Family Tree Surrogacy Center is dedicated to guide you every step of the way in your journey to becoming a surrogate mother. From the initial consultation until after delivery our team will be with you to provide full support and to make your journey a positive and rewarding experience. Many of our staff members have been surrogates themselves and fully understand what it takes to become a gestational carrier and making someone’s dream of creating a family a reality. We build strong relationships with all of our surrogates and partner with industry professionals, to ensure you receive the emotional and psychological support throughout.
Surrogate FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I become a surrogate mother?
You may apply online by completing our online surrogate application form or call 619.271.4093.
What is the age limit to be a surrogate mother?
The maximum age to be a surrogate is 38 years old. The fertility clinic may not medically clear an individual that is older than this.
Can anyone be a surrogate?
You must meet certain requirements to become a surrogate. This includes: be a US Citizen or Legal Resident, 21-38 years old, given birth to at least 1 child, no more than 3 C-sections, no more than 5 births, BMI under 32, non-smoker, non-drug user, not on any anti-depressants or anxiety medications, no history of mental illness, and in good physical and mental health.
How old do you have to be to be a surrogate?
You must be 21 years old to become a surrogate.
How much does it pay to be a surrogate?
Surrogates can earn up to $80,000 plus benefits including; housekeeping allowance, health & life insurance, wellness program, doula, $1,000 signing bonus, unlimited $1,000 friend referrals along with other prizes.
Do surrogates get paid monthly?
A surrogate gets paid monthly once she is matched, psychologically cleared, medically cleared and the legal contract is signed with her Intended Parents.
How much do surrogates make for twins?
Surrogates get paid an additional $10,000 for carrying twins.
How long does it take to become a surrogate?
From the time a surrogate applies, a background check and medical records are reviewed, it will be approximately 2 to 3 weeks when a surrogate is ready for matching with Intended Parents.
Can a surrogate mother decide to keep the baby?
Family Tree Surrogacy Center matches surrogate mothers in surrogate friendly States where the surrogate has no legal claim to the baby.
How many times can I be a surrogate?
If a surrogate did not have any pregnancy complications during her first surrogacy, she may become a surrogate again as long as she is medically cleared.
How does a surrogate mother get pregnant?
Once the surrogate has completed her medications the fertility doctor will perform an embryo transfer through In-Vitro Fertilization.
Can I be a surrogate if I have my tubes tied?
Since the surrogate’s eggs are not being used, a woman can become a gestational surrogate even if she has her tubes tied.
Is a surrogate mother genetically related to the child?
All babies, no matter the nature of their conception, have the genetic material provided by the parents. Therefore, the surrogate mother contributes none of the genetic material.
Can I be a surrogate if I haven’t had a child?
No. One of the main requirements to be a surrogate is to have had a healthy pregnancy of your own.
Surrogate Health Requirements FAQs
In regards to health requirements to be a surrogate mother, there are some common questions that potential surrogates have when they’re considering surrogacy. Your doctor can give you more accurate information about your own health situation and whether it will impact your ability to be a surrogate. The intended parents also have the right to decide what kind of health conditions they’re comfortable with in a surrogate, which may impact your wait to be matched with a family.
Again, surrogate health requirements vary by agency and fertility clinics, but here are the generally accepted answers to questions about whether your health situation will prevent you from being a surrogate.
Can I be a Surrogate if I have HPV?
In most cases, yes. HPV will not affect a developing baby during pregnancy. HPV is the most common type of STI in the U.S. and most commonly results in genital warts. If you have an outbreak of warts close to your due date, you will likely have to have a cesarean-section performed to prevent the transmission of HPV to the child.
Can you be a Surrogate mother with Herpes?
Likely, yes. Like HPV, it’s rare for a baby to be born with birth defects because of a surrogate with herpes. However, you may need to have a cesarean-section if you have an outbreak close to your due date.
Can I be a HIV-Positive Surrogate Mother?
No. Because HIV can be spread to a baby through pregnancy or while giving birth, you cannot be a surrogate if you’ve tested positive for HIV.
Can you be a Surrogate after Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a condition that can cause high blood pressure, kidney damage and other problems that can be very dangerous to both you and the baby you’re carrying — even life-threatening. If you’ve had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy, you’re more likely to develop it again in later pregnancies, which is why preeclampsia will likely disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. Your doctor can give you more information about your specific case as it pertains to surrogate mother health requirements.
Can you be a Surrogate after Ablation?
Pregnancy is not likely to occur after ablation, as it destroys a thin layer of the lining of the uterus and makes implantation of an embryo more difficult. Even if you do become pregnant after ablation, you have an increased risk of miscarriage and other pregnancy conditions. Many fertility clinics and surrogacy agencies will disqualify you from being a surrogate if you’ve experienced ablation.
Can I still pursue Surrogacy with Endometriosis?
Endometriosis can make it more difficult for you to become pregnant and may increase your risk of miscarriage. It’s best to talk with your doctor about whether the severity of your condition could affect your ability to successfully carry a child.
Are there restrictions on being a Surrogate with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)?
Although PCOS mainly affects your ability to become pregnant by affecting your ovulation, it can also affect a gestational surrogate pregnancy. Women with PCOS are more likely to experience gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and endometrial cancer; require a cesarean-section; and give birth to a preterm baby. While only your doctor can tell you whether your PCOS will affect your ability to carry a child, it’s highly unlikely that you can be a surrogate.
