Surrogacy agencies have designed standards to help to prevent the surrogate and the baby from having any health complications during the pregnancy and after childbirth. Continue reading to know more about the disqualifications for surrogacy that may have an impact on your journey to becoming a gestational surrogate.
What is a high-risk pregnancy?
High-risk pregnancies are defined as the medical condition where pregnancies are likely to put the mother and the baby at high risk for complications.
There are factors, both physical and psychological, that contribute to developing a high-risk pregnancy. These include some chronic illnesses, reproductive health issues, and mental illnesses.
Surrogacy Disqualifications
The disqualifications for surrogacy include any factor or medical condition that could lead to a high-risk pregnancy.
Here are the most FAQs about surrogacy disqualifications:
Can I be surrogate if I have diabetes?
Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are conditions that make it harder to control blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Diabetes could cause issues like birth defects, c-section, preterm birth, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), an extra-large baby, miscarriage or stillbirth.
Note: Women with diabetes are capable of having a healthy pregnancy as long as they have their blood sugar levels under control before and during pregnancy. But surrogacy agencies prefer not to take risks.
Can I be a surrogate mother with lupus?
Although only half of the lupus pregnancies have complications, all lupus pregnancies are considered high-risk. Complications during a lupus pregnancy include high-risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, and preeclampsia. For the baby, this condition could cause heart problems.
In fact, women with lupus are encouraged to use a gestational surrogate to have their babies.
Can I be a surrogate if I’m breastfeeding?
The IVF treatment alters your hormones and may affect the quality of your breastmilk. You will need to stop breastfeeding to become a surrogate.
Does my mental health history affect my ability to become a surrogate?
Surrogacy can be an emotionally challenging process. Therefore, it is crucial for women to be mentally stable to be able to handle it.
If you have a history with mental illnesses but you are currently stable, depending on the agency, you might be able to qualify as a surrogate.
At Love & Kindness Surrogacy, your health matters to us. Which is why all of our surrogates have access to free therapy.
Can I be a surrogate if I have an STI?
There is no one answer that fits all here. Some illnesses caused by an STI will disqualify you from surrogacy. For example, women with HIV positive or Hepatitis C or B are not qualified for surrogacy because they could pass them to the baby.
On the other hand, if the condition receives treatment and is under control, you might still have a chance. The decision will depend on your surrogacy agency and your physician.
Why can’t I be a surrogate if I haven’t given birth before?
A previous healthy pregnancy and childbirth indicate that your chances to have another successful pregnancy are high.
Embryo transfers have a high failure rate. Meeting the criteria ensures a higher success rate and reassures the intended parents.
I had a tubal ligation, can I still be a surrogate?
Yes, you can. Thanks to the embryo transfer — where an embryo from the intended parents is implanted in your uterus — you don’t need your fallopian tubes to function for surrogacy. Love and Kindness Surrogacy puts great efforts into guiding and supporting all our surrogates. We have excellent and experienced surrogacy agents that can immediately solve any doubts that you may have. We are here for you!
