Becoming a Surrogate: Things to Keep in Mind

Surrogacy is an unfamiliar territory to most women, and naturally you have lots of questions.  The following are some common misconceptions and questions a potential surrogate mother in California may  have … and the correct answers.

• Being enrolled in a social program such as Section 8 housing or food stamps may affect your chances of becoming a surrogate mother in California. The reason for this is that eligibility for most government assistance programs has very strict guidelines on income. The payment you receive for your work as a surrogate mother may impact your eligibility for government assistance benefits.

• Use of anti-depressants may possibly disqualify you. If a potential surrogate has used anti-depressants in the past, most surrogacy agencies will either eliminate applications to be a surrogate mother in California or scrutinize them very closely before making a decision. Expect the surrogacy agency to request detailed records of your past use of anti-depressants. This generally includes receiving records from the doctor or therapist who diagnosed your ailment and prescribed the medication. In many cases, surrogacy agencies will request a written statement from that physician authorizing you to become pregnant as a surrogate mother in California. 

• Oddly enough, some mothers have asked if they can be a “surrogate” mother in California to a child they are currently carrying. This is impossible. Most clients wish to provide their own genetic material to their child created through surrogacy. There are also human rights laws which prohibit selling children.  However, pregnant mothers may offer their children up for adoption. Keep in mind that there is generally no payment in adoption, however. 

• Most surrogacy firms require that if the prospective surrogate mother in California is in a committed partnership (with a husband or boyfriend) that the spouse or significant other be supportive of the plans to become a surrogate mother. Furthermore, it is recommended that the surrogate mother have someone close to her (if not a husband or boyfriend) who can provide emotional support and be available in the event of an emergency. 

• Understandably, most STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) will disqualify a woman from becoming a surrogate mother in California.  If the woman has genital herpes or genital warts, some agencies may accept her application if she elects to perform childbirth through C-section. 

• Some women are anxious about being disqualified for surrogacy if they have had an abortion. If you have had an abortion in the past, this will not disqualify you, as long as you have successfully completed a pregnancy and given birth to a healthy baby since your abortion. 

• Most surrogacy clinics have age limits. Even if you have had a baby at 45 years of age, you will generally be excluded from surrogacy eligibility as a result of fluctuating hormones most women experience at that age which increase health risks to the baby.