The Surrogate Screening Process

To move forward safely as a surrogate, you must first confirm that you meet essential health, background and pregnancy history requirements through a comprehensive surrogate screening process. 

At American Surrogacy, screening is designed as a protective, supportive experience that safeguards your physical health, respects your autonomy and confirms your overall readiness before you make deeper personal commitments. If you want to see if you meet initial qualifications, take a moment to check whether you qualify today. 

What Happens During the Surrogate Screening Process? 

First, you must meet our preliminary qualifications to begin your surrogacy process: 

Once these baseline criteria are met, American Surrogacy provides a structured roadmap to evaluate whether surrogacy is medically, psychologically and practically appropriate before moving forward. If you want to see the complete checklist, you can review our full list of surrogate requirements. 

The screening sequence includes: 

These steps work together to establish safety, trust and clear expectations for everyone involved before matching with intended parents. 

Step 1. Complete Your Social and Medical History Forms 

Your screening starts with completing detailed social and medical history forms that cover your personal health background, family health history and details from past pregnancies. 

Along with these forms, American Surrogacy asks you to provide supporting documents, including: 

Gathering these items requires some personal effort, but your surrogacy specialist will guide you through the paperwork so the process remains manageable and straightforward. 

Step 2. Medical Records Are Reviewed: ~1-5 Weeks 

American Surrogacy requests your complete medical records from past pregnancies, labor and deliveries, along with a formal medical clearance letter from your current OB/GYN. 

Once gathered, our on-staff labor and delivery nurse conducts an in-depth review of your medical records to confirm that carrying another pregnancy is safe for your body. 

Requesting records from hospitals and clinics often takes the longest amount of time during screening. Starting this step early helps prevent unnecessary delays when you are ready to match. 

Step 3. You and Your Household Complete Background Checks: ~ 1 Week 

To ensure a safe, stable and transparent environment, American Surrogacy requires comprehensive background checks for you, your spouse or partner and any household members aged 18 or older. 

This step includes official background screenings as well as a review of publicly available social media profiles to confirm compliance with state standards, such as Florida gestational surrogacy statutes. 

The primary goal is not to police your personal life, but to establish mutual trust, legal compliance and a secure environment for you and the child you will carry. 

Step 4. Surrogate Psychological Evaluation: ~1 Week to Get Results 

You and your spouse or partner will participate in a clinical evaluation conducted by a licensed mental health professional specializing in reproductive technology. 

This evaluation involves: 

This step confirms that you have the emotional readiness and support needed throughout your experience. 

Step 5. Health Insurance Is Reviewed: ~1 Week 

Our team reviews your current health insurance policy to evaluate whether pregnancy, prenatal care and delivery under a gestational surrogacy arrangement are covered or if the policy contains a specific surrogacy exclusion clause. 

If your policy excludes surrogacy or if you currently lack insurance, this does not disqualify you. American Surrogacy can connect you with intended parents who provide a surrogate-friendly policy to ensure you face no out-of-pocket medical expenses. 

How Long Does Surrogate Screening Take? 

Surrogate screening typically takes between 1 and 3 months to complete. The exact timeline depends heavily on how quickly medical facilities release your records and scheduling availability for your clinical appointments. 

What Can Disqualify You from Becoming a Surrogate? 

Surrogacy screening guidelines identify specific circumstances that may prevent an applicant from moving forward to protect her physical health and safety. 

Definite program requirements and review factors include: 

Certain disqualifications are permanent, while others are temporary. If you do not qualify right now, you can read about options if you don't qualify for surrogacy right now or explore our surrogate referral program options to help other families. 

Does Screening Change If You’ve Been a Surrogate Before? 

If you are an experienced surrogate, you already understand the dedication required for a surrogacy process. However, health, medical parameters and personal circumstances naturally change between pregnancies, requiring an updated review of your current eligibility. 

Because you already have documented surrogacy records, an established medical history and familiarity with clinical steps, the screening process typically moves much faster for repeat surrogates. 

Why Surrogate Screening Goes Beyond a Healthy Pregnancy History 

Surrogate screening is designed as a safety framework that protects your physical health, safeguards intended parents and supports the baby throughout a medically, legally and personally significant process. 

Agencies and fertility clinics base their clinical standards on established guidelines from national reproductive organizations.

Connecting health records, psychological readiness and background reviews ensures that avoidable medical or emotional risks are reduced, creating a safe environment where you can feel fully supported rather than judged. 

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American Surrogacy Helps You Through Every Stage of Screening 

Managing medical records, clinic appointments and legal requirements on your own can feel overwhelming. American Surrogacy handles the coordination for you by: 

This thorough preparation ensures that screening acts as a protective shield alongside mutual matching, independent legal representation, and full financial safeguards.

You can learn step-by-step how to become a surrogate with our agency, or take a moment to request free surrogacy information today to speak with a specialist. 

What Comes After You Pass Surrogate Screening? 

Passing your screening opens the door to the core stages of your surrogacy experience: 

At American Surrogacy, matching is always a mutual decision, giving you an active voice in selecting the family you choose to help. 

Find Out Whether You Qualify to Become a Surrogate 

Taking the first step toward becoming a surrogate begins with learning where you stand. When you complete our initial contact form, an American Surrogacy specialist will review your history, answer your specific questions and help you understand what screening looks like for your situation. 

Checking your initial eligibility gives you clarity about your options, helps you understand the protections provided to you and allows you to move forward toward matching and earning competitive compensation with confidence. 

If you are ready to find out if surrogacy is right for you, take a moment to fill out our application form to get started.