Surrogate Requirements & Qualifications

IARC Surrogacy is a full-service surrogacy agency based in Maple Grove, Minnesota and we have been helping create families for over three decades. As a surrogacy agency, we use the surrogate requirements set by the fertility clinics and psychologists we work with to determine if you meet the basic standards to become a surrogate.

• What Are The Requirements To Become A Surrogate?
• Medical Surrogate Qualifications
• Personal Surrogate Qualifications
• People Also Ask These Questions About Surrogate Requirements

If you meet these surrogate requirements, fill out a surrogate questionnaire today to begin your surrogacy journey with IARC! 

What Are The Requirements To Become A Surrogate?

• You live in a surrogate-friendly U.S. state
• You’re between the age of 21-41 (up to age 44 on case by case basis)
• You have had no more than 3 c-sections
• Your BMI is below 35
• You’ve had a previous healthy pregnancy and delivery
• You do not smoke tobacco, use drugs, or abuse alcohol
• You have no significant history of depression or mental health illness
• You’re willing to travel for pre-transfer medical screening and embryo transfer
• You have a support system
• Your criminal record is clean
• You’re financially stable and independent
• You are kind-hearted and altruistic in your intent to help another family have the child they otherwise couldn’t have without your help!

Can I Qualify to Be a Surrogate? 

Women decide to become a surrogate for many reasons. It could be you have a friend who experienced infertility. Maybe it’s that you enjoyed your own pregnancies but are done building your own family. Whatever the case, we hope you read through these surrogacy guidelines to see if surrogacy could be for you!

These surrogate requirements are put in place by the professionals to minimize the risk to both you and the future child. We aim to have a healthy and safe process for all of our surrogates and intended parents.

So, who can become a surrogate exactly, and what are the gestational carrier qualifications? The following will give an overview of the surrogate requirements and then give an in-depth look at each qualification to be a surrogate.

Interested in becoming a surrogate?

If you are wondering if surrogacy is right for you or if you would qualify to be a surrogate, complete this questionnaire and a Surrogate Coordinator will be in touch to go over this with you.

Medical Surrogate Qualifications

What are the qualifications to be a surrogate? Fertility clinics have sometimes varying qualifications to become a surrogate, however many of these surrogate requirements are the same across the board.

Here is a list of a few of the main surrogate health requirements.

• You Have Had No More Than 3 C-sections
• Your BMI Is Below 35
• You’ve Had A Previous Healthy Pregnancy And Delivery
• You Have No Significant History Of Depression Or Mental Health Illness

Most clinics follow ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) guidelines when it comes to surrogacy. The goal of each clinic is to minimize risk to the surrogate so although some of these requirements may seem strict, it is for the health of the surrogate and future child that they follow these surrogate guidelines. Below we will give you an idea of the qualifications of a surrogate and how some may vary slightly between clinics.

As you will see mentioned several times throughout this page, if you are unsure if something in your history would disqualify you or want more information on anything, ask us or take a short questionnaire to see if you pre-qualify! We’re always happy to help in any way. There is no commitment required of you in submitting a questionnaire to see if you may qualify.

You Have Had No More Than 3 C-sections

While 3 previous c-sections are the maximum allowed for many clinics, some clinics will only approve if you’ve had 2 previous c-sections. Your overall pregnancy and delivery history is important when determining if you are approved by a clinic, so we will help gather your medical records and work with clinics to determine your approval as quickly as possible.

Your BMI Is Below 35

A BMI (height to weight proportion) of 35 or less is the typical BMI requirement for surrogacy. There are also some clinics that have a lower limit such as 32 or lower. BMI can play an important role in successfully carrying a pregnancy to term as a surrogate.

If you are over this BMI limit but are willing to work on losing weight for the surrogacy process, we will encourage and support you in reaching that goal! You can still start the pre-screening process today even if you are currently above this BMI requirement.

