After having your children, you may feel a calling to help others grow their own families and find their path to parenthood.
You must meet certain health requirements before you can become a surrogate. One of these requirements asks that you have no major complications with your previous pregnancies.
Every situation is different, so if you want to become a surrogate but have experienced pregnancy complications in the past, we urge you to reach out so that we can review your medical history and determine how it affects your surrogate eligibility.
If you have questions about your situation, fill out our form or text us at 913-204-0224.
Can I Be a Surrogate If I’ve Had Complications With Previous Pregnancies?
The answer to this will depend on the type of complication you experienced and the circumstances they occurred. Following the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, we require that our surrogates have not experienced any major complications in their previous pregnancies. This requirement exists to protect the health and safety of you and the intended parents’ child.
Your desire to help create families is admirable, but the well-being of everyone involved is our top priority. Here are some potential complications that may affect your ability to become a surrogate:
Can I Be a Surrogate If I Had a Stillbirth?
Unfortunately, stillbirth is a major complication that will most likely disqualify a woman from being a surrogate. A stillbirth refers to the loss of a baby's life after 20 weeks of gestation, occurring before or during childbirth. It results in a baby born without signs of life. Various factors, including complications during pregnancy, fetal abnormalities or maternal health issues, may contribute to stillbirth.
Due to the complications associated with stillbirth, it’s hard to ensure that these complications may not occur again. If you have questions about your situation and how it works with surrogacy, contact our surrogacy specialists about becoming a surrogate after going through stillbirth.
Can I Be a Surrogate if I Had an Ectopic Pregnancy?
Potentially. Sometimes we are still able to work with women who have experienced ectopic pregnancies depending on the outcome.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, typically in the fallopian tubes. This abnormal implantation poses serious health risks as the embryo cannot develop properly outside the uterus, leading to potential complications such as rupture of the fallopian tube and internal bleeding.
If there are no other major complications that come from an ectopic pregnancy, we will likely still be able to work with you if other surrogate health requirements are met. Our surrogacy specialists are happy to talk to you about surrogacy after an ectopic pregnancy.
Other Major Complications
Some common major complications will stop someone from qualifying to become a surrogate. Those complications include:
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Severe hemorrhaging before or after birth
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Placenta abruption
We understand these situations are unpredictable and often occur outside of your control, but to protect you and the intended parents’ baby, you may not be able to become a surrogate.
Surrogate Health Requirements
Surrogate health requirements play a pivotal role in ensuring the well-being of individuals willing to carry a pregnancy on behalf of parents who would likely not otherwise be able to have a child. Thorough health assessments are conducted to evaluate the physical, mental, and emotional fitness of potential surrogates. Some health requirements include:
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Age range 21-40
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At least one prior successful pregnancy
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You are currently raising a child
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No major complications with your previous pregnancies
We navigate whether a surrogate meets these requirements through a thorough medical history review, including assessments of reproductive health, previous pregnancies and any underlying medical conditions. These health requirements aim to ensure a safe and successful surrogacy experience for all parties involved.
Contact Us Today
If you feel you may still want to pursue surrogacy or if you would be a good candidate, we are excited to help you start on this journey. Contact us online today!