The Surrogate Medical Screening Process From Start to Clearance

What Is the Surrogate Medical Screening Process?

The surrogate medical screening process is designed to confirm that a woman is healthy enough to carry a pregnancy for intended parents. It isn't a single test but rather a series of steps to ensure she’s prepared for the demands of surrogacy.

Step 1: Pre-Screening With Our Agency

Before a woman is ever presented as a potential match, American Surrogacy performs pre-screening to ensure she meets the baseline requirements. We require:

• An official clearance letter from her personal physician

• A thorough review of her social and medical history

• A psychological evaluation with a licensed mental health professional

While some agencies wait until after you've paid a match fee to start screening, we do the heavy lifting first. We don't want you to invest your heart and budget into a match that isn't medically viable.

Step 2: Medical Records Review at Your Fertility Clinic

Once you match with a surrogate, we help transfer her medical records to your fertility clinic. This includes prenatal flowsheets, labor and delivery summaries and well-women exam results.

Your fertility clinic will review these documents to ensure there are no historical concerns. While our agency performs an initial screening of these records, your clinic holds the final authority to confirm she meets their requirements.

Step 3: Surrogate Medical Clearance Appointment at Your Fertility Clinic

The final step is the in-person screening at your clinic. During this appointment, the medical team performs a physical exam, bloodwork (to test for infectious diseases and substances) and a saline sonogram or hysteroscopy to evaluate the uterine environment.

If abnormalities are found, such as uterine polyps or thin lining, the doctor may delay clearance for treatment or, in some cases, disqualify the surrogate. To protect you, American Surrogacy offers a Limited Risk Program. If your surrogate fails to receive medical clearance at this stage, our program allows you to match with another qualified candidate without paying additional fees.

How the Psychological Evaluation Connects to Medical Screening

The surrogate medical screening process addresses mental health as well as physical health. Emotional readiness is just as important as medical clearance.

As part of our pre-screening process, every potential surrogate completes a psychological evaluation with a licensed mental health professional. This conversation explores her mental health history, her understanding of surrogacy, and the strength of her personal support system.

The evaluation follows guidelines set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, which help ensure that each gestational carrier is prepared for the emotional responsibilities of surrogacy. We make sure she understands the reality of carrying a baby for another family and has a solid support system at home to lean on during the process.

Timeline: How Long Does Surrogate Medical Screening Take?

The exact timeline depends on clinic availability and how quickly lab results are processed. Here's how long you can expect each step of the process to take:

• Pre-Screening: This is completed by American Surrogacy before you are matched.

• Medical Records Review: Once matched, it typically takes one to two weeks for your clinic to review and approve her files.

• Surrogate Medical Clearance Appointment: This is a two-to-three-hour appointment. Laboratory results (bloodwork and cultures) can take one to three weeks to return.

In total, from the time of matching to final medical clearance, the surrogate medical screening process usually takes one to two months.