Gestational surrogacy is a transformative journey for everyone involved. Helping another family achieve their dreams of becoming parents and becoming a parent are deeply profound and rewarding experiences.
Surrogacy qualifications and requirements are determined by multiple stakeholders, from your surrogacy agency to the IVF clinic and your State’s legislation.
If you’re considering becoming a gestational surrogate, review the following surrogacy disqualifications and ask yourself if you’re prepared, physically and mentally, to embark on this exciting journey.
Surrogacy involves strict qualifications to protect the health and safety of the surrogate and baby. These criteria address both medical and non-medical factors that can affect the success of the process.
Below are some of the most common disqualifications for surrogacy:
These disqualifications safeguard the health of the surrogate and the baby, and ensure that the surrogacy journey is as smooth as possible.
Below, we’ll cover each of these factors and explain why they’re surrogacy disqualifications:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder commonly affecting women of reproductive age. It can cause irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, and other health issues.
Those who suffer from PCOS have a higher chance of developing gestational diabetes, endometrial cancer, and preeclampsia. Additionally, women who suffer from PCOS are known to produce a significant amount of the male hormone androgen. Because of this, they might exhibit symptoms such as missed or irregular periods, body hair, weight gain, and acne.
Androgen also prevents the female reproductive system from releasing a healthy egg from the ovary into the fallopian tubes, making it harder to conceive a child.
Hatch services gestational surrogacy, so the surrogate does not share a genetic connection with the child they carry, though successfully carrying the pregnancy is what everyone involved is hoping for.
Although PCOS can be treated, the associated risks (such as hormonal imbalances, fertility challenges, and increased chances of pregnancy complications) mean that women with PCOS are not eligible to be surrogates with Hatch Fertility.
Preeclampsia is a medical condition that presents symptoms such as high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and kidney damage.
At worst, preeclampsia can affect a gestational carrier’s kidneys and liver, cause neurological symptoms, compromise blood flow from the placenta to the baby, or escalate to eclampsia.
Discovering preeclampsia during pregnancy may necessitate inducing labor before the due date or even before viability if preeclampsia occurs early in pregnancy.
This can be extremely difficult for surrogates and intended parents pursuing gestational surrogacy.
These health issues typically make carrying a pregnancy to term dangerous for both the gestational carrier and the baby. For these reasons, those diagnosed with preeclampsia are not qualified to become surrogates with Hatch.
Being a little overweight won’t prevent you from becoming a surrogate, especially if you've had previous pregnancies at a similar weight without complications.
However, women classified as underweight, morbidly obese, or with a BMI over 32 will have to consider their weight to qualify as surrogates. There are medical complications in pregnancy that are associated with being over- or underweight.
Most agencies don't have a minimum weight requirement, but the lower end typically stays above 19 because this can impact menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and lead to premature birth. A pre-pregnancy BMI over 32 can also lead to an increased risk of complications in pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes.
At Hatch Fertility, potential surrogates should have a BMI no higher than 32. Calculate your BMI and see if you qualify.
Due to medical risk factors associated with diabetes, women with Type 1 Diabetes cannot become surrogates.
Because Type 1 Diabetes is a lifelong condition that affects blood sugar regulation, it can lead to hormone-related glucose intolerance during pregnancy, increasing health risks for both the surrogate and the baby.
Some women who do not have pre-existing diabetes outside of pregnancy may experience gestational diabetes, disqualifying them for surrogacy. But sometimes women experience gestational diabetes that does not recur in future pregnancies, and it is well managed with diet alone. In this case, the surrogate may still be a good candidate if she has a recent normal A1c and fasting glucose test.
Risk factors associated with gestational diabetes include:
Because of the risks gestational diabetes poses to pregnancy, surrogacy agencies don’t accept women with gestational diabetes requiring the use of insulin or similar medications.
Endometriosis occurs when the tissue lining a woman’s uterus grows outside the womb, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, bladder, and even the tissue that holds the uterus in place.
The condition makes it harder to conceive and can cause infertility. Still, women with endometriosis can undergo surgery to remove these growths.
Endometriosis disqualifies surrogates because it can affect the ability to carry a pregnancy to term.
Source: News Medical
Although one C-section may not disqualify you from becoming a surrogate, multiple C-sections will.
Most clinics only accept surrogates with no more than two previous C-sections; some agencies will get candidates with three C-sections if the pregnancies are uncomplicated and they pass a mock cycle determined by the surrogacy agency and chosen fertility clinic. However, the exact number of C-sections you can have hasn't been established yet.
At Hatch Fertility, prospective surrogates with three C-Sections must have less than five total deliveries and pass a mock cycle to qualify.
Other severe medical conditions unrelated to pregnancy could disqualify a surrogate, such as undergoing cancer treatment, mental illnesses, requiring non-pregnancy safe medication/treatment, and any conditions that require medications deemed unsafe for pregnancy.
Agencies defer to IVF doctors to set the parameters for the health and safety of surrogates and babies. They provide doctors with medical records to review for surrogate candidates in an effort to mitigate avoidable risks. At Hatch, our team works with candidates to support them through the medical record collection process.
Agencies and IVF clinics require their surrogates to have given birth to at least one child they are raising. Ideally, the prospecting surrogate has a healthy birth history.
Many have questioned why agencies have this requirement at the top of their lists.
Without having a previous child, agencies can't clarify whether a potential surrogate can carry a child to term. Apart from that, it also shows the agency that the women are psychologically prepared for pregnancy.
You must be between the ages of 21 and 42 to qualify as a surrogate. If you are under or over this age limit, there are increased chances of pregnancy complications. However, note that the age restrictions will differ from one agency to the next.
Why does the age range matter in surrogacy?
