What Are a Surrogate Mother Requirements | You Have to Know This if You are Aiming to be a Good Surrogate Mother

It’s a great adventure to become a surrogate mother or gestational carrier. The ladies who choose this road develop beautiful relationships with individuals who want to become parents and assist them in having the kid they’ve always wanted.

It’s a bumpy road, but for those who chose this route, it’s an experience they’ll never forget.

If you’re thinking of being a surrogate mother, you might have the same experiences. However, you must first satisfy the surrogate criteria.

Being a surrogate mother is not for everyone. It’s a time-consuming, energy-intensive, and commitment-intensive procedure, so a potential surrogate should be well prepared before beginning. That is why specific requirements for being a surrogate mother exist to guarantee that every surrogate prospect is both physically and emotionally prepared for the road ahead.

That is why for today; Bornfertilelady will give you the necessary info on surrogate mother requirements so that you will start now to equip yourself optimally if you are aiming to be a very good surrogate mother.

In this article, you will learn about all of the surrogate mother requirements you will need to meet before you can carry a child for someone else.

So, what makes you a surrogate mother? The answer may surprise you.

Read on.

 

Firstly, let’s recap what we know about Surrogacy – Surrogate Mother

What Exactly Is a Surrogate Mother? Know there are two variants of surrogacy;

• A conventional surrogate mother: The father’s sperm is used to artificially inseminate a lady. They will then carry and deliver the baby for you as well as your spouse to raise. The biological mother of the baby is a conventional surrogate. This is because the egg got fertilized by the intended father. Donor sperm is also an option.
• A gestational surrogate mother: A procedure known as “in vitro fertilization” (IVF) now allows for the collection of eggs from the mother (or an egg donor), fertilization with sperm from the dad (or a sperm donor), and placement of the embryo into the womb (uterus) of a gestational surrogate. The baby is then carried by the surrogate until delivery. Because their egg was not utilized, they have no genetic links to the kid. The “birth mother” is a gestational surrogate. However, the biological mother is the woman whose ova was fertilized.

Gestational surrogacy is much less complicated legally in the United States. This is because both prospective parents have genetic links to the child. 

As a consequence, gestational surrogacy has grown in popularity over conventional surrogacy. Every year, around 750 infants are delivered via gestational surrogacy.

So, why are surrogates used? People, particularly women, think about utilizing surrogate moms for the following reasons:

• Conditions such as serious heart disease that make pregnancy difficult or dangerous for you
• Hysterectomy, which removed my uterus.
• Preserving a woman’s form (like it or not, some women choose surrogacy over pregnancy since pregnancy tends to expand a woman’s shape, particularly her bosom)
• Uterus-related medical issues

If you tried but were unable to get pregnant using various assisted-reproduction treatments, such as IVF, you may wish to consider surrogacy.

Surrogates have made parenthood possible for persons who would otherwise be unable to adopt a child due to age or marital status.

If two homosexual men decide to utilize a conventional surrogate, one of them performs artificial insemination to fertilize the surrogate’s ovary. The surrogate then bears and gives birth to the child.

A homosexual couple might also pick an egg donor, fertilize the given egg, and then implant the embryo in a surrogate mother to bear until delivery.

Surrogate moms are obtained from the following sources;

• A surrogacy agency: Most individuals utilize a surrogacy agency to find a gestational surrogate. In the United States, around 100 agencies are presently in operation. They serve as middlemen. An agency may assist you in finding and arranging for a surrogate. It also collects any payments that are exchanged between the surrogate and you, such as medical expenditures.
• Friends or family: You may sometimes ask a relative or friend to be your surrogate. It is somewhat contentious. However, due to the exorbitant expense of surrogacy, as well as the numerous legal concerns around parental rights that it generates, a tried-and-true familial bond may be easier to handle. Certain familial relationships are permissible for surrogates, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Surrogacy is typically discouraged if the kid will share the same genes as a baby conceived of incest between family members.

So now, the issue is finding a surrogate mother with the right qualifications, who has checked out all the surrogate mother requirements. Nobody wants a psycho or sickler for a surrogate. 

And also, if you are aiming to be a good surrogate mother, there are requirements you need to verify, which you will see below in this article.

