I’ve Had Complications with Previous Pregnancies: Can I Still Be a Surrogate?

At Great Beginnings Surrogacy Services (GBSS) in San Diego, California, the health and well-being of our surrogates are our number one priority. Dr. Samuel Wood and our team of specialists want to ensure all of our surrogates have a safe and successful journey.

We designed our surrogacy requirements with the surrogate’s health and safety in mind. If you have a history of complications with previous pregnancies, surrogacy may not be safe for you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be a surrogate. We make decisions on a case-by-case basis.

In this month’s blog, we want to talk about surrogacy and how your previous pregnancies may determine whether you can be a surrogate or not. 

Basic surrogacy requirements

Surrogacy is complicated, and the United States and the Federal Government have left it up to each state to set its own rules and regulations, so no overarching laws or guidelines outline the specifics of the surrogacy process.

Basic surrogacy requirements depend on state laws and each surrogacy center.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has created surrogacy requirements that give centers like ours some guidance. They recommend a surrogate should:

• Be between the ages of 21 and 45
• Have at least one uncomplicated pregnancy
• Have no more than five previous pregnancies
• Have no more than two Cesarean sections (C-section)
• Have a stable home environment

Our requirements are stricter. We only select surrogates between ages 21 and 36, have a body mass index (BMI) of 32 or less, and their most recent pregnancy was full-term and uncomplicated.

Previous pregnancy complications and surrogacy

Pregnancy is stressful on the body. How your body handled pregnancy in the past gives us a general idea of how surrogacy may affect your health.

Having complications with previous pregnancies may increase your risk of health problems as a surrogate. Because your health is our main concern, we can’t take any risks. 

Some previous pregnancy complications that may disqualify you from being a surrogate include preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or a late-term miscarriage. 

Your gynecological history may also play a role in determining whether you make a suitable surrogate. Health conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can increase the risk of pregnancy complications and make it harder for you to qualify for surrogacy.

Can you be a surrogate?

If you had complications with previous pregnancies, you may wonder if surrogacy is a journey you can take. We recommend scheduling a prequalification phone interview with one of our care coordinators to find out.

Your previous complications may not completely disqualify you from the process. You may still qualify if your most recent pregnancy was healthy and uncomplicated. 

After the phone interview, you complete an application that allows us to do a background check and medical pre-screening and request and review your medical records from your doctors. We also require a clearance letter from your OB/GYN.

If you pass the pre-screening process, we share your profile with our intended parents (IPs) to find a match. Once matched, you undergo psychological screening and medical screening at the IPs’ fertility center. 

After completing all these steps and meeting all the requirements, you can be a surrogate.

Are you ready to start your surrogacy journey? Call our office today, book a consultation online, or complete our online prescreening form, and one of our coordinators will call you back.