Can a female with Adenomyosis be a Surrogate?
Adenomyosis is a condition where endometrial tissue begins to grow into the muscle layers of the uterus. This can affect the implantation of an embryo inside your uterus, although it may be treated by a fertility specialist with hormone treatments. Talk to your doctor about whether your adenomyosis will affect your ability to successfully carry a pregnancy.
Can someone with sickle cell be a Surrogate?
If you have sickle cell disease as a surrogate, you are more likely to have health complications during your pregnancy, including miscarriage, premature birth and a low birth weight. In most cases, having sickle cell will make becoming pregnant too dangerous for the child that you’re carrying and will prevent you from becoming a surrogate.
What pregnancy conditions disqualify me from Surrogacy?
While agencies and fertility clinics may allow different pregnancy-related conditions in their surrogates, your previous pregnancies should have been generally healthy and free of complications for you to be a successful surrogate. Possible conditions that could affect your surrogacy are preterm labor, miscarriage, placenta previa and other issues that need medical intervention. You should talk to your doctor about whether your previous pregnancy conditions could disqualify you from surrogacy.
Can you be a Surrogate if you've had C-Sections?
Having a previous cesarean-section will not automatically disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. However, you will need to speak with your doctor to determine if your past C-sections will cause trouble in any future pregnancies. Many surrogacy agencies will also set requirements on how many previous C-sections you can have in their surrogate health requirements.
If I just had a child, how long do I have to wait to become a Surrogate?
Generally, fertility clinics will not work with surrogates until three months after a vaginal delivery or six months after a cesarean-section. Different surrogacy agencies, however, may require you to wait longer before you can become a surrogate for them. Thoroughly read a professional’s health requirements to be a surrogate to determine their policy on this subject.
I'm breastfeeding; can I be a Surrogate?
Breastfeeding naturally delays a woman’s return to fertility by causing a lack of ovulation and periods. If you’re trying to get pregnant and be a surrogate, this can cause serious problems with implantation of an embryo. Therefore, to become a surrogate, you will have to stop breastfeeding and resume your regular menstrual cycle for a more successful IVF process. You may be able to keep breastfeeding during your application and initial screening process for surrogacy.
Can I be a Surrogate if I've never been pregnant?
Surrogacy professionals require that you’ve already carried at least one pregnancy successfully to term before you can become a gestational carrier. A surrogate without a previous pregnancy comes with many unknowns: Can she carry a pregnancy to term? Are there underlying conditions she isn’t aware of? Can she even become pregnant?
Not only does a surrogate who has never been pregnant raise medical concerns, but if you’ve never had children or been pregnant, the situation will be confusing and maybe even scary for you. All surrogates need to know what to expect ahead of time — both physically and emotionally — which is why agencies require you to have been pregnant before becoming a surrogate.
How many times can you be a Surrogate?
There are many factors taken into consideration to determine how many surrogacies is too many, and the decision will be entirely up to the surrogacy agency you’re working with, your doctor and your fertility clinic. Talk with your surrogacy professional for more information on how many times you can be a surrogate mother.
Is there a weight requirement to be a Surrogate?
Many agencies and fertility clinics abide by the BMI standard, which determines whether your weight is heathy for your height. The required BMI to be a surrogate will vary by agency, but it usually will fall within the healthy range of 19–33.
A healthy weight of a surrogate can help ensure a successful conception and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. You can calculate your BMI here. You can also see your doctor for more information about your personal BMI.
Can someone with a history of mental illness be a Surrogate?
Again, individual agency requirements on this will vary. As a surrogate, you will need to be able to schedule and attend appointments, take medication at the correct time and legally consent to your surrogacy agreement. If you have a mental illness that may impact your ability to do so, you may be disqualified from being a surrogate.
Being a surrogate can be an emotional process, so you also have to be stable enough to cope with those emotions during the pregnancy and after the baby is born. Most agencies will also require you to cease anti-depressants or other medicine for mental illness for a certain time before you can become a surrogate.
Can you be a Surrogate with Diabetes?
If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, it may be more difficult to control your blood glucose levels during pregnancy. While it is possible to have a healthy pregnancy with diabetes, many agencies will choose to disqualify you from becoming a surrogate because of the possible health risks to you and the child that you carry.
Like other pregnancies, a surrogate pregnancy comes with the risk of developing gestational diabetes — diabetes that lasts for the length of the pregnancy until the child is born. This not only poses a risk to you as the pregnant woman but can also affect the growth rate of the baby. If you have a history of gestational diabetes, it may not immediately disqualify you from being a surrogate, but you’ll need to speak to your doctor and fertility clinic to determine the possible effects of your individual situation.
These are the general answers to questions you may have about surrogate health requirements, but it’s highly recommended that you speak with your surrogacy agency, and your personal doctor about any health conditions you have and how they may affect your ability to carry a healthy pregnancy to term.
Remember, surrogate mother health requirements vary from agency to agency, and your application process will help determine whether you are physically and mentally ready to become a surrogate. If you have questions about surrogate mother requirements, reach out to a surrogacy professional today.
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