We move on.

 

So what are the surrogate mother requirements?

 

While each physician is free to create their list of gestational carrier requirements, many adhere to the criteria established by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). 

Experts in the area of assisted reproduction have collaborated to establish guidelines for surrogate mothers that best forecast a woman’s success in this journey in the future.

You can read these recommended surrogate mother requirements here, and we’ve summarized them for you below in three main categories:

• Emotional Requirements
• Screening Requirements
• Medical Requirements

 

Emotional Requirements – Psychological requirements for being a surrogate mother

More than merely satisfying medical qualifications is required to qualify as a surrogate. Before embarking on this route, every woman should be aware of the psychological and emotional hurdles that await her.

As a surrogate, you commit yourself (& your family) to a year-long collaboration with the intended parents. You would have to devote a significant amount of time and attention to assisting them in becoming parents. 

You’ll need to schedule doctor’s visits before and during your pregnancy, as well as meetings and phone conversations with the intended parents as your childbirth nears.

As surrogacy is a full-time job, you and your husband must be prepared for the additional pressures it may generate in your daily routine.

You will be dealing with the hormonal fluctuations (and emotional strains) of pregnancy at the same time as you deal with your daily obligations.

While it is uncommon for a surrogate mother to get “connected” to the baby she is expecting, it is typical to have contradictory feelings throughout your pregnancy. Being in a stable emotional state before beginning will help to prepare you for this.

To qualify as a good surrogate mother, you must first meet with a surrogacy specialist, who will discuss what to anticipate and prepare you for any obstacles that may arise.

 

Medical Requirements – Physical requirements for being a surrogate mother

You are aware that pregnancy may be complex and dangerous. It’s the same with a pregnancy you’re carrying for someone else. 

Physical criteria for surrogacy guarantee that you are strong enough to carry a gestational pregnancy while putting you and the intended parents’ baby in the least danger.

Physical qualities for becoming a surrogate are determined by professionals based on what can demonstrate your capacity to safely carry a kid for someone else. Of course, each agency’s rules change, but the following are the essential requirements you must achieve to become a surrogate mother:

• Have been pregnant before, and you delivered successfully.
• Be a nonsmoker in good health: Before seeking to be a surrogate, a surrogate candidate must have been smoke-free for at least one year. Nicotine vaping must be stopped three to six months before medical assessment; this regulation differs per IVF center. A candidate with a record of sporadic marijuana usage while not pregnant may be permitted on a case-by-case basis, depending on the IVF facility, and matching will be based on the intended parents’ perspectives.
• You have to be at least 21 years and under the age of 44: Surrogates may be up to forty-four years old, according to ASRM rules. Most IVF facilities, however, insist that first-time surrogate mothers deliver before the age of 44.
• Have a healthy body mass index (BMI) [a BMI of less than or equal to 35 (32 or less for most IVF facilities)], as established by your doctor: She should have a BMI of between 18 and 35 percent. A few clinics may accept 35percent and lower on a specific instance basis. Many clinics set the upper limit at 32 or less.
• Maintain a healthy height-to-weight ratio.
• There have been no serious complications in your prior pregnancies: Prior pregnancies must have been full-term (37 weeks of gestation or later) and complication-free. A singleton cannot be delivered before 37 weeks. The exception is if a woman had a singleton birth at 36wks but then had some full-term (37 weeks of gestation or later) pregnancies, she may still be pre-approved. No multiple deliveries before 35 weeks, with the exception that if someone had twin babies before 32wks and then had a full-term (37 weeks of gestation or later) singleton pregnancy, they may still be pre-approved. Prior pregnancies are the strongest indicators of a successful surrogacy pregnancy. Please keep in mind that the particular criteria differ depending on the IVF facility.
• Be prepared to get subcutaneous and intramuscular injections.
• Be willing to get a comprehensive health check (your husband/partner should do the same).
• Be willing to go through a psychological evaluation.
• Stop using antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications for a year.
• COVID-19 vaccination injected or obtained before the match.
• Had at least one successful pregnancy and birth (no more than five previous pregnancies): A surrogate candidate’s sixth gestation and delivery would be her last. On a case-by-case basis, exceptions have been allowed for repeat surrogates. She should not have had more than three previous C-sections. Some clinics restrict previous C-sections to no more than two, although many tolerate three.
• All prior deliveries have occurred at 36 weeks or later (unless for multiple pregnancies) with no difficulties.
• There is no record of gestational diabetes that necessitated medication: You may still be a surrogate if you were able to control your gestational diabetes only via dietary restrictions.
• No mental diagnosis, including serious depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, substantial anxiety condition, or a bipolar disorder, and no current usage or reliance on psychiatric medicines, including all SSRIs: Before medical and psych screening, a gestational candidate (GC) candidate must have been off all SSRIs for at least 3-6 months (varies per IVF facility) with prescriber clearance.
• There has been no record of drug or alcohol abuse: When not pregnant, a history of marijuana and nicotine usage is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Must be ready to carry twins if one embryo divides into two.
• Must be willing to abort a pregnancy if there is no hope of quality of life due to catastrophic malformations: Preferences for stopping or not terminating in the case of a Down’s syndrome diagnosis or comparable disease are taken into account, and a match may be made if intended parents have the same views on this critical issue. Surrogacy is often used by intended parents who are unsure what they’ll do if their child was identified with Down syndrome or a comparable disorder. Most intended parents want to be paired with a surrogate who is prepared to defer to them, as biological parents, and medical experts in this delicate situation.

