Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It is only considered gestational diabetes if you did not previously have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
The safety of our surrogates and the baby they’re carrying for the intended parents is of paramount importance to us. While it’s an important condition to address, many individuals with gestational diabetes have had successful pregnancies.
If you dealt with gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, but had an otherwise healthy delivery, you may have a good chance of pursuing surrogacy.
If you have questions about your previous experience with pregnancy and gestational diabetes, you can contact us to learn more.
Can I Be a Surrogate if I Had Gestational Diabetes?
Having previously had gestational diabetes does not disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. It may be considered a complication in your pregnancy history, but each case is unique. Your physician will likely want to come up with a treatment plan to successfully manage the condition throughout your pregnancy.
Becoming a surrogate after gestational diabetes is possible. It’s important to be honest about your experience when going through the application process. This offers a clear picture to your health and can help make parents feel at ease when pursuing surrogacy with you.
Can a Type 1 Diabetic Be a Surrogate?
If you’re wondering “Can you be a surrogate with diabetes?” If you’ve been living with Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes, it may be more difficult to pursue surrogacy. While it’s possible to have a healthy pregnancy and you may have had positive experiences with your previous pregnancies, it can still be considered a risk for surrogacy.
We would also never want surrogates to put their health at risk for the sake of surrogacy, and pregnancy can make it difficult to manage glucose levels. For parents choosing surrogacy, it can be a long and emotionally complex situation. Including potential risk for the baby they’ve been dreaming of can be unnecessary.
Preventing Gestational Diabetes
Just because you had gestational diabetes doesn’t mean you will necessarily have it again. While it is a common complication, affecting up to 10% of pregnancies per year, it can be very manageable and even preventable.
To prevent gestational diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight through your pregnancy can help prevent the possibility of gestational diabetes. You can also help to maintain that weight through an appropriate diet approved by your OB/GYN and regular exercise. This can make surrogacy after previous gestational diabetes a better experience for everyone involved.
Managing Gestational Diabetes
While the answer to “Can I be a surrogate if I had gestational diabetes?” is yes, it’s important that the condition is managed throughout your surrogacy journey. The biggest way to do this is by stabilizing your blood sugar levels. You can do this through a healthy diet and regular exercise.
You’ll want to regularly test your blood sugar levels multiple times a day. Your doctor may also request that you test your urine for ketones (metabolic compounds). Your ketone levels increase when your body can’t metabolize glucose. In more series cases of gestational diabetes, you may need to undergo insulin therapy.
Gestational Diabetes and the Surrogate Mother Screening Process
Our medical screening process is designed to assess a surrogate's overall health, including the evaluation of conditions like gestational diabetes. This thorough examination involves a series of tests and assessments conducted by experienced healthcare professionals.
For gestational diabetes, specific screenings and examinations are employed to gauge the surrogate's susceptibility or presence of this condition. This evaluation is not to disqualify you but to ensure a clear understanding of your health status. Our team will collaborate with medical experts to provide tailored care and guidance throughout the surrogacy journey, prioritizing the health and well-being of both you and the intended parents' child.
Learn more about our screening process here.
Working with an Agency
Finding the right agency can help you pursue becoming a surrogate after gestational diabetes. We can help you navigate your medical history and go through the medical screening process. If you have questions about how to proceed, or are ready to begin, contact us today!
Disclaimer: The information provided on this platform is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of information you have obtained from this platform.