Many applicants wonder if their age will be a barrier to them becoming a Surrogate. Two big questions that are asked by aspiring Surrogates are “Am I old enough to be a Surrogate?” and “Am I too old to be a Surrogate?” The truth is that there is an ideal age range for surrogacy, and believe it or not- you CAN be a surrogate up until the age of 42!
Every agency has different guidelines, and this is dependent upon the IVF doctors they work with and their guidelines for Surrogate candidates. At Hatch, the minimum age requirement for surrogacy is 21, and all applicants must have already had a successful pregnancy. It’s important that women have developed the maturity and understanding to make informed decisions about the surrogacy process, understand the risks involved with any pregnancy, and are in a stable place in life before proceeding. We want to keep the process as low risk as possible for Surrogates, and the Intended Parents want to know that their Surrogate is ready for this journey and all that it entails.
The maximum age for Surrogate to start a journey with Hatch is 42, and like all applicants that we work with, we will also review an applicant’s medical history and overall health profile to ensure they can proceed with a surrogate journey safely - that is always our number one priority. The ASRM, which is the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, sets guidelines for surrogacy, including age range recommendations. The doctor’s we work with follow ASRM guidelines, and will specifically want to see that a Surrogate has had a healthy pregnancy within the last 8 years, ideally.
Age limits for Surrogates are implemented to protect the health and well-being of the Surrogate and the baby. Advanced maternal age may increase the risk of pregnancy complications and in surrogacy the goal is keeping the pregnancy low risk for the Surrogate and having the best possible chance of a healthy baby in the end. Each fertility clinic has its own specific age requirements, so that is taken into consideration when matching a Surrogate with Intended Parents.
While some Intended Parents will simply defer to their Reproductive Endocrinologist to decide the age limit for their Surrogate, some Intended Parents do worry that having a surrogate older than 35 will mean a higher-risk pregnancy and a lower chance of success. This is mainly down to messaging they have heard over time about advanced maternal age complicating pregnancies, and women having trouble conceiving as they get older. However, the biggest risk factors for advanced maternal age come down to a situation where the pregnant person is a mom utilizing her own eggs to have a baby. It is true that the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs does decline with age, but in gestational surrogacy a Surrogate is not using her own eggs, and so her age is not a key factor as long as she falls within the range of 21-42 years and is in good overall health.
For ethical reasons, and consistent with the requirements of most U.S. fertility clinics, we have an Intended Parent maximum age of 55 years for individuals, or a combined age of 110 years with couples. This age limit is set to protect the child and the Intended Parents by taking into consideration key factors which include their health, longevity in caregiving and emotional readiness to care for a child especially in infancy, and all the way through to adulthood.
While it’s often said that age is just a number, when it comes to family-building- age is an important consideration whether you’re looking to become a Surrogate, or grow your family through surrogacy. Age plays a valuable role in a person’s stability, resources, health, and daily life. We look forward to getting to know you at Hatch and helping you navigate your surrogacy journey with expert support every step of the way.