Surrogate Mother Requirements and Why They are Important 

There are important surrogate mother requirements you must meet to carry a child for an intended family. 

• A detailed screening process helps determine your physical, mental and medical readiness to be a surrogate 
• You must meet all surrogate requirements before the medical process can take place 
• You will be guided through every step of the screening process when you work with a surrogacy agency and professional 

To learn more about the requirements to become a surrogate, fill out this form to speak to a surrogacy specialist to get more information.  

Because there are requirements that you must meet before you can be a surrogate for an intended family, talking with a professional can give you a better understanding of what steps you will need to take. 

Until then, continue reading to learn more about surrogacy mother requirements, the screening process and why it’s necessary for all prospective surrogates. 

What are the Requirements to Be a Surrogate? 

Surrogacy is growing, and more women are interested in becoming a surrogate. Because of the emotional, physical and psychological demands surrogates face, not everyone can take this path. 

As a prospective surrogate, you must meet specific requirements, not just for the sake of the intended parents, but to ensure that you are ready for the journey ahead. 

The ultimate goal is to successfully carry a child to term for intended parents, which means a surrogacy agency strives to work with healthy surrogates dedicated to the process. 

We encourage you to complete this online form to speak to a surrogacy specialist for more information on the surrogate mother requirements. 

For now, let’s go over the requirements to become a surrogate and the screening process. 

Physical Requirements for Becoming a Surrogate 

As you know, pregnancy has a significant physical impact on your body. Determining you to be physically prepared for a gestational pregnancy is an essential aspect of surrogacy candidate requirements. 

These are some of the physical and medical surrogate mother requirements you must meet: 

• You’re between the ages of 21-40 
• A healthy BMI 
• At least one previous successful pregnancy 
• No significant complications from an earlier pregnancy 
• No new tattoos or piercings within the last 12 months 
• No use of anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication for 12 months 

You’ll also need to provide: 

• Insurance card and policy manual in PDF 
• A copy of your driver’s license 
• A signed medical release to allow your agency to access medical records from past pregnancies 
• A letter from your current OB-GYN recommending you as a surrogate  

By filling out this online form, you can get more information on the physical and medical screening process and why it’s crucial to meet the requirements to become a surrogate. 

Every step of the physical and medical screening process is carefully explained when working with an experienced surrogacy professional. You’ll never have to worry about going through the process of meeting surrogate requirements alone. 

Emotional and Psychological Screening for Meeting Surrogate Requirements 

Just as important as determining your physical readiness for surrogacy is meeting psychological and emotional requirements to become a surrogate. 

Surrogacy presents emotional challenges, which can be difficult. Add the hormones associated with pregnancy, and you could face even more elevated emotions during your surrogacy journey. 

Your surrogacy professional will work with you to help you prepare for these potential challenges by requiring you to meet specific psychological surrogate mother requirements. 

These requirements include: 

• No untreated addiction, abuse, depression, eating disorders or traumatic pregnancy, labor and delivery experience 
• Being fully aware and committed to the surrogacy process and how it fits into your life and personal responsibilities 
• Being fully aware of the emotions associated with carrying a child for someone else 

You can always reach out to a surrogacy specialist to get more information on the emotional and psychological requirements to be a gestational surrogate. 

In-Home Assessment and Background Checks 

Another step to meet the requirements to become a surrogate includes an in-home visit with a licensed social worker. Not every surrogacy professional will require this step, but it is becoming increasingly common.

Some of the questions you and any other adult living in your household will get asked include: 

• What are your reasons for considering surrogacy? 
• Do you have fears or concerns regarding becoming a surrogate? 
• Are you and your spouse or other adult resident committed to surrogacy? 

In conjunction with your in-home visit, your surrogacy agency will begin running checks, such as: 

• General background check 
• Criminal background check 
• Any history of child abuse 
• Social media activity 

Remember, a surrogacy specialist can answer any questions you have about surrogate requirements and the screening process. All you need to do is complete this online form to get connected. 

Why Surrogate Mother Requirements are Important 

As briefly mentioned earlier in this article, the importance of surrogate mother requirements and surrogacy screening is to help determine whether you are a prepared, committed and qualified surrogate. 

Intended parents who cannot physically or biologically carry a baby often choose surrogacy as their last chance to have a child with a genetic link. These hopeful parents have been through a lot on their journey to parenthood, and they are putting a lot of trust and faith in their surrogate. Working with someone like you who decides to become a surrogate for all the right reasons is of the utmost importance. 

Also, as a surrogate, the agency you work with prioritizes your health and safety and will never put you in a risky situation. The best surrogacy agencies go above and beyond to make sure you’re healthy enough for the surrogacy process and not in danger of experiencing complications.

Now that you have a better feel for gestational surrogate requirements, you can connect with a professional to start the process! 

Work with a Surrogacy Agency to Meet Surrogate Requirements  

The process of meeting requirements to become a surrogate can be lengthy and, as this article laid out, includes several steps. 

You can receive services, support and guidance through the screening process when you work with an experienced surrogacy agency. 

You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, get educated and receive the emotional support you need every step of the way. 

Want to find out how to find the best surrogacy agencies in the US? Reach out to a surrogacy specialist here to get more information on finding a surrogacy agency capable of providing you with the necessary services and expertise for meeting the gestational surrogate requirements.