If you satisfy these basic surrogate criteria, you might be an excellent surrogate candidate. Even if you don’t fulfill a certain criterion, it’s always a good idea to contact a professional; many specialists authorize surrogates on a specific instance basis and may make an exception to the regulations.

However, if you are not of the correct age or have never been pregnant, you will have a difficult time finding a surrogacy specialist or clinic that will authorize you to proceed with the surrogacy procedure.

 

Screening requirements for being a surrogate mother

This encompasses other things to take into consideration;

• Have been pregnant before, and you delivered successfully.
• Have no new piercings or tattoos within a year after beginning the treatment.
• You should be parenting your kid in your own house.
• Be a resident of a surrogacy-friendly state.
• Be willing to submit to a background check (your husband/partner must as well).

Does not receive federal or state financial assistance and is financially stable: Candidates must have a steady source of income or live in financially secure households with a spouse or parents.

So long as health is valued, surrogate aspirants are not obliged to own their health insurance coverage. Many current health-care plans do not cover maternity treatment for a surrogate mother.

If you believe you have met all of the surrogate mother standards, the next step is to contact a surrogacy specialist. Typically, you will complete some preliminary application papers to check your eligibility, and a surrogacy expert will chat with you about your application and address any lingering concerns you may have.

You will need to go through psychological and medical screening before you can be a surrogate. Both of these will certify that you are ready to become a gestational carrier. To begin, your spouse and you will have a psychiatric evaluation with a mental health specialist. 

They will inquire about your thoughts regarding surrogacy as well as your strategies for dealing with some of the emotional and practical issues that may emerge. Once you’ve found your intended parents, you’ll go through one more medical test before beginning the surrogacy procedure. This will ensure that you are medically capable of bringing a pregnancy to term in a safe manner. You will then be accepted for surrogacy and will be able to sign your surrogacy agreement!

 

Can you be a surrogate mother without having given birth?

If you wish to be a surrogate mother, you must be a selfless lady prepared to go to any length to assist another person in bringing their kid into the world. 

You probably haven’t experienced the pleasures of parenting yourself if you wish to become a surrogate mother without a past pregnancy, but you understand how much motherhood means to someone who desperately wants it.

Many potential surrogates want to make a mark on the world and question their experts, “Can I be a surrogate mother if I’ve never gotten pregnant?” Unfortunately, the truth is No.

While surrogacy specialists would applaud your effort to assist an intended parent, you will be disqualified from being a surrogate mother if you have never borne a kid. 

According to your study, it is one of the first prerequisites a woman must achieve to become a surrogate mother, and it is non-negotiable. You cannot be a surrogate mother if you have never been pregnant, regardless of what you may have heard. 

This is risky for your intended parents, you, and the surrogacy provider you choose to engage with.

