A potential surrogate mother must be in good overall health and be able to carry a child with the minimum risk to her own health. The prospective surrogate mother should be 20-35 years old. She must be mentally and somatically healthy and have at least one healthy child of her own. Surrogate mother may have no relation to Intended Parents. The marital status of the surrogate is irrelevant.
Some medical conditions may prevent a woman becoming a surrogate mother, for instance, if there are any known medical problems which could lead to complications with the pregnancy, or put the woman at risk. Therefore, all candidates are thoroughly tested for any known medical diagnoses. Also those candidates who are overweight, smoke, drink or substance abuse are not suitable as surrogate mothers because of the associated risks both to the woman and the baby.
An upper age limit for surrogate mothers is 35 years because the risk of pregnancy increases with age.
Careful consideration must be given to the medical, emotional, legal and practical issues.
Surrogate Mother Requirements
A potential surrogate mother should be:
- Between the ages of 20 and 35
- Physically healthy
- Psychologically healthy
- Have a healthy child
- Non-Smoker
- No current use of drugs
- No history of substance abuse
- No family history of inheritable genetic disorders
- Dependable, mature and reliable
A surrogate mother screening includes the following:
- 1Medical Screening:
- This involves testing for blood type, infectious diseases, drug use and general health.
- 2Genetic Screening:
- Family history will be evaluated to raise awareness of possible hereditary diseases or genetic disorders.
- 3Psychological Screening:
- The surrogate will be asked to speak with a psychologist to make sure she fully understands the benefits and risks of surrogacy process, and has proper motivations for becoming a surrogate mother.
