How Do Surrogacy Requirements Protect You?

Matching surrogates with intended parents is a magical and beautiful part of the surrogacy process, but stringent safeguards and standards also accompany it and for good reason! We applaud all candidates who are interested in becoming gestational surrogates, but not all women are ideal candidates for this role. Surrogacy requirements help ensure the surrogate's and the baby's optimal health and well-being while protecting the rights of intended parents. With this in mind, let’s delve into the importance of surrogacy guidelines and qualifications and how they’re designed to safeguard the family-building process for all parties.

Why Requirements for Surrogacy Matter 

Above all else, we want to make sure you, as a surrogate, feel safe, heard, and taken care of throughout this entire process. You are our top priority. From helping you choose the right agency for your needs to the delivery and beyond, you are our main concern. 

This is exactly why surrogate requirements matter. While surrogacy is a beautiful and profound experience for both you and the intended parents, you must consider and prioritize many health and legal implications. Surrogacy requirements protect and benefit everyone involved in this process, providing all parties with confidence throughout the journey.

Surrogate Qualifications

We already know that you share the same goal as us—helping families grow through surrogacy!—and that alone is a great start. 

Here are some initial criteria you’ll need to check off on our compatibility list:

• BMI below 35

• Between the ages of 21 and 44

• U.S. citizen or a green card holder

• You live in the U.S., not including Nebraska, Louisiana, and Michigan, which don’t have surrogacy-friendly laws

• You have had no more than 3 C-sections

• You have carried at least one full-term pregnancy and delivery without complications

If you meet the initial set of criteria, we will then get to know you a little better. We’ll ask you about your general lifestyle. This will help us determine who your support circle will be and what your average day-in-the-life looks like. 

We will also do a thorough medical screening, covering everything from your mental health history to any STIs. Being open, honest, and ready to share personal medical details is crucial to becoming a surrogate.

The Requirements To Be a Surrogate Protect All  

As we’ve said, you are, and will always be, our top priority! While surrogacy qualifications undoubtedly protect you, they also benefit the other parties involved, including the baby and intended parents. 

Being a surrogate has all of the same risks as any other pregnancy, as well as some additional—minimal—risks because of the embryo transfer process. Therefore, medical and psychological requirements are set up to ensure you have the best chances for a successful pregnancy. These obviously also benefit the baby and their well-being from womb to world, as well. 

Intended parents often arrive at this process after dealing with fertility issues or other family planning challenges. These requirements are set in place to help these couples feel secure in their choice and hopeful in the journey.

Surrogate medical and psychological screens give intended parents more confidence in a successful embryo transfer, a healthy pregnancy, and that they’ve chosen the right match.

The Role of the Surrogate Agency 

Here at Surrogacy.com, we take pride in matching you with the best agency for you and your needs and goals. Unlike other matching services, we don’t simply set you up on a blind date with an agency and leave you to it. Instead, we remain by your side the entire time. Even after you have matched with an agency, we will check in with you, celebrate you, and support you through pregnancy and even postpartum.

We partner with your agency to make sure you have the best possible journey, which is why we know how important it is for agencies to enforce surrogacy requirements and protect your rights. 

While agencies might have some minor variations in their own surrogacy requirements—perhaps their BMI maximum is 32 rather than 35, or their max age is 41 rather than 44—your agency will follow the surrogacy laws in your state, successfully avoiding any surprising legal challenges. They will also make sure you meet all the requirements so that you and the intended parents have the smoothest journey bringing a baby into the world. 

The Takeaway: Surrogate Requirements Provide Peace of Mind

We can see how sitting down to read a list of requirements after deciding to embark on this courageous journey can feel a bit overwhelming or maybe even exclusionary or frustrating. However, trust us when we say that we and all surrogacy agencies have nothing but your best interests at heart. 

Whether or not you qualify to become a surrogate depends on a list of guidelines created to protect you, the baby, and the intended parents. They are designed to give all parties confidence and peace of mind during each stage of the amazing surrogacy journey. 

With us by your side, you are sure to feel protected, heard, safe, and celebrated as you help a family grow through surrogacy. 

If you feel you meet our requirements, we’d love to meet you! You can fill out our Compatibility Form to be connected with someone on our team.