Question 1

What are the requirements to be a surrogate?

Accepted Answer

Across the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, the common requirements are: aged about 21 to 40 (each agency sets its own range), a BMI of roughly 30 to 35 at most, at least one previous full-term pregnancy and birth, usually while raising your child, no smoking or drug use, US citizenship or a green card, and living in a state where paid surrogacy is legal. Each agency's own wording is below, with the page it is on.

Question 2

How old can you be to be a surrogate?

Accepted Answer

Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, all state a rule. The youngest accepted age is 20 (Ivy Surrogacy) and most start at 21; the oldest is 44 (ConceiveAbilities), most stop at 42, and the lowest upper limit is 36 (Ivy Surrogacy). Golden Surrogacy starts at 23. Several agencies say a fertility clinic's own limit can decide.

Question 3

What BMI do you need to be a surrogate?

Accepted Answer

Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 17 state a rule on BMI, and 16 give a number. The highest limits sit at 35 (American Surrogacy: 19 to 35; Patriot Conceptions: under 35; Physician's Surrogacy: under 35), the lowest at 30 (Babytree Surrogacy: typically 18 to 30; Golden Surrogacy: 30 or under), and the most common figure is 32. Watch the wording: "under 33" excludes 33 itself, while "32 or lower" includes 32. The fertility clinic that does the transfer has the final say.

Question 4

Can you be a surrogate if you have never had a baby?

Accepted Answer

Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 18 state a rule on this, and every one of them requires that you have given birth before: a gestational surrogate needs at least one previous full-term pregnancy and delivery. 10 of them also ask that you are raising your child. So if you have never had a baby, no agency compared here accepts you as a surrogate.

Question 5

Can you be a surrogate after a C-section?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with most agencies. Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 10 state a rule on C-sections: 8 set a limit, from 1 (Golden Surrogacy) to 3 (American Surrogacy, Hatch and Surrogacy4All), and ConceiveAbilities and Patriot Conceptions say a prior C-section is reviewed rather than ruled out. Every agency that states a rule accepts a woman who has had one C-section.

Question 6

Can you be a surrogate with your tubes tied?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 14 state a rule on it, and all of them accept a surrogate whose tubes are tied: the embryo is transferred straight into the uterus, so the fallopian tubes are not needed. Hatch notes one exception: Essure permanent birth control disqualifies.

Question 7

Can you be a surrogate if you are on Medicaid or government assistance?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the program and the agency. Of the 19 US surrogacy agencies compared here, 12 state a rule on it: 8 exclude cash assistance (welfare, TANF), public housing or Section 8 and review other programs such as Medicaid, SNAP or WIC; ConceiveAbilities and Golden Surrogacy review any program individually; Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute and West Coast Surrogacy exclude state or federal aid more broadly. On Medicaid itself they differ: Surrogacy4All says enrollment alone is not a barrier, American Surrogacy accepts an applicant with a realistic plan to come off it before the journey, and Egg Donor & Surrogacy Institute says it disqualifies in most cases, because surrogate pay counts as income.

Surrogate requirements, agency by agency

Answers to the questions people ask

Age, BMI and C-sections at each agency

What surrogates are paid