Deciding to be a surrogate and granting the gift of parenthood to hopeful parents, is one of the most selfless and beautiful acts of service one can give. If you’re considering becoming a surrogate – congratulations! You are on your way to being a part of a special group of women, who chose to share the love and joy of a child with couples and families that have been dreaming of this moment for a long time.
Becoming a surrogate mother is a momentous, extremely personal, and life-changing decision, both for you and the intended parents. But before becoming a potential candidate, you have to meet a set of surrogate qualifications. For the sake and safety of the hopeful families waiting for their future baby, as well as yourself, wanting to be part of this special journey, a thorough vetting process needs to occur.
Making sure that you’re prepared and cleared to be a surrogate physically, mentally, and emotionally, is the first step of many. Becoming a surrogate is a life-altering experience for all involved, which is why it’s so important to know the expected qualifications before getting started.
What are the qualifications to be a surrogate?
Before committing to becoming a surrogate mother, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the basic qualifications needed to be a surrogate. It’s an experience that requires a significant sacrifice of time, energy and commitment, so making sure you’re physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for the process, is paramount.
The basic qualifications to be a surrogate focus on an ideal age-range, the physical readiness of your body (since pregnancy is a physically strenuous undertaking), a healthy reproductive history, and – the most important, and non-negotiable factor – having carried at least one successful pregnancy to term (36 weeks gestation, or later). If you meet these basic surrogate qualifications, you may have good chances at being approved to be a surrogate mother. If you don’t meet a certain qualification, it’s always recommended to contact an agency regardless – many approve surrogates on a case-by-case basis and may be willing to make some exceptions.
Are there physical requirements to be a surrogate?
One of the first and foremost requirements of becoming a gestational carrier is meeting the physical criteria required. Pregnancy in general can be a complicated experience with many risks involved – and it’s no different when you decide to carry for someone else. Enforcing physical qualifications for becoming a surrogate ensures that you are capable of carrying a pregnancy to term, at minimal risk to yourself and the intended parents’ baby. The physical qualifications set are not meant to discourage or discriminate against anyone – they are simply put in place to provide the safety and security of everyone involved.
Here are the basic physical requirements in order to qualify to be a surrogate mother:
- Be at least 21 years old and younger than 40 (some agencies have a cutoff age of 37 or 38)
- Have a healthy height and weight ratio, as determined by your doctor (in general, agencies require a BMI for surrogates that is between 19 and 32, but must most prefer under 30)
- Be a non-smoker in excellent health (who also does not do drugs or abuse alcohol)
- Have carried at least one pregnancy successfully to term (36 gestational weeks, or more)
- Have not had any major complications in your previous pregnancies
- Have had no more than 2 c-sections
- Be off antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication for 12 months
- Have no new tattoos or piercings within 12 months of starting the process
If you meet these requirements, chances are that you can most likely move forward with being considered as a surrogate candidate. There are of course considerations for mental and emotional standards as well, as the lengthy nature of a pregnancy and its possible complications, can be trying. The qualifications to become a surrogate can seem quite rigid, but you have to keep in mind that they exist to protect both the surrogate mother and the family preparing for a new baby.
Does age play a role in becoming a surrogate?
Being of an ideal child-bearing age is one of the most important qualifications in becoming a surrogate. No matter what our personal feelings about age are, and despite incredible medical advancements in the last few decades, the reality is that a woman’s body is still very much at the mercy of the biological clock. And the older a woman is when experiencing pregnancy, the more complicated and risky the outcome may be. While there have been miraculous outliers of healthy births by women of advanced maternal age, when it comes to being a surrogate, the stakes are way too high to risk such a rare occurrence. The age range of 21-40 years old – and even some instances of 37 being the cutoff – is there to both protect the surrogate from any pregnancy-related complications, as well as ensure the success of a live birth for the intended parents.
Is mental health a factor in becoming a surrogate?
In addition to the physical qualifications needed to be considered for the role of a surrogate, the mental health of a potential candidate is also a vital factor. Being pregnant is an incredible journey, but it also can be mentally daunting and emotionally exhausting. By signing up to be a surrogate, you are committing your time, energy, and a big part of your life to help a family realize their dreams of parenthood. Becoming a surrogate mother is a rewarding and beautiful experience, but you must be prepared to navigate and process the psychological challenges that may come your way. Having a solid support system at home is of the utmost importance. And while you’re handling your everyday responsibilities, you will also be dealing with the hormonal changes (and emotional triggers) of being pregnant. Making sure that you’re in a solid emotional place before starting, can help prepare you for any challenges that may come your way.
