There are a number of reasons why we require women to meet certain criteria before applying as a surrogate. Because gestational surrogacy relies on a woman’s physical health and psychological preparedness, we need to be sure that the surrogates we provide to couples are ideal for the job.
We also need to make sure that all legal and insurance aspects are covered before we get started.
Our Gestational Surrogate Requirements
Before you apply to become a surrogate with us, make sure that you go over our basic requirements. Determining now whether you meet our surrogacy criteria will save you the time and effort of filling out an application only to be declined.
Our requirements for becoming a surrogate are as follows:
- You are a resident of a surrogacy-friendly state (e.g., Texas).
You must be a U.S. citizen and legal resident of a state where it is legal for you to serve as a surrogate. Your surrogacy (including the signing of all documents) must also take place within that state, as other states may or may not recognize the validity of your surrogacy contract. - You are between 21-39 years of age.
Our fertility experts have determined this age range to be biologically ideal for successful gestational surrogacies. - You’ve had a previous successful delivery of a live child at term.
We need to be sure that all surrogates have been shown to be capable of successfully carrying and giving birth to a healthy baby. Your medical history must also be free of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, pre-term delivery, or pre-eclampsia. - You live in a drug and smoke-free home.
To ensure the health and safety of the baby, your home must be completely free of smoking, drug use, alcohol abuse, or any other potentially harmful substance use, even if you do not actively participate. - You are not on public assistance (except in the case of a disabled child).
Surrogates must not be active recipients of public assistance. The only exception to this is if you are on public assistance to help you with the care of a disabled child. - You must undergo a full medical exam.
To get an idea of a woman’s health and physical fitness for surrogacy, we require full medical exams (OB-GYN, physical, infectious disease screening, etc.). Because of the risks related to obesity in pregnancy, your BMI will need to be no greater than 32 to qualify as a surrogate. - Both you and any spouse/partner must undergo background checks.
We need to make sure that neither the surrogate nor her spouse/partner have a criminal or violent history that may endanger the process or the baby. - Both you and any spouse/partner must undergo psychological evaluations.
We also need to determine whether the surrogate or her spouse/partner have any mental, emotional, or behavioral issues that may endanger the process or the baby. - You have appropriate legal counsel.
Surrogates should have their own lawyers, different from those of the intended parents. If the surrogate is married, her spouse will also need to sign any legal documents. While you may be a surrogate as either a single or married person, you will not qualify if you are in the midst of a separation/divorce. The attorney specializing in 3rd Party Parenting is provided for you. - You have health insurance coverage for at least eight weeks post-delivery.
We need to know that the surrogate will be covered by insurance throughout the pregnancy as well as after delivery. If the surrogate does not have coverage, the intended parents will be required to purchase it.
I Meet the Requirements! Now What?
If you meet all of the requirements listed above, congratulations! As your next step, you should fill out and submit our online surrogacy application. If your application is accepted, one of our surrogacy liaisons will contact you to discuss the transfer of medical records and schedule an in-home meeting. Your liaison can also answer any questions you may have about things like compensation, legal issues, and other process details.
Once everything is in place, and you’ve been fully initiated as a surrogate with our agency, your profile will become available to prospective parents. When a couple chooses you, you’ll begin the exciting process of preparing for your important role as a guardian of their little one.
Still have questions that you want to ask before you apply? Give us a call at (877) 976-9483.
