7 Qualities of a Great Surrogate

Do you want to be a surrogate but you aren't sure if you'd be a good fit? Here are seven signs that you would make a great gestational carrier.

1. You’re family-oriented.

Diapers, spit-up, tantrums—you name it, you can handle it with ease. You make being a caretaker a priority because you want it to be. That’s essentially a gestational surrogate’s role—carrying and caring for the intended parents’ child until the baby is ready to meet the world. Great surrogates are family-oriented and love being the caretaker!

2. You’re organized.

Whether it’s controlled chaos or a finely tuned calendar, you have your scheduling down to a science. Gestational surrogates are responsible for gathering important documents at the start of their journey. Furthermore, they need to stay on top of their local monitoring appointments and Skype or telephone calls with their intended parents.

3. You’re open-minded.

We always remind our surrogates (and intended parents) that the best things to do are to keep an open mind and prepare for the unexpected. Sometimes things are completely out of the agency’s, surrogate’s, and intended parents’ control. After all, we’re talking about a little bundle of joy who’s operating on his or her own schedule. Being a great surrogate means doing your best to go with the flow.

4. You’re healthy.

When applying to become a surrogate, some initial medical qualifications need to be met, such as a healthy BMI, a successful previous pregnancy without complications, and not being a smoker. Your BMI should be no more than 33. (You can learn more about why BMI is important in our related blog post.) Additionally, surrogates in our program must pass medical and psychological screenings. You must be between the ages of 21 and 42. Surrogates cannot use illegal drugs or abuse alcohol. 

5. You’re a mother.

As mentioned, we can only accept applicants who have given birth to a healthy child after a complication-free pregnancy within the past 10 years. Our website has a full list of our surrogate qualifications!

6. You’re surrounded by supportive people.

Surrogacy support system requirements are just as important as the requirements to become a surrogate. One major factor in a successful surrogacy arrangement is identifying a primary support person to guide you and be a shoulder to lean on throughout the process. It’s one of the vital requirements to be a surrogate—so important, in fact, that we won’t move forward with a surrogate candidate until she has chosen this person. A reliable support system makes the journey that much more incredible.

7. You think everyone should have the right to become a parent.

And you’re right. Just like us, you feel that sexual orientation or marital status should never be a roadblock to parenthood. That’s why we’ve sought out IVF clinics, surrogates, and egg donors, all of whom share our values and beliefs in family.

Think you’ve got some or all of these qualities and would make a great surrogate? Then you may want to learn more about surrogacy and the incredible opportunities it has given women around the country.

If you want to apply to be a surrogate, fill out an application today!