If you are considering becoming a gestational carrier, you likely have questions regarding eligibility: "Do I qualify to be a surrogate?" Every woman’s history contains unique nuances, but our clinical team utilizes established standards to maintain a safe experience for everyone involved.
To meet the requirements to become a surrogate, you should meet several general criteria:
If your history matches these criteria but you have questions about specific details, our team can help you evaluate your eligibility. We provide individual consultations to address unique clinical or social backgrounds because every story is more than just a list of facts.
Why Do Surrogacy Agencies Have These Requirements?
You may wonder, "Why do surrogates need to have had a child before?" or why the professional standards are so specific. Our program uses these benchmarks as practical safeguards established to manage the clinical and legal risks inherent in the surrogacy process.
These standards stem from industry guidelines used to support surrogate safety and ensure that every professional involved in your journey adheres to recognized levels of care. These protocols provide you with peace of mind and physical security.
Our team follows these requirements specifically to protect your physical condition. Confirming your body has handled pregnancy before allows the clinical staff to predict and manage potential complications more effectively during the gestational process and subsequent delivery.
By upholding these standards, we advocate for your physical recovery and long-term wellness. Our oversight is designed to monitor the physiological demands of the pregnancy so you can finish the journey feeling as healthy as when you started.
Are There Exceptions to Surrogacy Requirements?
We view each candidate as a person with a unique story rather than a statistic, meaning specific details like a past C-section do not necessarily change your path or disqualify you from the program. Our goal is to help you achieve your dreams of helping a family.
You can often move forward even with a history of up to two C-sections, provided your doctor provides a clear release. Our specialists also discuss minor variations in BMI or age with applicants who understand that wellness is more than just a single number on a chart.
Our staff coordinates with fertility clinics for expert second opinions when a potential surrogate falls slightly outside standard ranges. This ensures that you receive a fair and thorough assessment of your biological health and your potential to be a carrier.
Navigating these clinical nuances is more efficient when you have a professional point of contact to handle the coordination. If your situation feels like a "maybe," a quick, informal chat provides the specific answers you need for your background.
Navigating the Screening Process for Surrogates
The screening process establishes the practical framework for your surrogacy journey. Our team handles the complex logistics of this phase, providing you with a steady point of contact to keep every detail on track so you don't feel overwhelmed.
The process begins with an initial social and clinical review to evaluate your history, helping our specialists understand your motivations and background as we get to know you personally. This foundational phase is the first step in building a partnership.
Once you match with intended parents, our staff begins coordinating with the fertility clinic to organize your records for a formal clinical review. This professional organization is key to a smooth approval process and reduces stress for everyone involved in the match.
This leads to a physical evaluation involving an in-person visit to the clinic for an exam and bloodwork to verify your body is ready. Our coordinators manage the travel details for this important appointment to make the trip as easy as possible for you.
A session with a counselor then confirms your emotional readiness and verifies that you have the support system you need at home. This final step ensures you feel fully prepared and supported for the personal and transformative side of the experience.
What If You Don’t Meet the Requirements?
If you do not meet the requirements to become a surrogate at this time, please do not feel discouraged. Many common disqualifiers, such as BMI or current breastfeeding status, are often temporary in nature and can be revisited in the future.
Reaching out again is encouraged if your health or lifestyle circumstances change over time. Our team can re-evaluate your eligibility as requirements evolve or as you reach your own wellness milestones on your own personal timeline.
Staying in touch allows you to remain informed about changes in industry standards, as our program remains a long-term resource regardless of where you are in your journey. We are here to support your goals whenever you are ready.
Find Out if You Qualify to Become a Surrogate Today
Deciding to become a surrogate is a significant step, and you deserve a partner who is honest, helpful, and provides consistent professional advocacy. Our team helps you navigate the professional and legal details so you can focus on the heart of the experience.
Meeting these standards makes it possible for intended parents to start their family, a meaningful commitment that results in a new life and a forever home for a waiting child. It is a true honor for our team to guide you through this process.
Contact a Surrogacy Specialist or call us at 1-800-875-2229 to get started. We’re here to help you figure out your next steps with zero pressure and complete transparency.
