1990s, capitalizing on vitrification’s rise. The 2000s saw Chicago, Illinois, agencies formalize sibling plans, while Canada’s Toronto regulated them under family-building laws. Ukraine’s Kyiv facilitated international sibling journeys until recent restrictions, shaping today’s focus on efficient, relational surrogacy expansions.
Who uses a sibling project / sibling journey?
- Gestational carriers: Re-engage to carry siblings, often for familiar IPs.
- Intended parents: Pursue additional children, using stored or new embryos.
- Surrogacy agencies: Coordinate repeat journeys, leveraging past matches.
- Fertility clinics: Manage FET or new IVF for sibling-focused surrogacy.
What are benefits and considerations?
- Benefits: Saves time and cost with stored embryos, strengthens carrier-IP bonds, and fulfills family goals.
- Challenges: Carrier availability may change; new IVF adds costs ($10,000-$20,000) if embryos are depleted.
- Emotional impact: Familiarity brings joy, but carriers may face renewed attachment concerns, needing counseling ($500-$5,000).
What about legal and financial aspects?
Sibling journeys cost $80,000-$150,000 with existing embryos, or $100,000-$200,000 with new IVF, funded via escrow. GCAs ($5,000-$10,000) ensure legal continuity, upheld in states like California and Illinois with pre-birth orders. Internationally, the UK requires post-birth parental orders, while Mexico supports repeat contracts. Disputes — rare with clear GCAs — may involve embryo ownership, managed by legal and agency oversight.
Why does it matter?
Sibling projects extend gestational surrogacy’s promise, empowering carriers to grow families and fulfilling IPs’ dreams of siblings with efficiency. For potential surrogates, understanding this journey highlights their lasting impact, building trust. By detailing its role, agencies establish authority, guiding clients with care and precision through a meaningful family expansion.
Related terms
- Gestational Surrogacy
- Gestational Carrier
- Intended Parents
- Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
- Gestational Carrier Agreement (GCA)
Synonyms
- Subsequent surrogacy journey
- Sibling surrogacy plan
- Family expansion surrogacy
- Repeat surrogacy project
Sibling projects weave new chapters into surrogacy, uniting carriers and families in shared growth and love.
