Surrogacy exists to support infertile couples, who in 2002 made up as much as two percent of the population, according to Surrogacy Solutions, LLC. Surrogate mothers also help gay and lesbian families who face additional barriers to completing their families. Many couples turn to surrogacy after a series of failed attempts to conceive. Some feel surrogacy is faster and more dependable than adoption. Because surrogacy agencies are in the business of creating life, the women who fill surrogacy roles must meet a rigorous set of requirements.
Healthy Previous Pregnancy
Most surrogacy agencies will only work with women who have already delivered at least one healthy child, according to Surrogacy Solutions, LLC . Fertility and pregnancy are different for each woman, and the easiest way for an agency or couple to determine if a woman can carry a baby to full term is to choose a surrogate who has already done so. Couples who choose surrogates on their own, without an agency, may chose whomever they like, but women applying to agencies generally must have successfully completed a pregnancy.
Age
While age requirements vary from agency to agency, the average age range for surrogate mothers is between 21 and 36. These are the peak fertile years for most women and the years in which age-related complications are the lowest. Some agencies allow women to be surrogates at 18 and others evaluate women over 35 on a case-by-case basis.
Willingness to Undergo Fertility Treatments
Women who wish to be surrogates must understand and agree to fertility tests and treatments. The couple may wish that you carry their created embryo or that you be inseminated with the male partner's sperm. In many cases, this means that surrogates must go through hormone therapies and fertility treatments, often for months, before becoming pregnant. The surrogate must have the availability to make this process a priority regardless of other work and family obligations.
Sucessful Medical and Psychological Screening
Surrogate mothers must be in peak physical condition to help ensure a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby. The surrogate and her partner must undergo testing for sexually transmitted diseases. The mother must also pass a rigorous physical examination. Blood tests determine the genetic comparability and screen for potential genetic disorders that could arise from using a specific surrogate. Once the surrogate passes the medical screening, all parties must participate in a psychological screening to make sure each understands the implications of the process and is mentally and emotionally fit to proceed.
Successful Background Check
The surrogate and her partner must then participate in a a complete background check. Sometimes this screening includes a credit check. These screenings, along with the psychological profile, help determine a surrogate's motives for donating her body, and in some case her own baby, to help an infertile couple. Thorough criminal background checks help assure that all parties are working in the best interest of the intended family and not for financial gain.
Understanding of Legal Ramifications
Surrogates and families must develop long, specific contracts that work out every detail of the process. Contracts don't just help ensure that the surrogate mother will relinquish the baby (the laws in many states allow a surrogate to change her mind and keep the child), but they also outline who will pay medical expenses, where the baby will be born and how well the intended parents are able to financially support the child. Some contracts are even specific enough include what the mother should eat and how she should care for herself during the pregnancy. Surrogates must be willing to agree to any stipulations put forth by the intended parents before becoming pregnant, according to the Center for Surrogate Parenting, Inc.
