Why You Need to Meet Surrogacy Health Requirements  

Why You Need to Meet Surrogacy Health Requirements  

There are risks of gestational surrogacy that you need to know. Surrogate health requirements ensure you’re prepared for the journey ahead.  

• Deciding to become a surrogate is a life-changing decision  
• It’s important to consider the risks and benefits of surrogacy before committing  
• You can learn about the medical issues with surrogacy by working with an experienced surrogacy agency and professional  

Surrogacy is an emotional and physically challenging process. It’s also gratifying, and your decision to become a surrogate is heroic.  

Still, before committing to becoming a surrogate, learn more about the potential health risks of surrogacy by contacting a professional. Information and answers to your important questions about surrogate mother risks are available when you complete this form.  

Until then, here is a guide to the risks of gestational surrogacy.  

Physical Health Risks of Surrogacy  

First, it’s important to know that working with an experienced surrogacy agency and professional that can provide you with complete services and support is crucial.   

The right professionals will always look out for your best interests and take the necessary steps to help you avoid any potential surrogate mother risks.  

Just as traditional pregnancy comes with risks, gestational pregnancy does as well.  

Physically, you can potentially experience:  

• Morning sickness  
• Nausea  
• Swelling  
• Back pain  
• Heartburn  
• Gestational diabetes
• Miscarriage  
• Preterm labor  
• And more  

Talking to a surrogacy professional to get more information on the various potential risks of being a surrogate mother is a starting point when considering becoming a surrogate.  

Your regular OB-GYN, which you can continue to work with for prenatal care once a healthy pregnancy is confirmed, will help you reduce your chances of experiencing any health risks of surrogacy.  

Because of the medications required for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and gestational surrogacy, you can also face additional, minor side effects and risks of surrogacy, including:  

• Bruising or rashes at medication injection sites.  
• Headaches  
• Mood swings  
• Fatigue  
• Hot flashes  
• And more  

When it comes time for the actual surrogacy medical procedure of transferring the embryo for implantation, surrogate mother risks and complications are rare.  

The medical surrogacy process is relatively painless and may result in bleeding, cramping and will require you to rest for a few days after the procedure. Also, gestational surrogacy increases the chances of having multiple pregnancies.  

Some of the risks associated with carrying multiples include:  

• Preterm labor  
• Surrogacy miscarriage  
• Placental abruption  
• Cesarean-section  
• And more  

Again, you can help reduce these risks by working with an experienced surrogacy professional and fertility specialist.  

Before you face any of these potential health risks of surrogacy, you are required to participate in a medical screening to determine whether you meet the qualifications to become a surrogate.   

Your past medical history, including previous pregnancies, is used to confirm you meet the required health standards for surrogacy.  

You can find a complete guide to the screening process here. You can also get more information on the risks of gestational surrogacy and the medical screening process by completing this form to connect with a professional.  

Emotional and Psychological Risks of Gestational Surrogacy  

When considering surrogacy, many prospective surrogates ask, “What are the risks of being a surrogate mother?”  

Of course, pregnancy brings inherent medical risks of being a surrogate mother, but what about the emotional risks?  

Not only are you facing a pregnancy, but the added medical procedure associated with gestational surrogacy and the fact that you are carrying a child for another person or couple can create emotional challenges you never expected to face.  

Your heroic decision to give an intended parent the chance to raise a genetically linked child is a wonderful gift. As excited as you are for the day when the intended parents get to hold their baby for the first time, surrogates like you face the potential risks of: 

• Pre-partum and postpartum depression   
• Grief and loss after the surrogacy process  
• Mental and emotional exhaustion  
• Mood swings  
• Stress  
• Pressure from carrying the intended parents’ baby  

Despite being fully aware you have no genetic link to the child, you’ve still experienced a nine-month pregnancy and not bringing the child home at the end can be difficult.  

There are some key steps you can take to help cope with these potential emotional surrogate risks:  

• Step 1: Choose the right professional – Working with an experienced surrogacy agency that provides counseling and other important resources is essential to mitigating emotional challenges.  
• Step 2: Establish boundaries – When working with the intended parents on your legal contract, decide what you need in terms of boundaries both during the process and after your surrogacy journey ends. If you feel space is needed after the pregnancy, it’s important to make sure the intended parents understand and respect your decision.  
• Step 3: Build a support system – Whether through family, friends or both, having a support system in place to lean on can help create a safe environment to address any emotional challenges before, during and after the surrogacy process.  

Because of the emotional health risks of surrogacy, being open and honest with your professional, your support system and the intended parents about your struggles is the best way to address them in a healthy way.   

By doing so, you can determine what you need moving forward to have a safe, healthy and happy surrogacy journey.  

Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Surrogacy  

Surrogacy is a personal decision you’re making, and knowing the physical and emotional health risks of surrogacy is important.  

It’s also an opportunity to weigh those risks against the benefits of choosing surrogacy. Choosing to help intended parents start a family is a decision you both will cherish forever. You also have the opportunity to build a lifelong bond with the intended parents through your journey.  

Working with an experienced surrogacy agency with professionals prepared to support and guide you through every step of the process should give you peace of mind knowing you’re in good hands.  

You’ll have access to all of the critical surrogacy services and required professionals, as well as another support person in your corner looking out for your best interests.  

You can connect with a surrogacy professional to get more information on surrogate pregnancy risks by completing this online form. From there, you can take the next steps to get started on your surrogacy journey.