Surrogacy Requirements in California
Thinking of helping a couple start a family in California? Surrogacy is made easy in California with friendly laws and an open community. But in order to become a surrogate in CA, you have to meet the general requirements set by law and the additional requirements set by the agency or the intended parents that they are working with.
Outlined below are the general requirements not including any special requirements that a surrogacy agency might have. Based on experience, if you meet the requirements below, you have a very good chance of becoming a surrogate.
If you want to take a short cut, however, you can simply take our short quiz to see if you qualify. We’ll even walk you through the process and look for a reputable agency on your behalf at no cost to you.
Is there an age limit to becoming a surrogate in CA?
There is no set age range and it could vary from agency to agency but, in general, the best candidates would be between the ages of 21 to 40.
Age restrictions only exist because of the physical and emotional demands of pregnancy and younger women tend to have less sensitive pregnancies than older women. More than the age, restrictions are set in order to protect the surrogate and the baby from potential health risks.
What are the pregnancy requirements to become a surrogate in CA?
The human body can only take so much and the safety of the surrogate is of utmost importance. You’ve probably heard of moms having 10 or a dozen children and they’re still up and about and healthy.
It happens but, again, for safety reasons agencies consider pregnancy history and how well these pregnancies were.
- Has had at least one healthy full term pregnancy and delivery.
- No major complications in pregnancy history.
- No more than 2 C-sections (or 3 with OB clearance).
- No more than 6 live births.
- Can provide complete prenatal and delivery records.
Is there a BMI requirement to be a surrogate in California?
This varies from agency to agency but the acceptable BMI is between 18 – 34. Again this has to do with safety as women with higher BMIs have greater risk of developing health problems while in their journey.
If your BMI is a little bit high, I suggest lowering it down so you have greater chances of matching with an agency.
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Is there a mental health requirement to become a surrogate in CA?
Yes there are. A Pregnancy can be emotionally and mentally difficult so surrogacy agencies have to ensure that every surrogate is ready and psychologically capable to complete a pregnancy to term. Not to mention that mental health problems like anxiety and depression could affect the development of the baby or, worse, lead to miscarriage.
- No history of serious mental illness (mild situational anxiety/depression, or mild postpartum anxiety/depression are acceptable in some cases).
- Will agree to a psychological exam.
What are the health requirements for surrogacy in California?
Health is always a concern when women consider becoming a surrogate. There is always that question as to whether their current health concern will prevent them from pursuing their dream of helping a couple start a family.
It’s a scary thought especially if you are passionate about helping couples but health requirements are there to protect you and to ensure that you and the baby remain healthy during your journey.
- Good physical health.
- Not taking medication contraindicated for pregnancy.
- Does not use illegal drugs.
- Does not smoke or use tobacco products.
- No history of cancer.
- No STDs
Is there a financial requirement to become a surrogate in California?
Yes. You have to be financially stable and not a recipient of any financial assistance from the government. We want surrogates who are not only after the compensation, which is literally life changing by the way, but have a genuine desire to help.
Pregnancy is tough. It is physically and emotionally taxing so it is difficult to imagine someone going through it just because of the money.
Other requirements:
- No felony criminal history for both the surrogate, spouse, and other adults in the home.
- Reliable transportation and childcare for appointments.
- Committed, reliable, and empathetic.
- U.S. citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident.
Becoming a surrogate is a noble thing. If you’ve read this far, you are one in a million and I thank you in advance for making a miracle happen. With that, we’d like to extend our services absolutely free to you. Click on the link below and take the short quiz. If you qualify, we will look for a surrogacy agency that will take good care of you and provide the best compensation.