Common Questions about Screening and Surrogacy Requirements
Our priority is to ensure you and the baby you carry are safe and healthy throughout the surrogacy process. That’s why every woman we work with must meet a number of health qualifications for surrogacy.
Ultimately, it will be up to the fertility clinic to determine whether a woman satisfies all of the necessary surrogacy requirements, and many factors are considered on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, it will be up to prospective intended parents to determine what they’re comfortable having in their surrogate’s medical history.
Here, find answers to common questions about the health requirements for surrogacy.
How Old Can a Surrogate Be? Why Is There an Age Limit to Being a Surrogate?
With American Surrogacy, the surrogate mother age limit is 21 – 40 years. Age restrictions for surrogacy are based on IVF clinic requirements, and the upper surrogacy age limit of 40 helps limit health risks to the surrogate and baby.
To learn more about age requirements for surrogacy, feel free to contact a surrogacy specialist at 1-800-875-BABY.
Can I Be a Teen Surrogate? Can You Be a Surrogate at 18?
Many women contact us saying, “I’m 18 and I want to be a surrogate. Why can’t I pursue surrogacy?” The goal of our surrogate screening requirements is to ensure that the process is safe for you and the baby. While we admire your interest in becoming a surrogate at 18, we require our surrogates to be between 21 – 40 years old, as this is considered the ideal age to carry a pregnancy.
However, just because you are not currently eligible for our surrogacy program, that doesn’t mean your status won’t change within the next few years. If you are interested in pursuing surrogacy once you turn 21, keep in touch with American Surrogacy and learn how you can prepare yourself for the surrogacy process.
Can You Be A Surrogate After Having Your Tubes Tied?
You certainly can become a surrogate mother after tubal ligation, or “having your tubes tied.” Because your eggs are not used in the gestational surrogacy process, surrogacy after tubal ligation is entirely possible and even preferable in some cases — it means there is no chance that you will become pregnant with your own child during the surrogacy process.
Can I Be a Surrogate if I Have HPV?
Depending on your individual circumstances, it may be possible to be a surrogate with HPV. In most cases, HPV will not affect a developing baby. You may speak with a surrogacy specialist or your doctor for more information.
Can You Be a Surrogate Mother with Herpes?
Genital herpes may not disqualify a woman from being a surrogate. However, it may increase a surrogate’s wait time to be matched with intended parents, and she may need to have a cesarean section if she experiences an outbreak close to the delivery.
Is It Possible to Be an HIV-Positive Surrogate Mother?
No. Because of the risk of transfer to the baby, you cannot be a surrogate mother with HIV.
Can You Be a Surrogate After Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a potentially dangerous pregnancy complication that can pose serious risks to you and the baby. A history of preeclampsia would likely disqualify you from surrogacy, but you may speak with your doctor for more information.
Can You Be a Surrogate After Ablation?
Endometrial ablation is a procedure that destroys the uterine lining to treat abnormal bleeding. This procedure usually causes sterility, but in the unlikely event that a woman can become pregnant after ablation, it can lead to severe problems during pregnancy. Because of the risk of complications, you cannot become a surrogate after ablation.
Can I Pursue Surrogacy with Endometriosis?
Endometriosis can reduce the chance of conception and increase the risk of miscarriage. Because of these challenges, a fertility clinic would likely disqualify you from pursuing surrogacy, though this may vary depending on the severity of your condition.
Can You Still Be a Surrogate After Menopause?
While there have been some cases of a woman successfully serving as a surrogate mother after menopause, there are additional health risks to older surrogate mothers and the babies they carry. To protect your health and the health of the baby, you need to be 40 or younger to work with American Surrogacy.
What Pregnancy Conditions Disqualify You from Surrogacy?
In general, fertility clinics require that your previous pregnancies be free of any major complications in order for you to be a surrogate. This includes preterm labor, preeclampsia, and other issues that require significant medical intervention. You may ask your doctor whether you would be a good candidate for surrogacy based on your individual circumstances.
How Many Times Can You Be a Surrogate?
According to the guidelines established by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), a surrogate should have no more than five vaginal deliveries or four caesarean deliveries.