You’ve Had A Previous Healthy Pregnancy And Delivery

While their specific requirements can vary, the fertility clinics do require you to have an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery history and no more than five deliveries (no more than three c-sections). Their job is to minimize the risk to both the surrogate and baby, and many complications in previous pregnancies prove to add more risk with subsequent pregnancies.

If you are unsure if something in your history would disqualify you, ask us or take a short questionnaire to see if you pre-qualify in becoming a surrogate.

You Have No Significant History Of Depression Or Mental Health Illness

It is normal for candidates to have some history of psychological counseling or having taken medications to support mental health. Depending on that specific history, the cause, how recent it occurred, and other factors, this may not necessarily prevent you from qualifying as a surrogate. Assuming the history is not automatically disqualifying, this will be discussed and evaluated between the surrogate and a psychologist during prescreening.

With IARC, each surrogate’s past is thoughtfully considered case-by-case by the professionals we work with, and if it is safe for you to continue with the process, we do all we can to support you in moving forward.

Find out if you meet the medical requirements for becoming a surrogate…

If you are wondering if surrogacy is right for you or if you would qualify to be a surrogate, complete this questionnaire and a Surrogate Coordinator will be in touch to go over this with you.

Personal Surrogate Qualifications

There are matters not directly related to your pregnancy and delivery history that can still affect your ability to become a surrogate. Being in a stable environment, both emotionally and financially, is crucial in a surrogacy program. It’s important you have a support system in place and that you are not relying on surrogate compensation for your everyday life and expenses.

Here is a rundown of some other qualifications for a surrogate that are not related to the pregnancy and delivery history and how we look at each one.

• You Live In A U.S. State With Surrogate-friendly Laws
• You’re Between The Age Of 21-41 (up to age 44 on case by case basis)
• You Do Not Smoke Tobacco, Use Drugs, Or Abuse Alcohol
• You’re Willing To Travel For Medical Appointments
• You Have An Adequate Support System
• Your Criminal Record Is Clean
• You’re Financially Stable And Independent

If you are unsure if something in your history would disqualify you, ask us or take a short questionnaire to see if you pre-qualify in becoming a surrogate.

You Live In A State With Surrogate-friendly Laws

It is important that the surrogate resides in a U.S. state with favorable surrogacy laws. Most states are surrogacy friendly. We are a full-service surrogacy agency, meaning that a part of the critical support we provide is helping guide the legal process with our own in-house legal team and also coordinating with legal teams in the state where you reside as needed to ensure a successful process for all.

You’re Between The Age Of 21-41 (up to age 44 on case by case basis)

The age requirements for surrogacy can vary by the fertility clinic and depends on your overall pregnancy and delivery history. The minimum age of 21 is a standard for surrogacy and among all surrogacy professionals.

While the maximum is typically up to 41 years of age, it’s possible depending on your overall history that clinics will approve you up to age 44.

You Do Not Smoke Tobacco, Use Drugs, Or Abuse Alcohol

A candidate will be automatically disqualified if there is a current use of cigarettes/tobacco, the use of illegal drugs, or alcohol abuse. If you have smoked previously, you will need to have stopped for at least 6 months to a year depending on how frequently you used to smoke. There will be testing for all of these things at the final medical screening at the clinic, and random testing may occur throughout your surrogacy program.

You’re Willing To Travel For Medical Appointments

It is important that you are willing and able to travel for a final medical screening appointment and the embryo transfer(s) as this is one of the requirements for a surrogate. Typically, there is a 1-2 day trip to the fertility clinic for final medical screening and then a 3-5 day trip back to the clinic for the embryo transfer itself.

Leading up to the transfer, there will be 2-4 local monitoring appointments for bloodwork and ultrasounds to see how your body is responding to the medications. You will also have multiple appointments after the transfer to test for pregnancy and confirm pregnancy with ultrasounds.

By about 12 weeks of pregnancy, you will transition your care from the fertility clinic to your own OB or midwife. During these unusual times, we recognize that many surrogates will have questions about how COVID-19 may impact their surrogacy journey. Learn more about surrogacy during COVID-19.

