Key facts
- A gay couple, Jules Von Hep and Mark Beverlo, are pursuing surrogacy in Mexico due to difficulties in the UK.
- Their UK surrogacy attempts involved significant costs and a long waiting list.
- Mexico offers a commercial surrogacy model, which the couple finds more transparent and efficient.
- The estimated cost for surrogacy in Mexico is between £60,000 and £90,000.
- Concerns about regulation and potential exploitation of surrogates exist in Mexico.
- The couple's agency, MSJMX, states a commitment to ethical and legal protections for all parties.
Jules Von Hep, a gay man, has long desired to have a child, a dream he recognized would be complex and costly due to his sexual orientation. He and his partner, Mark Beverlo, embarked on their surrogacy journey in 2020, facing significant financial burdens and lengthy waiting periods within the UK's altruistic surrogacy model. Initial attempts with IVF clinics and agencies proved expensive, with multiple failed embryo transfers and insemination procedures.
Unable to find a suitable surrogate within a reasonable timeframe in the UK, and with destinations like Ukraine closed due to war and the US being prohibitively expensive, the couple turned to Mexico. Surrogacy was legalized for same-sex parents in certain Mexican states in 2021. The commercial approach in Mexico, costing an estimated £60,000-£90,000, includes medical bills, expenses, and a fee for the surrogate, which Von Hep found to be a transparent and refreshing arrangement.
Their chosen agency, MSJMX, which is UK-based and queer-founded, facilitates the process. While the couple is optimistic about their current attempt, concerns persist regarding the regulatory landscape in Mexico, with some states banning surrogacy and others having limited laws, potentially leaving women open to exploitation. MSJMX asserts its commitment to ethical and legal protections, operating only in "surrogacy-friendly states" and working with legal experts.
Having shipped their sperm and fertilized embryos in Mexico, the couple awaits the transfer. If successful, they anticipate a three-to-six-month stay in Mexico post-birth to arrange their child's passport before returning to the UK to finalize legal parentage. Von Hep hopes sharing his experience will destigmatize the challenges gay men face in starting families.