Surrogate Disqualifications: What can disqualify me from becoming a surrogate?

People often look for surrogacy requirements, but do they know surrogate disqualifications?

There are many requirements to become a surrogate, but knowing those may not answer your questions of whether you do not have any surrogate disqualifications.

Take a look at our surrogate requirements.

Common Medical Conditions that are Surrogate Disqualifications

Some common health conditions that may disqualify someone from becoming a surrogate could include:

• Multiple C-sections (more than 2)
• Preeclampsia when pregnant
• Cancer
• High-Risk previous pregnancies
• Pre-Term births
• Uterine Inversion
• Hypertension
• Gestational Diabetes
• Age
• Endometriosis
• Diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Adenomyosis – abnormal endometrial tissue growth in uterine muscles
• Sickle cell
• Diabetes
• Positive HIV – can spread to the baby

Conditions that May Not Automatically Disqualify a Surrogate Candidate

Some conditions must be evaluated carefully by a medical doctor to determine if there are any health risks to the surrogate or the baby.

Examples include:

• Getting your Tubes tied – Commonly misunderstood, you will not be automatically disqualified is you have your tubes tied. Surrogates don’t use fallopian tubes.
• C-Section – Surrogates are not automatically disqualified for having C-sections. They must not have more than 2.
• Herpes or HPV – both need to be assessed then monitored. May not always disqualify a woman although might need a C-section later if outbreak near birth occurs
• Recently had a child – typical wait time between pregnancies must be 6 months, or until done breastfeeding to become a surrogate
• Breastfeeding – interferes with implantation of egg process so may have to be stopped prior to being a surrogate
• Have a mental illness – most medications for depression & other mental health disorders cross the placenta barrier

Are There Any Special Qualifications for Women Who Want to Become a Surrogate?

Anyone possibly considering undergoing an embryo transfer via IVF that allows them to nurture someone else’s precious child in their womb for 9 months should seriously review the most common qualifications most reliable surrogate agency guidelines will require.

While these qualifications can vary from one agency and state to another, overall the criteria listed attempts to weed out possible higher-risk pregnancies.

This is opposed to surrogate candidates who have a solid background of at least one previous healthy pregnancy that the candidate was able to carry to term without serious complications.

It is important for women considering this process to carefully read and absorb the qualifications and surrogate mother criteria all fertility clinics and most any surrogate agency will have in place. This helps those women who truly are interested in the process to make an informed decision.

What If a Woman Has Not Yet Experienced Pregnancy?

Women should have at least one healthy pregnancy under her belt prior to going through the approval process necessary to be approved for a surrogate application.

There are important reasons why the vast majority of well-established surrogate agencies have this on their list of essential criteria to screen their surrogate candidates.

A respected fertility doctor usually won’t chance approving someone who has not been pregnant before or failed to prove a previous healthy pregnancy.

An honest surrogacy agency will require proof in the authentic and real form of past medical records that depict a successful past pregnancy and normal birth at some point.

What is a High-Risk Pregnancy?

High-risk pregnancies or pregnancies that can become “high risk” are essentially dangerous to the health of the mother or the baby.

Certain conditions give way to these this diagnosis either during the birth such as hypertension and gestational diabetes, and other conditions such as pre-term labor are considered “high risk” due to the increased likelihood of a NICU visit or stay.

Can I Become a Surrogate if I Have Had a High-Risk Pregnancy?

At Made in the USA Surrogacy, we ask most surrogate mother hopefuls to submit their medical records for a proper review.

Depending on the actual conditions or diagnoses during your pregnancies, we will be able to make a determination on your eligibility.

What Can Disqualify a Woman from Becoming a Surrogate?

There are a number of conditions and pregnancy-related complications that can disqualify someone attempting to become a surrogate for safety and other reasons.

Before becoming too discouraged, women should realize that there are many disqualifying factors that they can change with some efforts to make the recommended lifestyle changes and other strategies.

Some disqualifying factors that could delay or prevent becoming a surrogate is a woman who:

• Has uncontrolled serious health conditions – heart problems, diabetes or thyroid disease
• Does not have a previous pregnancy that went well
• Smokes cigarettes or weed
• Abuses alcohol or drugs
• Is financially strained & needs quick cash
• Is an immigrant who has not become a citizen yet
• Presence of chronic anxiety or depression or is taking anti-anxiety meds or anti-depressants
• Is currently overweight with a BMI higher than 30
• Lives a riskier lifestyle
• Has a criminal record
• Can’t speak the language or has mental challenges
• Is over or under the recommended childbearing years from 23 to 38
• Has an STD
• Engages in sex with multiple partners
• Has a history of pelvic inflammatory disease
• Lives in an unhealthy and/or unsafe environment
• Lives with someone who engages in illegal activities or is abusive

What Kinds of Disqualifying Criteria for Surrogates Can Change?

While it may be discouraging at first for women who desire to become someone’s surrogate but discovered that they had disqualifying factors, there are some things on that list that can be changed.

Some of these things are not that difficult to overcome if the woman is willing to put forth the necessary time and effort.

Some surrogate disqualifying factors able to change include:

• Weight
• Uncontrolled health conditions
• Smoker
• Leads a sedentary lifestyle
• Lives in an unsafe or unhealthy environment
• Doesn’t meet the financial criteria
• Is not a citizen
• Too young
• Drinks alcohol more often than recommended
• Hasn’t yet had a pregnancy

Women can easily change some of the above-listed items that prevent her from her quest to become a surrogate.

To lose weight, she can increase her exercise, eat healthier, switch to drinking more water, seek weight loss medical care or use other weight loss methods.

A smoker can quit smoking, and a non-citizen today could meet the criteria and become one later. If a woman is younger than 23, she can wait until she reaches the desired age.

Women that live in an unsafe area might have the opportunity to better her situation by getting job training skills, going to school and seeking help from community programs.

Likewise, someone denied because of too low an income could also increase their wealth with luck, effort and support.

A woman can get pregnant and have a successful experience that could then move her into the accepted category.

If in any doubt regarding your ability to be a surrogate, contact us at Made in the USA Surrogacy agency in California, and fill out our form today.