I Just Had a Baby. How Long Should I Wait to Become a Surrogate?
American Surrogacy recommends that you wait six months after your last vaginal birth or 12 months after your previous cesarean delivery before becoming a surrogate. However, you may be able to apply and complete some initial screening requirements before that time. Contact a surrogacy specialist for more information.
I’m Breastfeeding. Can I Be a Surrogate?
Breastfeeding induces the production of certain hormones that cause a lack of ovulation and periods. Because doctors will need to synchronize and control your cycle as a surrogate, you will need to stop breastfeeding and resume your regular menstrual cycle before you can begin medical surrogacy procedures. However, you can still apply for surrogacy and begin the initial screening requirements before you have completely weaned.
Can I Be a Surrogate if I’ve Never Been Pregnant?
You cannot pursue surrogacy without a previous pregnancy. One of the most important requirements of surrogacy is to have at least one successful prior pregnancy and be currently raising your child(ren). You need to fully understand all of the physical and emotional challenges of pregnancy and labor before carrying a baby for someone else.
Additionally, your fertility clinic will review your previous birth records as part of the screening process to ensure you are healthy enough for surrogacy. If a surrogate mother has never been pregnant, it will be difficult for her doctor to determine whether surrogacy is a safe option for her.
Can I Be a Surrogate if I’ve Had One Natural Birth and Three C-Sections?
Yes, you can still become a surrogate if you've had one vaginal birth and three C-sections, as long as you have no history of complications from those deliveries. A safe delivery history, even with multiple C-sections, can still make you a strong candidate.
Is There a Weight Requirement to Be a Surrogate?
There is no specific surrogacy requirement regarding the weight of the surrogate; however, her weight does have to be proportional to her height, as determined by her Body Mass Index (BMI). With American Surrogacy, the required BMI to be a surrogate is 19–32.
Ensuring the surrogate is at a healthy weight helps ensure successful conception and pregnancy and reduces the risk of complications.
Can Someone with a History of Postpartum Depression Be a Surrogate?
It depends. Your emotional well-being is just as important as your physical health during and after the surrogacy process. You will undergo a psychological evaluation during the surrogate medical screening process to ensure you are emotionally healthy enough for surrogacy. If your depression has been treated successfully, you will likely be eligible to become a gestational carrier.
Can I Still Be a Surrogate if I Have Used Anti-Anxiety or Anti-Depressant Medications in the Past?
Yes. You will need to discontinue the medication at least 12 months before beginning the surrogacy process.
Do I Need to Have Health Insurance That Will Cover Surrogacy?
No. If your insurance plan does not cover surrogacy, it will be up to the intended parents to purchase the necessary coverage.
I Just Got a New Tattoo. Can I Be a Surrogate?
You can be a surrogate after getting a new tattoo, but there will be a temporary delay in the process. You need to wait 12 months after getting a tattoo and be screened for infectious diseases before you will be approved for surrogacy. However, you may be able to begin the application and screening process prior to that time.
Can Someone with Sickle Cell be a Surrogate?
Sickle cell disease can increase the risk of miscarriage, preterm labor, and low birth weight. Because of these and other serious risks, it is not safe for a woman with sickle cell disease to become a surrogate.
Can You Be a Surrogate with Diabetes?
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes present serious risks to pregnant mothers because it may be more difficult to control blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Because of the increased risks to your health, you should not pursue surrogacy with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
However, a history of gestational diabetes may not necessarily disqualify you from surrogacy. You should speak with your fertility clinic for more information in your individual circumstances.
Can I Become a Surrogate with PCOS?
It is possible. PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, will not automatically disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. If you are considering being a surrogate with PCOS, your doctor will carefully monitor your sugar control to ensure you are ready for a surrogate pregnancy.
Can I Become a Surrogate with Hypothyroidism?
It is possible to be a surrogate with hypothyroidism; you will just need to submit medical records from your thyroid specialist and be monitored closely throughout the process. If you're interested in becoming a surrogate but still have questions about surrogate requirements, reach out to our surrogacy specialists to get the answers you need.