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Surrogate Requirements

Requirements for Surrogate Applicants

To be the sole woman a prospective parent puts their trust in when it comes to carrying their child, you must be trustworthy, understanding and flexible. In fact, there are several requirements you need to meet in order to be a surrogate in our program.

The list below details all factors we take into consideration when reviewing your application.

Once we receive your full application and you have been accepted into our program you can be matched within 48 hours.

Surrogate Requirements

    You are a United States citizen or legal resident.

    If you are not legally residing in the United States, then you cannot become a surrogate in our program.

    You are between the ages of 21 – 38.

    These are a woman’s natural prime childbearing years. Women in this age range have the best odds of delivering healthy, happy babies with little to no health issues. It is also the best time for the woman as well, as she is still young enough for the pregnancy not to be too burdensome, and better able to bounce back quickly from the stress her body will go through during pregnancy and childbirth.

    You have one or more children of your own.

    This shows that you have experience with pregnancy and childbirth and understand the sacrifices that must be made in order to deliver a healthy baby. Also, if you are a parent, you are less likely to be living a chaotic lifestyle and have a good understanding of the responsibilities that come with parenting.

    You have not had more than three C-sections.

    While having just one C-section is not a major problem, having multiple starts to add risk for both the mother and the baby. After each surgery, more scar tissue forms, which causes issues when the embryo tries to implant into the uterus. It can also lead to excessive bleeding and a number of serious birth defects.

    You have a Body Mass Index of under 32.

    Being overweight can lead to a number of serious health issues, so we make sure our surrogates are at a healthy BMI so that both the baby and the surrogate mother are not at risk of any weight-related problems.

    You are a non-smoker and non-drug user.

    Smoking and using drugs are both extremely addictive and hard to kick, so to ensure the health of the baby we require that none of our surrogate mothers do either. They damage the health of the mother, which in return affects the wellbeing of the baby.

    You have good physical & mental health.

    Pregnancy can be an extremely difficult time, so it is very important that you can hold up both physically and mentally against the stress. Our potential surrogates have to be in solid shape when it comes to both their bodies and their minds in order to ensure the health of the baby.

    You agree to psychological, drug & criminal screening.

    This is one of the more important requirements to be a surrogate mother because we need to know exactly who we are putting forward as a potential surrogate. Becoming a surrogate is one hundred percent contingent on you consenting to undergo and pass these screenings.

    You have a supportive partner, friend, or family member.

    While one of the more unexpected of our requirements for surrogate mothers, it is by no means less important than the others. Pregnancy is a long and at times stressful process, and going at it alone can sometimes feel like too much to bear. This is also why we make sure you have access to our support group to help you overcome those trying times.

    You have not had more than 5 births.

    Risk factors increase when women have had too many pregnancies. Some known complications can be obstructed birth, preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) or excessive bleeding.

    Surrogate Health Requirements

    What you need to know

    When you become a gestational surrogate, a couple places their hopes of becoming biological parents with you and your ability to carry a child. They’ll invest a great deal of time, money and emotions into their surrogacy journey — which is why it’s so important that you can give them their best chance at having a child.

    One of the most important parts of making sure you’re suitable to carry a child as a surrogate is meeting the health requirements to be a surrogate mother. No matter which agency or professional you work with to become a surrogate, you will be asked to meet certain health and lifestyle standards to ensure that you are physically and mentally prepared for the medical process and a pregnancy free of complications.

    Surrogate mother health requirements play the important role of protecting all parties involved in a gestational surrogacy — but especially the gestational carrier.

    Basic Health Requirements

    So, what exactly are the health requirements to be a surrogate mother?

    Surrogacy requirements, including surrogate health requirements, vary from agency to agency and clinic to clinic, but most surrogacy agencies require some sort of screening before you can become a surrogate. These screenings may include:

    • Initial Application: Typically completed first, these are basic information forms about you, your desire to become a surrogate and your history with pregnancies and/or surrogacy.
    • Background Screening: Surrogacy agencies will usually conduct federal and state background criminal checks.
    • Psychological Screening: A psychologist from your agency will interview you and your partner, if applicable, via Zoom to evaluate your mental state and whether you’re emotionally ready to become a surrogate. They may address the emotions you’re feeling now, what you may feel during the pregnancy and how you’ll feel after you give birth to the baby. It’s important that you are prepared for these emotions and that you’re choosing to become a surrogate for the right reasons.
    • Surrogate Medical Screening: You will need to visit a fertility specialist to make sure you are physically fit to become pregnant. This will involve lab testing of your blood and urine and an overall examination by the fertility doctor to make sure you’re ready for treatments and pregnancy.

    In addition to these health requirements to be a surrogate mother, you will also have to agree to abstain from alcohol, drugs and smoking during your pregnancy to give the unborn child the best chance at a healthy pregnancy and birth. Other medical requirements to be a surrogate will vary by agency, but all agencies require you to have already given birth to a child, have the support of your spouse, partner, family member or friend, in addition to other criteria.

    Because you will be trusted with a couple’s chance to become parents, these screenings are necessary to not only put them at ease but also to make sure that you meet the health requirements for surrogacy and that you’re fit to be a surrogate.

    Submit your application today!

    Complete your application and help others start a family.