What To Consider Before Becoming A Surrogate
If you are considering becoming a surrogate and don’t know where to start let’s first consider the basic criteria important for any carrier. Typically you need to be between the ages of 21-40 however some states do not have a law against a surrogate being 19 or 20. In the same regards there are a FEW agencies that will accept surrogates over the age of 40 under some circumstances. The laws are based on where the surrogate is located and gives birth. There are a few unfriendly states for surrogacy so you also need to be located in a state were surrogacy is legal no matter what the age.
Being physically fit is not a requirement however the BMI is a factor considered for surrogacy. Clinics are held to a standard by the FDA and nobody wants to put a person in danger or risk for complications. Therefore a BMI over 30 is not favorable. If you don’t know what your BMI is, there are plenty of calculators online to help you determine if you just search BMI calculator and type in your height and weight. It is important when considering becoming a carrier for someone’s child that you are healthy which includes being a NON-smoker and being FREE of sexually transmitted diseases. Many women have been defensive about this stating they have had children with a BMI over 30 and while this is true we must realize that IVF is used in surrogacy which puts a higher BMI at risk for several reasons. Because hormones are being used weight could increase prior to pregnancy as well as blood pressure, etc. In most cases IPs want to transfer more than 1 embryo which again increases risk for Gestational Diabetes if you start the pregnancy off a little heavier as well as High Blood Pressure and/or Pre-eclampsia. No doctor, IP or consultant/agency is willing to purposely put someone at risk so guidelines are set in place to protect the carriers and unborn children for these reasons.
The last few items in the basic criteria are not relying on government assistance and being able to pass a background check. Here’s the thing about IVF; it is not a 100% sure bet you will become pregnant after an embryo transfer. Intended Parents are taking a risk and do not need a surrogate who is putting all her eggs in one basket as far as an income source. They need someone stable who can support themselves and aren’t fully relying on the surrogacy journey for their income. No surrogate should look to surrogacy as their main source of income or as their means to support their family. This will only add unneeded stress to all parties. A clean background check is just a given as you are being entrusted by Intended Parents with the life of their child.
Take into consideration that while all items above might be met, all carriers must pass a psychological evaluation as well. This is vital in this process as it is not only important the surrogate be stable financially and able to provide for herself but MOST importantly she must be mentally stable to endure a surrogate journey.
Being able to travel in some cases is important. You might not be matched with a local couple that will require you to travel for medical clearance as well as embryo transfer. It’s important that a surrogate have family or friend support in order to do this. Your flexibility will be vital to a successful journey as there are many moving pieces that all must fit together in order to have the best chances of success for the IPs.
Last but certainly not least is a surrogate’s accountability and reliability plays a HUGE part in a successful journey. It is absolutely imperative that a carrier understand what all is expected of her prior to making the commitment to become a surrogate mom. People are counting on you to do your part and be physically, emotionally and mentally ready to endure all that is needed for the best of success. No matter who you work with it is extremely important that you have realistic expectations set from the beginning.
We hope this helps clarify a few things on what to consider before becoming a surrogate so that you will hopefully have a very successful journey. As always we wish you the absolute BEST of success in your unique life-changing journey!