Why Gestational Surrogacy Screening Matters for Surrogates and Intended Parents Alike

Before any gestational surrogacy journey begins, every potential gestational carrier undergoes a thorough screening process to confirm her readiness for the experience. This process goes beyond basic qualifications—it ensures the journey will be as safe, stable, and well-supported as possible through comprehensive medical, lifestyle, and psychological evaluations. These reviews protect the surrogate and baby's health and give intended parents confidence that every safeguard is in place from the start. 

In this blog post, we'll explore why gestational surrogacy screening is so important, how each step contributes to a successful outcome, and the role that agencies like Circle Surrogacy play in maintaining the highest standards of care. 

Meeting Standard Requirements

Before a potential gestational carrier even completes their surrogate application, we will first ask whether or not they meet a handful of standard qualifications that determine whether or not she is a good candidate for surrogacy. These requirements were created under the guidance of fertility clinics and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and help initially vet potentially successful candidates.

Personal and Health Requirements 

• Be between 21 and 42 years of age

• Has delivered a child and is currently parenting at least one child

• Has a documented history of uncomplicated pregnancies and births

• Has a Body Mass Index (BMI) lower than 33 

• Resides in the United States in a surrogate-friendly state (we cannot accept gestational carriers who reside in Nebraska or Louisiana)

Financial Requirements

• Does not participate in the following government aid programs: cash assistance, welfare, public housing, and Section 8.

• All other forms of government assistance will be considered on a case-by-case basis

Lifestyle and Support Requirements 

• Has the support of her family; if married or partnered, the surrogate must have her partner's support

• Has a high school diploma or GED

• Be willing to travel to a fertility clinic for the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) process

• Does not use illegal drugs, smoke cigarettes, or abuse alcohol

If a potential applicant meets these surrogate requirements, then we invite her to fill out the application, so we can get to know her better!

Prescreening

After finishing the surrogate application, prospective carriers will be granted access to our surrogate portal to complete additional paperwork that helps us better assess their candidacy for becoming a surrogate.

We will gather information to confirm certain health and personal requirements, financial requirements, and lifestyle and support requirements. Our Prescreening process helps us rule out whether or not an applicant is a viable surrogacy candidate based on some easy-to-gather facts regarding her health and financial status.

If she seems like a good fit for gestational surrogacy after the Prescreening process and still feels it is a good fit for her life, then we will progress her on to the second step of the surrogacy process: the Surrogacy Consultation with a licensed mental health professional.

Surrogacy Consultation

We have all of our gestational surrogates undergo a consultation with a licensed mental health professional, who is experienced in speaking with and screening surrogate candidates. The screening can last approximately 2 hours, but it can be split into two shorter appointments if needed.

During the Surrogacy Consultation, potential surrogates will answer questions and share information on the following:

• Her motivation for wanting to become a surrogate

• Her pregnancy history

• Her family and interpersonal relationships

• Any hobbies, interests, and life experiences

• Who her support network will be, including identifying her Primary Support Person

During this phase of the surrogacy process, her Primary Support Person will undergo a separate screening with a licensed mental health professional to make sure they are ready to take on the very important role of supporting the gestational surrogate through her journey.

Psychological Assessment

Because gestational surrogates experience physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy, mental health is just as important as physical health. Therefore, the third and final step in the Surrogate Screening Process is a psychological assessment. Each surrogate will complete psychological testing through the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), which takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The PAI results are then interpreted by a licensed psychologist and help to confirm a surrogate's emotional and psychological readiness to proceed with a surrogacy journey.

Why Do We Do All of This?

At Circle, we practice a high-quality process for screening our surrogates. Why? To ensure everyone is getting the best possible outcome from the surrogacy journey. 

For the gestational surrogates, the screening process ensures that the surrogacy journey is something that will complement their life. The surrogacy should only add to their current life and not detract from it. Our 3-step screening process ensures the surrogate is properly informed about what the journey entails and that surrogacy is the right fit for her and her family.

For intended parents, our thorough screening process gives them peace of mind that the future of their family is in the best care with the highest chances of success. In fact, in accordance with our requirements and 3-step screening process, 99.1% of our parents have brought home babies.

Our gestational screening process also ensures that intended parents and surrogates are set up to get their best possible match the first time around, reducing the number of rematches. Because the screening process is so comprehensive, it really helps safeguard our MatchMade™ process, finding matches between surrogates and intended parents who are aligned on important decisions such as termination, levels of communication during and after pregnancy, and more. 

Is Surrogacy Right for You?

Becoming a gestational surrogate is an incredible experience for everyone involved—the intended parents and the surrogate and her family. Gestational surrogacy means giving someone else the remarkable gift of bringing a child into the world. 

If you meet our initial list of requirements and are interested in applying to become a surrogate, you can fill out an online form. The application takes just 10 minutes, and you will be contacted within about 24 hours with next steps! 

Likewise, if you are interested in becoming parents through the incredible journey of surrogacy, you can connect with our team to get started!