Any reputable surrogacy agency will always be happy to answer your questions regarding their unique surrogacy criteria, including pregnancy requirements. To learn more, contact one now.

 

Why can’t you become a surrogate mother if you’ve never had children?

If you’ve always wanted to be a gestational carrier, it might be disheartening to realize that you couldn’t be a surrogate mother if you’ve never had a pregnancy before. “Why can’t we go ahead with our surrogacy relationship if I accept the dangers of becoming a surrogate without pregnancy experience and I’ve discovered intended parents who are prepared to work with?” you may question.

Surrogacy practitioners do not just establish pregnancy criteria for gestational carriers “for the sake of it.” They have numerous valid reasons to do so. 

The most important reasons are safeguarding the intended parents and you from the risks of completing an agreement of surrogacy without a prior pregnancy.

Here’s how it’s done;

1. Intended Parents: Prospective parents often make a lot of decisions before deciding on surrogacy. So, when it comes time to start a family, they want to be linked with a surrogate mother who will offer them the highest chance of success.

Women who have been surrogates without a past pregnancy, on the other hand, cannot provide that assurance. There will always be some doubt; Can she genuinely become pregnant? Will she be able to bear the kid of the intended parents without serious challenges or issues? There are just too many unresolved questions for intended parents who have invested so much hope and money in this family-building process.

Even prospective parents who are ready to bear the dangers of dealing with a person who has not been pregnant will most likely encounter difficulties during fertility clinic screening. Clinics will often refuse to accept a woman who’s never given birth as a gestational carrier to safeguard themselves and their customers. The stakes are simply too high for everyone involved.

Even with expert help, gestational surrogacy may be challenging and dangerous. As a result, experts do all possible to limit such risks and ensure a good surrogacy experience for everyone involved. This begins with ensuring that a surrogate satisfies certain health needs, including pregnancy requirements.

 

2. Surrogate mothers: The primary reason why those who’ve never had children cannot be surrogate mothers is to ensure their physical and mental well-being. You have no concept of what pregnancy is like if you have never been pregnant before. You have no idea what type of health issues you could face, or even whether you can become pregnant at all. Surrogates must have previous pregnancy experience to be physically prepared to bear a baby for someone else.

Similarly, if you have never been pregnant as a surrogate, you are ignorant of the emotional challenges that come with pregnancy. You’ll be coping with all of the hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, and you won’t be prepared for the emotional challenges that come with giving birth and returning home without a baby, and without a kid at home to care for instead.

Please consult a local surrogacy specialist for additional information on why becoming a surrogate mother without the need for a prior pregnancy is impossible.

 

Why are there requirements or qualifications for becoming a surrogate mother?

Surrogate mother criteria may seem broad and inconvenient, but they are more significant than you may believe. Learn why surrogate criteria are so vital before embarking on your surrogacy adventure.

You undoubtedly have a lot of questions as you investigate being a surrogate mother. However, when you learn more about the many surrogate mother requirements you’ll need to complete to assist an intending parent, you may get overwhelmed or even angry by the tasks ahead of you.

So, you may wonder, “Why are surrogate mother requirements in place?” “Why can’t a woman who wants to become a surrogate mother assist another woman in becoming a parent?”

We applaud your willingness to assist in the creation of a family; it is a trait shared by all of the finest gestational surrogates. 

But, before you become a surrogate mother and assist an intended parent, you must first comprehend the whole surrogacy procedure. That begins with the rationale behind surrogate requirements.

In summary, establishing standards for being a surrogate mother is a form of insurance. It enables all parties to proceed with the surrogacy procedure with confidence. 

Surrogacy may be difficult and risky, and entering into the procedure blindly might place parties in physical, emotional, and financial peril.

While going through all of the prerequisites to become a gestational surrogacy might be tedious at times, it is worth it, not only for yourself as a potential surrogate, but for other people you will deal with along the journey.

Contacting a surrogacy specialist is the best method to learn more about what it takes to be a surrogate mother. They can answer any of your questions about being a surrogate and explain why the standards are established the way they are.

Meanwhile, keep in mind that gestational surrogate mother needs serve a few critical objectives, which are detailed below;

1. To Safeguard Intended Parents: Many intending parents choose gestational surrogacy after seeking other infertility treatments for months or years. 