How do I qualify to be a surrogate?
In order to start your surrogacy candidate process, you must meet all the physical and psychological criteria necessary to become a surrogate. After reviewing the general qualifications, you’ll want to find an agency that best aligns with your values, and fill out an inquiry form to become a gestational carrier. From there, you will undergo a series of screening tests (both physical and psychological), in order to determine your eligibility. A thorough review of your medical records, an in-depth background check, as well as passing a drug test and undergoing a home visit, are all required in order to pass qualifications. For anyone considering the surrogacy journey, the steps to becoming one are formidable, but are necessary to maintain the utmost safety and security for both the surrogate candidate, and the hopeful parents waiting for their dreams of parenthood to come true.
What screenings are required to be a surrogate?
Meticulous screenings are an integral and essential part of the surrogate qualification process, and for good reason. Since pregnancy in and of itself is a stressor on a woman’s body, it is imperative that a surrogate mother be in optimal health, both physically and psychologically. The mandatory screenings are not meant to discourage candidates from applying – quite the opposite, the thorough testing is to empower and assure the surrogate and the intended parents that their and the future baby’s safety is a priority for everyone involved.
Before passing the surrogacy qualifications process, a candidate must undergo both a medical and psychological screening. Both of these will confirm your readiness and willingness to become a gestational carrier. At the end of the day, it is in everyone’s best interest to ensure surrogate mothers are in the best possible position to give intended parents a chance at a successful pregnancy.
The medical surrogate screening
Once a surrogate has met basic qualifications and has established representation through a surrogacy agency, they will be referred to a surrogacy/fertility clinic to undergo an in-depth medical screening. This comprehensive physical examination is performed by a doctor who will evaluate the surrogate’s overall health, including their weight, height, substance use, prescription medications, and recent tattoos and piercings. The visit will also include collecting a urine and blood sample for an STD panel and drug screening for the surrogate and their partner, as well as checking the surrogates’ blood type and RH factor, to make certain that her blood type will be compatible with that of the intended father and the baby. Finally, the levels of certain hormones – like thyroid hormone and prolactin – are also checked. And for the most intricate part of the exam, an extensive uterine evaluation consisting of two parts will be performed by the doctors in the fertility clinic
For the first part, a doctor will perform an exam called a hysteroscopy – a minimally invasive procedure conducted by inserting a thin, lighted, flexible scope into the cervix in order to explore and examine the shape, size, and viability of the uterus and fallopian tubes. Next, doctors will conduct a saline sonogram, a procedure that has the purpose of evaluating the uterine cavity and checking for abnormalities – specifically helping to detect fibroids – using a uterine saline flush. Once the surrogate candidate undergoes those procedures, the clinic doctors will complete a general physical and routine pap smear in order to rule out any infections and cell irregularities, and to confirm the surrogate is physically prepared for a healthy, full-term pregnancy.
The psychological surrogate screening
After the surrogate candidate has undergone the extensive medical screening, it’s time for the next phase in the process – the psychological evaluation. This is a vital part of the testing, as the potential surrogate will meet with a psychological counselor for a complete consultation, which will determine the potential surrogate’s ability to go forward with the role of being a surrogate. The counselor will explore and examine the candidate’s overall psychological health, to make certain that they are mentally prepared for the emotional demands of carrying someone else’s child.
The counselor will also inquire as to the surrogate mother’s home life, in order to confirm a solid and stable support system which needs to be present for the duration of the pregnancy. Additionally, the counselor will make sure to thoroughly discuss the surrogate’s expectations, especially in regards to opting for continued or discontinued contact with the intended parents after the child’s birth, so as to ensure that the expectations for both the surrogate and the intended parents align.
Other qualifications needed to be a surrogate
In addition to the medical and psychological screenings, and the basic qualifications to become a surrogate, there are a few other qualifications that are required to become a gestational carrier. All potential candidates must be legal immigrants, legal residents, or citizens of the United States, and have to be ready to present valid identification and documentation to prove their status. Surrogate applicants also need to be financially independent and stable, and cannot be receiving any state or federal financial aid or government assistance.
And lastly, since every surrogate must have undergone at least one successful live birth with an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, they must be raising the child resulting from that birth, in their own home. This requirement is intended to be certain that any potential surrogates have both a capacity to carry a child to term, as well as be prepared for both the physical and emotional demands of surrogacy.
What is the surrogacy process?
