Whether you are looking to become a surrogate mother or you are intended parents wanting to build your family, you should know our team at Elevate Baby conducts thorough pre-screenings of potential surrogates. This testing allows us to learn more about the prospective surrogate, give them more information about the surrogate journey, and give intended parents peace of mind that their surrogate is qualified and in good health.
We understand this testing can seem daunting, but we are here to support you every step of the way. Our Elevate Baby team strives to help you enjoy your surrogate journey as much as possible and give you a stress-free experience. We take the pre-screening journey seriously and understand the responsibility surrogates and intended parents take on. You can trust us to conduct the testing properly and professionally while honestly communicating with you about the results.
What Does the Surrogate Pre-Screening Journey Entail?
Becoming a surrogate mother is an exciting experience and a major responsibility, so we want to ensure you are physically and emotionally prepared for the journey with a thorough pre-screening. This often involves the following steps:
Medical History
The first step of the surrogate screening journey involves the individual submitting medical, social, and drug history information for us and intended parents to use. We also request full medical records from the potential surrogate’s doctors during this stage. These medical records can sometimes amount to over 1000 pages that we review and summarize.
Birth Records
Included in these medical records are previous pregnancy records. This includes all prenatal records, flow charts, delivery records, and all hospital and discharge notes. For previous or experienced surrogates, we will also collect all IVF records, including medical protocols, transfers records and monitoring records. This information indicates past success getting pregnant and no significant complications.
Psychological Screening
While all surrogates must have given birth to at least one child of their own, it is important to realize that a surrogacy pregnancy is quite different from a common pregnancy carrying your own biological child. The emotional stresses can be far greater for all parties of a surrogacy journey. For that reason, it is highly important that surrogate candidates have been properly screened by a licensed mental health professional before proceeding with a surrogacy match. Often, intended parents will be asked to join a surrogate for a psycho-social assessment.
Medical Exam
Once matched, prospective surrogate mothers undergo a complete medical exam to test their hormone levels and blood type. This portion of the testing also includes the following:
- Uterine check
- STD screening
- Drug screening
- Full FDA panel
The individual’s partner will also get drug and blood tests for infectious diseases. This helps us ensure that the surrogate will remain in good health before and during the surrogacy process.
OBGYN and/or Maternal Fetal Medicine Clearance
Sometimes, surrogates may need additional clearances from their OBGYN, or high-risk OB, before medical clearance is issued by the IVF clinic. At Elevate, we always obtain OBGYN clearance letters for surrogates. However, there are some cases, especially in situations where a double embryo transfer is preferred, that a clearance letter from a high-risk OB is required.
Background Check
We run extensive criminal background checks for all surrogate candidates, as well as their partners, spouses, and any other adult over the age of 18 living under her roof. While we mainly look for felonies, misdemeanors, and any misrepresentations in the intake paperwork, we also consider recent speeding tickets or anything else that may signal a lack of responsibility or reckless behavior. This helps us assess the overall suitability of candidates.
Emotional Support
In addition to being physically ready for surrogacy, the individual must also be emotionally prepared for the journey ahead. Aside from the psychological screening, we offer psychological support to surrogates to talk about the feelings they may experience. This counseling is also available throughout the pregnancy so that the potential surrogate never feels alone. At Elevate, we have a monthly support meeting where all Elevate surrogates can come together as a community to discuss their journeys together.
Reach Out to Elevate Baby to Start Your Journey to Becoming a Surrogate Today
Becoming a surrogate mother can be one of the most gratifying experiences, as you are helping intended parents build the family they have dreamed of. However, you may not know how the journey works or if you qualify to be a surrogate. When working with Elevate Baby, you undergo a pre-screening to ensure you are physically and mentally ready to handle surrogate duties and responsibilities.
Our highly skilled and dedicated team has your best interests in mind, so you can trust us to guide you throughout your surrogate journey. We understand the impact surrogacy can have on intended parents and surrogates, so we do everything we can to alleviate your worries and give you a positive experience with our concierge-level service. To learn more about surrogate pre-screenings, call us at (323) 933-8918 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation.