Surrogacy is often their final shot to produce a genetically related kid, therefore they want to maximize their chances of success.

Surrogacy standards for surrogate moms ensure that intending parents have the highest chance of having a child. These parameters indicate that a potential surrogate can carry a child to term safely and effectively. 

That is precisely what intended parents are seeking. Knowing that a potential surrogate has been medically examined before an embryo transfer increases the likelihood that the transfer will result in a healthy pregnancy, and the child the prospective parents have been hoping for.

Prospective surrogates who do not fit all of the surrogacy candidate standards may attempt to connect with independent intended parents to circumvent these rules.

But keep in mind that intended parents want to give you the greatest chance possible, therefore even independent intended parents will want you to complete these requirements before proceeding.

2. To safeguard surrogacy professionals: Surrogacy agencies, lawyers, and clinics all desire the finest surrogacy experience for all parties involved. However, they can only do so if they have faith in the ability of a gestational surrogate. 

As a result, before proceeding with any additional stages, all surrogacy providers will ask you to satisfy the standards to be a gestational surrogate.

• Surrogate mother requirements allow experts and professionals to:
• Avoid legal and emotional issues with both parties, along the process.
• Follow state surrogacy laws.
• Personalize your surrogacy journey to meet your wants and circumstances.
• Give your problem the attention it deserves.
• and much more

3. To safeguard a surrogate mother: Surrogate mother requirements exist first and foremost to safeguard you as a surrogate mother. 

A gestational pregnancy has all of the same dangers and obstacles as a normal pregnancy, as well as the hazards of the embryo transfer procedure.

If you want to be a surrogate, you must satisfy specific conditions for surrogate moms to guarantee that you may do so safely.

The most crucial function of the surrogate mother requirements is to safeguard your physical well-being during the procedure.

As a result, all potential surrogates must be in excellent health, within a specified age category, and have previously had a healthy pregnancy. 

Surrogacy experts have concluded that they are the greatest predictors of future surrogacy success, thus they are non-negotiable if you choose this route.

A psychiatric assessment is also part of the prerequisites for becoming a surrogate mother. Your spouse and you will meet with a mental health specialist to discuss how you may feel throughout the surrogacy process, as well as the additional burdens and obligations that may come with this journey. 

This stage will assist your whole family in preparing for the highs and lows of surrogacy and ensuring that you have the most pleasant experience possible.

Yes, the requirements for being a surrogate mother might be onerous, but it is ultimately accountable for ensuring your physical and mental safety for the next year or so.

Any excellent surrogacy specialist will always be prepared to explain the surrogate mother requirements to you and assist you in understanding the purpose of those requirements. In reality, if you want to be a surrogate, the first thing you should do is contact a surrogacy specialist. 

That way, you’ll be able to learn more about the process ahead of you and decide if it’s the best option for you and your family.

If you satisfy surrogate mother requirements, you should be on your way to fulfilling someone else’s parental aspirations!

 

The conclusion on surrogate mother requirements by Bornfertilelady

The criteria for gestational surrogates differ per agency. The best way to learn how to qualify to be a surrogate mother is to contact a surrogacy professional today or to conduct extensive research on your own, either online (reading articles like this) or through people who are already knowledgeable about the subject, such as past and current surrogate mothers and health professionals (whose field are associated with gynecology – surrogacy).

If you have surrogate organizations or agencies in your region, they can answer all of your concerns regarding gestational surrogacy and guide you through their set of surrogate standards, saving you the burden of researching on your own. 

They will assist you in determining if surrogacy is the best option for you. They say that information is power, and this is true in the case of gestational surrogacy. The more you know, the more equipped you will be for the work ahead of you.                                 

All right, guys, that is it for now for surrogate mother requirements. I hope Bornfertilelady answered any questions you had concerning surrogate mother requirements. 

And always remember that Bornfertilelady is one of the best health sites out there that genuinely care for expecting parents, and you can find valuable information on all things about prenatal care on this site. 

It is founded by a pregnancy expert and a mother of two, and the platform offers resources on prenatal nutrition, including information on the best pregnancy vitamins and insightful tips on how to have a healthier lifestyle as a mom (pregnant and delivered).