Requirements For IARC®'s Surrogates

Qualifications for Gestational Surrogates:

• 21-39 years old
• Non-smoker
• At least one previous pregnancy and delivery
• Healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy history
• No significant history of depression or any mental health disorder
• No criminal record
• Willingness to travel, expenses paid, to a non-local clinic for the medical procedure
• Able to withstand fertility medications and injections
• Healthy height to weight proportion

Gestational Surrogacy is an option for intended parents who are unable to carry a pregnancy, whether the intended parent is a single male, same-sex male couple, or a heterosexual couple where the intended mother is unable to gestate a pregnancy to term.  Gestational Surrogacy provides an option for intended parents who would like to have a child genetically related to one or both of them but are unable to carry a pregnancy. 
 

Qualifications for Traditional Surrogates:

• 21 - 33 years old
• Non-smoker
• No significant genetic/hereditary illness
• Healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy history
• No significant history of depression or any mental health disorder
• No criminal record
• Willingness to travel, expenses paid, to a non-local clinic for the medical procedure
• Able to withstand fertility medications and injections
• Willingness to travel, expenses paid, to a non-local clinic for the medical procedure  (usually 3 - 6+ days)
• All other requirements for ovum donors

Traditional (Artificial Insemination (AI)) Surrogacy is an alternative for intended parents who need both a gestational carrier and an egg donor to have a child.  Traditional surrogates are women who are willing to act as both the gestational carrier and the ovum donor.  There are several reasons why the intended parents may not be able to carry a baby to term, including hormonal problems, a full hysterectomy, or lack of functional uterus and/or ovaries.  In these programs, the Traditional Surrogate would undergo artificial insemination with the intended father's sperm.  As the surrogate, you would be gestating a child that is genetically linked to both you and the intended father.  Our agency does not allow first-time surrogates to participate as Traditional Surrogates because of the emotional complexities related to this process.  We find that it is better for all parties if a Traditional Surrogate has particiated as a Gestational Surrogate previously and knows all of the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of acting as a surrogate.