You can be a surrogate after 2 C-sections as long as your previous pregnancies were healthy and you meet specific medical criteria.

By understanding how your surgical history impacts your eligibility, you can move forward with the confidence that you are protecting both your health and the dreams of intended parents.

If you’re wondering how your specific birth history affects your eligibility, you can reach out to a surrogacy specialist today to get free information tailored to your situation.

Can You Be a Surrogate After 2 C-Sections?

Yes, many women are eligible to become a surrogate after having two prior C-sections.

While every fertility clinic and surrogacy agency has its own medical guidelines, having two cesarean deliveries does not automatically disqualify you from the process. In fact, many women with previous C-sections go on to have healthy, successful surrogate pregnancies.

At American Surrogacy, your safety and the baby’s well-being are always the top priority. We follow medical guidelines established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to help ensure every surrogate pregnancy is as safe and healthy as possible.

Find out if you qualify to be a surrogate.

How Medical Screening Evaluates Prior C-Sections

What matters most is how well your body healed after surgery and the overall health and strength of your uterus. That’s why all potential surrogates complete a comprehensive medical screening, allowing fertility specialists to determine whether a future pregnancy can be carried safely.

Our medical screening consists of these essential steps:

• Step 1: Initial Medical Record Review: Our agency staff reviews your complete obstetric records to check for complications or red flags.
• Step 2: Clinic Review: Once a potential match with intended parents is identified, their fertility clinic will conduct a secondary, more intensive review of your records.
• Step 3: Physical Screening: You will travel to the intended parents’ clinic for a physical exam, which often includes a saline infusion sonogram (SIS) or hysteroscopy to check the thickness and quality of your uterine scar.
• Step 4: Professional Clearance: A reproductive endocrinologist must give the final “green light” before any medical procedures begin.

How Long after a C-Section Can I Be a Surrogate?

Most fertility clinics and surrogacy agencies follow the safest timelines to try surrogacy after a cesarean, which typically requires you to wait at least 6 to 12 months after your last C-section before you can begin a new surrogacy journey.

If you are currently breastfeeding, you may also need to wait until you have finished weaning and your muscular cycle has returned to a regular rhythm. Giving your body the time it needs to recover ensures you are physically prepared for the journey ahead. A healthy body leads to a healthy pregnancy, and keeps you, and the baby safe.  

Understanding Potential Risks of Being a Surrogate After 2 C-Sections

While many women have successful third or even fourth pregnancies after multiple C-sections, it is important to have a transparent look at the medical risks. Each subsequent surgery can lead to increased scar tissue, which may impact future deliveries.

Key risks include:

• Placenta Accreta: This occurs when the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall, often at the site of previous C-section scars, which can lead to severe bleeding during delivery.
• Uterine Rupture: The risk of the uterine scar opening during pregnancy or labor increases with each subsequent surgery.
• Adhesions (Scar Tissue): Multiple surgeries can cause internal scar tissue that makes future procedures more complex and increases the risk of injury to nearby organs.
• Placenta Previa: A history of multiple C-sections can increase the likelihood of the placenta covering the cervix, requiring another surgical delivery.

Medical professionals monitor surrogate pregnancies very closely due to the potential risks of multiple prior C-sections. Choosing an agency with experience in managing these variables is the best way to ensure you have the support you need.

How Many C-Sections Can a Surrogate Have?

The ASRM provides medical guidance that most surrogacy agencies and fertility clinics follow when determining eligibility. In general, ASRM guidelines recommend a maximum of three total C-sections over a woman’s lifetime.

This total includes all prior cesarean deliveries, both from your own pregnancies and any previous surrogacy journeys. If you’ve already had two prior C-sections, your surrogacy birth may be planned as a C-section.

In cases involving multiple cesarean deliveries, scheduling the birth can help reduce the risk of uterine rupture and allows the medical team to closely manage the delivery in the safest possible environment for both you and the baby.

In this case, that would mean you would no longer qualify for future surrogacy journeys.

Can You Have a Vaginal Birth after 2 C-Sections?

While vaginal birth after two C-sections (often called VBA2C) may be possible in some personal pregnancies, surrogacy agencies and fertility clinics almost always require a planned repeat C-section instead.

A planned C-section allows the medical team to avoid the stress of labor on a previously scarred uterus and maintain greater control over the delivery environment.

By choosing a planned repeat C-section, the focus remains on protecting your health while ensuring the best possible outcome for the family you’re helping to build.

Next Steps if You Have Had Two C-Sections

If you’ve had two healthy C-sections and feel called to help another family grow, you may still be an excellent candidate for surrogacy.

If you’re ready to begin or simply exploring your options, our team is here to provide clear, honest answers about your eligibility and next steps.

Fill out our form today to see if surrogacy after two C-sections could be right for you.