Finding the Right Surrogate for Your Journey

Choosing the woman you want to carry your child is a serious decision. There are many factors to consider when selecting the woman who completes this very precious task due to the amount of responsibility she will bear during the journey.

Surrogates are often beautiful women with pure motives to help another couple who are in need. They are mothers who truly understand how beautiful life is with children of their own and want to share that. A woman who wants to help another couple have a child is certainly selfless, however, there are a few very important criteria she needs to meet in order to ensure she is able to partner with you on this journey.

The surrogate must be in good physical and mental health, she must live in a supportive and safe environment, and in a state that offers safe and legal surrogacy for surrogacy.

Top Criteria for Choosing Your Surrogate

We will take a deeper dive into not only her motives for becoming a surrogate but also her age, pregnancy history and more. It is important to have everything thoroughly reviewed by the right people before you get your heart set on any specifi person.

Her Age

Surrogates are those in her prime “childbearing” years. So you will need to choose a surrogate between the ages of 22-38 years old with a BMI below 32 – which is going to set your pregnancy up for success. Sticking to this guide helps gives you a surrogate that is in good health and is free of the potential risks that can have a negative effect on a developing pregnancy and baby. Considering an older woman as a surrogate can increase health risks.
Your chosen gestational surrogate also needs to have an excellent health history.

Health History

Once you have found someone who is interested in helping you grow your family, it is absolutely ok to get a little excited! Maybe she is a friend of the family or relative, the possibilities are endless. Regardless of how you found her, it is so important to consider her health history. You want to partner with someone who has given birth to a child previously without any complications. Your IVF doctor will look at her previous pregnancy and delivery records to ensure she is suitable to proceed with.
A surrogate must have had at least one prior pregnancy and raised a child of her own. She should have no history of criminal activity and she must live in a stable home. Your surrogate should also have no history of drug use or excessive alcohol use. Every surrogate candidate will have her full health history reviewed, and she will complete a psychological evaluation to ensure her mental and emotional state are healthy and. It is so important to choose a woman who is emotionally capable and prepared to carry a child for someone else. Any surrogate with any previous mental or emotional health problems will not pass the screening process.

Commitment to the Process

The surrogate will be required to do various things from screening, things to avoid, medications and pregnancy care – the success of all of these will be dependent on her complete willingness to follow what is asked of her.
She will need to take hormone injections to get pregnant with your child. She needs to be willing to make her appointments and be on time. She needs to follow all the requirements that will be outlined in the surrogacy contract.
Some surrogates are open to remaining in contact after the child(ren) is born, however this is something that needs to be mutually agreed upon before an embryo transfer occurs.

Her Family

It is so important to remember, your surrogate is often a wife, partner, mom, sister, friend and employee. She has a whole world around her and her family will be a huge player in the success of your surrogacy journey should you choose to partner with her. Her husband/partner will be her number one person throughout the process, her employer will be allowing her to take time off (sometimes with short notice) to attend appointments, and her children will sacrifice some of their mom as she helps make you parents. It is important to know who her support system is, and how you can also connect with and support them to ensure this is the most beautiful journey!

Spreading Love

In summary, this process can be the most beautiful story of how you grew your family. Finding the right surrogate is the most important step. Her deep desire to help you and your family should not go unnoticed.

The goal here is to make the most beautiful chapter in the birth story of your child.
We are here to help in any way we can – contact us to start on the search for your perfect surrogate!