You Have An Adequate Support System

A spouse/significant other, if applicable, is required to be a significant part of the process so they need to be very supportive of this journey. Whether you are in a relationship or not, it is important you have a support system throughout this process.

Although your friends and family aren’t the ones carrying the pregnancy, they will be impacted by your journey. Whether it’s helping with childcare or giving emotional support, it’s crucial you have a support system in place.

Your Criminal Record Is Clean

As with many things, this is a case-by-case basis. We do background checks on all surrogates and significant others (and any other adults living in the household). We take into account what is on your record, when these events happened, and overall history.

If you are unsure if something in your history would disqualify you, ask us or take a short questionnaire to see if you pre-qualify in becoming a surrogate.

You’re Financially Stable And Independent

You must not depend on surrogacy compensation to help support you financially in your day-to-day life. This journey takes time, and it will be a number of months between when you start and when you become pregnant, and there is also no guarantee that the process will ultimately be successful for you (although fortunately, the vast majority of cases are successful!). Your intended parent match will want to know that you have a financially secure, healthy lifestyle while you are carrying this pregnancy.

Find out if you meet the personal requirements for becoming a surrogate…

If you are wondering if surrogacy is right for you or if you would qualify to be a surrogate, complete this questionnaire and a Surrogate Coordinator will be in touch to go over this with you.

People Also Ask These Questions About Surrogate Requirements

Here are a couple of questions people ask with regards to surrogacy, or browse more common questions or explore our FAQ page.

Can You Be a Surrogate If Your Tubes Are Tied?

Yes, tubes are not needed for surrogacy. As a gestational carrier, you will be doing an embryo transfer and that embryo(s) gets placed directly into the uterus.

Can You Be A Surrogate If You Have HPV?

Just having HPV is not a disqualification in and of itself. If you also have many abnormal Pap results or multiple LEEP procedures, overall history will need to be assessed with the fertility clinic to determine approval.

Can You Be A Surrogate With STIs?

Many surrogates have STIs that were either treated and resolved or are ongoing and require preventative care in pregnancy. It is not a disqualification with our agency or with clinics, but it will be disclosed on your surrogate profile.

Can I Be A Surrogate With PCOS?

From a clinic’s perspective, PCOS is not concerning when it comes to getting pregnant as a gestational carrier.

Can You Be A Surrogate If You Had Preeclampsia?

This is not a simple yes or no answer. This will depend on your overall history, how severe it was, what gestation it was developed, and when you ultimately delivered, whether you carried singleton or twins and if you have clearance from your OB and possibly an MFM (maternal-fetal medicine) doctor as well.

Can You Be A Surrogate If You Have Had An Abortion?

As long as you had no complications from an abortion and had another uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery in your history, you can still be a surrogate.

Can I Be a Surrogate If I Have Depression?

The answer to this can be complicated as each person’s history may vary. A surrogate cannot be on any anti-anxiety or anti-depression medications for 6-12 months prior to completing screening to become a surrogate, however, they may start the prequalification process at any time.

Depression can be treated effectively so just having it in your history is not an automatic disqualification. We rely on the professionals we work with to assess as we go through the screening process. If you are unsure if something in your history would disqualify you, ask us or take a short questionnaire to see if you pre-qualify!

Interested in Becoming a Surrogate?

Becoming a surrogate can be a rewarding journey and one that forever changes another family, but do you qualify? If you feel that surrogacy may be right for you and you meet the above requirements to become a surrogate, we’d love to connect with you!

Please complete this questionnaire and a Surrogate Coordinator will be in touch within the next business day! You can also go ahead and schedule your informational call at that time. Any Surrogate Coordinator you work with to complete the screening process has been an IARC surrogate before so you can be confident that we have been through this ourselves.

We understand this can be a lot of information to process so we will help you every step of the way, and we encourage you to go at your own pace. You will never feel pressured to move through the surrogacy steps with IARC faster than you feel comfortable going.

If you have any questions at this time you can email us at [email protected]. We hope to hear from you soon!