Surrogacy - criteria for becoming a surrogate mother

The Private Healthcare UK guide to infertility treatment contains articles on infertility and IVF treatment which are aimed at improving your knowledge of treatments for infertility, their benefits and potential risks.

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A potential surrogate mother must be in good overall health, and be able to undergo a pregnancy with the minimum amount of risk to her own health.

There should be no medical contraindications for pregnancy and the surrogate mother should not be a heavy smoker, should not drink excessively and should not abuse drugs.

It is strongly recommended that a surrogate mother should have borne at least one child previously, and should preferably have completed her own family.

Because the risks of pregnancy increase with age, any woman over 35 should give careful consideration before deciding to become a surrogate mother.

Being a surrogate mother is an emotionally and physically demanding task.  It is important to have the backing of a partner, family or friends to provide emotional support and practical help.

Careful consideration must be given to the implications of surrendering the child at birth, the effect on any existing children, her partner and her family.

It is also advisable for a woman considering surrogacy to discuss the matter with her general practitioner.  He may be able to provide advice and support, and will wish to be aware of the medical details which may be relevant to the patient’s future care.

If the surrogate mother is also to be the egg donor, she must also undergo the different screening tests as laid out in the HFEA Code of Practice 5^th Edition (Sections 4.10-4.18).

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