Women under 21 are generally considered too young for the responsibilities that surrogacy entails. Maturity and experience are crucial for making sensitive judgment calls and following the rigorous schedule and instructions required during pregnancy.
On the other end, women over 42 face additional health risks that can affect both the surrogate and the baby. These risks include:
Despite drinking and smoking not being labeled as illegal behaviors, they are not healthy habits for pregnant women. So, prospective surrogates with any history of drug or alcohol abuse are eliminated from the vetting process.
Surrogates must abstain from tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol products pre-conception and throughout the surrogacy.
One of the qualifications for becoming a surrogate through Hatch Fertility is U.S. citizenship. This requirement is in place for legal and logistical ease.
Surrogacy laws vary significantly from country to country, and even state to state within the U.S.
By ensuring that surrogates are U.S. citizens, Hatch Fertility can provide consistent legal support, streamline the medical processes, and stay compliant with U.S. surrogacy laws. It creates a secure and stable environment for the surrogacy journey.
Surrogacy laws in the United States vary widely from state to state. Some states have supportive laws that provide a clear legal framework for surrogacy agreements, while others have restrictive or unclear laws that can complicate or even prohibit surrogacy arrangements.
Due to non-friendly surrogacy laws, we are currently not accepting surrogates residing in the following states:
A safe and stable living environment is a critical factor in the surrogacy process. While the term "unsafe" can sound harsh, it encompasses a range of criteria that could negatively impact the health and well-being of the surrogate and the baby.
Agencies must ensure that their surrogates live in a stable environment that will not negatively impact their pregnancies.
All intended parents want to be reassured that their surrogate is in a healthy environment conducive to pregnancy. It is up to the agencies to determine that a potential surrogate is committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Women experiencing financial difficulties, receiving state assistance such as food stamps, or having serious concerns about their criminal and financial background checks will not qualify to become a surrogate with Hatch.
The requirements for becoming a surrogate are there to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of the surrogate and the baby. Here are the general qualifications for becoming a surrogate:
If you’re considering becoming a surrogate and have questions about the qualifications or disqualifications, the first step is to start a prescreen application. This application is designed to help both you and Hatch determine if you meet the basic criteria for surrogacy.
Once you submit the application, our team of coordinators will review it and reach out to address any concerns you have.
Here’s what to expect:
Surrogates choose Hatch Fertility for our commitment to safety, support, and success throughout the surrogacy journey. With an impressive 99.5% success rate and over 30 years of service, Hatch Fertility has earned a reputation for providing comprehensive and compassionate care.
We offer top-tier medical support, expert legal assistance, and emotional and psychological services to ensure a healthy and fulfilling experience.
Our competitive surrogate compensation packages, personalized matching process, and around-the-clock support further improve the surrogacy journey, making Hatch Fertility the preferred choice for surrogates seeking a reliable and supportive partner.
It depends on how it was managed. If your gestational diabetes was controlled through diet alone and did not recur in subsequent pregnancies, you may still be eligible, provided you have a recent normal A1c and fasting glucose test.
However, if your gestational diabetes required insulin or similar medications to manage, this would disqualify you from surrogacy at Hatch. When in doubt, submit a prescreen application, and our coordinators will review your medical history directly.
Yes, PCOS is a disqualifying condition at Hatch Fertility.
Because PCOS involves hormonal imbalances that can increase the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and pregnancy complications, it poses too great a risk for a surrogate pregnancy.
While PCOS can be managed in some cases, the potential complications make it incompatible with Hatch's safety standards for gestational carriers.
Hypothyroidism is one of the few conditions that does not automatically disqualify you from surrogacy.
Surrogates with hypothyroidism are typically required to submit medical records from their thyroid specialist and will be monitored closely throughout the process. If your condition is well-managed and stable, you may still be a strong candidate.
Start a prescreen application and our team will assess your eligibility based on your specific medical history.
A prior myomectomy to remove fibroids is generally not a disqualifying factor. What matters most is the current health of your uterus and your overall pregnancy history.
If you've had uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries following the procedure, you are likely still eligible to apply. Our medical team will review your records as part of the screening process to confirm.
No. You must have fully weaned and returned to a regular menstrual cycle before applying to become a surrogate with Hatch.
While breastfeeding, your body produces hormones that interfere with the fertility medications required during the surrogacy process, and your hormonal cycle needs to be fully re-established before a transfer can safely take place.
Once both conditions are met, you're welcome to apply.
A history of preeclampsia is a disqualifying condition at Hatch. Because preeclampsia can recur in future pregnancies and poses serious risks to both the surrogate and the baby — including kidney and liver complications, neurological symptoms, and compromised blood flow to the baby — it falls outside the safety parameters set by our partnering IVF clinics.
The health of our surrogates is our top priority, and this is one area where we cannot make exceptions.
Endometriosis is typically a disqualifying condition for surrogacy at Hatch. Because the condition can affect the uterine lining and interfere with the ability to carry a pregnancy to term, it presents risks that make surrogacy inadvisable.
In some cases, surgical treatment may address the growths, but the underlying condition and its potential impact on pregnancy would still need to be evaluated carefully by our medical team.
A felony conviction is a disqualifying factor for surrogacy at Hatch. Background checks are conducted on all surrogate candidates and, where applicable, their partners or household members.
This is one of the first steps in the screening process and is non-negotiable. A clean criminal background is required to move forward with an application.
Yes, it can. Background checks are conducted on household members as well as the applicant.
A serious criminal history on the part of a partner or co-resident may affect your eligibility, as Hatch requires a safe and stable living environment for all surrogates. Each situation is reviewed individually, and our coordinators can provide more guidance during the prescreen process.