Requirements for Being a Surrogate
Health Requirements
From a medical health standpoint, there are a variety of surrogate qualifications that participants must meet, regarding age, weight, past pregnancies and lifestyle habits. These include:
- Being between the ages of 21-40
- A BMI no higher than 33
- A history of giving birth to and now be raising at least one child of your own
- No major complications during previous pregnancies or deliveries
- NON-smoker
- NOT taking any illegal substances or medications that have not been prescribed by a physician
Lifestyle Requirements
There are additional requirements beyond the physical, too. In order to serve as a surrogate with ISC, you also need to fit the following characteristics:
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Have a positive support system to help you throughout the surrogacy
- Reliable transportation for appointments
Ultimately, surrogates need to be in a position where they can handle the additional time and preparation involved with the surrogacy journey. We recommend that women apply when they know they have the time and support they need to make the surrogacy journey a priority.
Financial Requirements
Although surrogacy provides compensation in a variety of ways, surrogates should be able to afford to live their lives otherwise. Surrogacy should not be the only form of income. We may consider applicants who receive government assistance, but it depends on the type and extent of the assistance. While the surrogacy compensation covers appointments, procedures, and stipends for clothing and other needs, we expect that our surrogates can still generally support their families with other income.
Legal Requirements
Given that surrogacy is a fairly new concept for the law, rules from state to state can vary significantly. In many states, gestational carrier requirements include proving that surrogates are over age 21, have had a child before, and can go through a physical and mental health screening. These screenings confirm that surrogates can handle the physical and mental stress of the IVF process and pregnancy. We also perform a background screening, and we may restrict applicants who have criminal records.
Requirements by State
Our surrogate criteria also involves living in a U.S. state that is friendly to surrogacy. Although state laws may have a lot of similarities, some states simplify the process more than others. For example, some states allow legal representatives to start establishing parental rights for the intended parents prior to the end of the pregnancy, while other states require this paperwork to start after the birth. Some states set limits on the intended parents, as well.