The process for a successful surrogacy journey always starts with the potential candidate deciding to offer her services as a gestational carrier to hopeful parents wanting a child. If you’ve decided to be a surrogate, you might be asking yourself the next natural question – what’s next? After meeting the surrogate qualifications and undergoing medical and psychological screenings, there are still many steps before gifting your intended parents with their bundle of joy.
Once you’re cleared for the go ahead, the surrogate agency of your choosing will match you with the intended parents, based on both of your values and preferences. After a match, you will sign a contract with the intended parents and then proceed with medical care at a surrogacy clinic, otherwise known as a fertility clinic – this will include routine blood tests and ultrasounds.
Finally, the surrogate will then undergo either a combination of IVF (in vitro fertilization) and ET (embryo transfer) with traditional surrogacy, or just an ET with a gestational surrogacy. After a successful implantation, your care will then be transferred to a regular OBGYN, to continue monitoring your pregnancy until birth. The specifics regarding any additional requirements during pregnancy and the live birth will always be outlined in the contract between you and the intended parents, in order to ensure open communication and a streamlined process.
Finding your intended parents: how to get started?
The key to finding the perfect intended parents is to choose a surrogate agency that best represents your values and expectations in your surrogacy journey. Your assigned surrogate coordinator will be the best guide for you during the whole experience, making sure that your needs and wants as a gestational carrier are met. Likewise, the surrogate coordinator will also find the best match for you as far as intended parents, and make sure you’re a good fit for them as well – having years of experience under their belt, coordinators know how to assess and evaluate everyone’s expectations, and foster the best possible pairing between a surrogate mother and the intended parents.
Everything from core values, personal beliefs, personality types, and lifestyles are considered, as the goal is to have everyone involved working together harmoniously. However, knowing whether you and the intended parents are a good match will be solidified once you actually meet. Despite checkmarks on paper, it is when you actually have a real, live human interaction, that the bond between the surrogate and intended parents can start to form. With the help of a seasoned surrogate coordinator and a thorough matching process, by the time this meeting takes place, it’s usually a confirmation of an already blossoming relationship, with the goal of delivering a healthy baby into the hopeful parents’ arms.
Who cannot be a surrogate?
Sometimes there are factors that will unfortunately derail a potential surrogate’s chances at becoming a gestational carrier. These are all carefully considered, and aim to protect the intended parents, the future baby, as well as the candidate themselves. Here are some of the most common disqualifications for becoming a surrogate.
- Not having previous children (it is a MUST to have completed at least one successful pregnancy, in order to even be considered for a surrogate)
- Being under or over the optimal childbearing age (usually 21-40, but varies by agency and clinic)
- Medical conditions that threaten the safety of a surrogate mother, as well as a successful pregnancy and birth: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS, Endometriosis, Preeclampsia and Gestational Diabetes.
- Unhealthy BMI (under 19 or over 32)
- Multiple C-sections
- Mental health illnesses that require medication and ongoing treatment
- Tobacco use, drug use, or alcohol abuse
- Not Being a U.S Citizen or Legal Resident
- Living in a Non-Surrogacy-Friendly State (this isn’t the case for all agencies, but with the quickly changing political landscape and murky legal precedents, many agencies require their candidates to reside in a surrogacy-friendly state)
If you’re a potential surrogate and you’re unsure about any of the disqualifications listed – especially the ones pertaining to medical conditions – make sure to reach out to your surrogate agency for clarification.
Choosing Surrogacy by Faith to find your intended parents
While the information provided here is a great start to getting familiar with qualifications needed to become a surrogate, it’s always a good idea to connect with a professional to go over any additional questions you might have.
At Surrogacy by Faith, we offer our clients (both surrogates and intended parents alike) a journey filled with kindness, knowledge, and support – surrogacy is a blessing that brings people together to build families, and we believe the process should be filled with hope and joy. We pride ourselves on being a surrogacy agency built on a foundation of Christian values and the belief that the road to surrogacy should be communicative and transparent. We believe in building a strong and aligned relationship between our intended parents and surrogates, and we work with our clients to cultivate a personalized experience through the surrogacy process.
Whether you’re thinking of becoming a surrogate and giving the gift of life to hopeful parents, or if you’re an intended parent ready to start, fill out either a surrogate initial inquiry or an intended parent or parents initial inquiry in order to initiate the conversation. If you have any questions regarding surrogacy, please don’t hesitate to contact us, browse through informative articles on our blog, or visit our FAQ pages for surrogates or intended parents. We’re ready to help you get started on your surrogacy journey – together, we can make dreams come true.