Health Requirements for Surrogate Mothers in Oklahoma: What You Need to Know
Men and women across the country long to become parents, but many of them struggle with infertility. After many failed attempts, they may consider having children through a surrogate. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma has been helping such men and women create families through gestational surrogacy for years. Our agency connects intended parents to the women who will make their dreams of parenthood a reality.
Becoming a surrogate mother isn’t a quick and easy process. We won’t offer the job to just any woman. There are certain health requirements the applicant must adhere to. Here are some of the health requirements you should know about before becoming a surrogate.
Four Health Requirements for Surrogate Mothers
1) Age
A woman applying to become a surrogate mother should be relatively young, between the ages of 21 and 39. The surrogate’s age will affect the likelihood of the surrogacy’s success. Younger women are more likely to carry a pregnancy to term, and there are less health risks for the child if the surrogate is in her prime.
2) Reproductive History
A lot of people become intended parents due to infertility. Many intended mothers can’t carry a pregnancy to term and, as a result, have endured miscarriages. These women pursue gestational surrogacy in the hopes that they will find someone who is capable of carrying a pregnancy to term without complications.
When searching for gestational surrogates, we typically consider recruiting women who have children of their own. We’ll evaluate their reproductive history and gather information on their prior pregnancies. Were there any complications? Were the children born prematurely? Are the children healthy? Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma wants the surrogacy to be successful and knowing a potential surrogate’s reproductive history will give everyone a sense of certainty.
Also, if you have a sexually-transmitted disease (STD), you will not be considered for surrogacy. We don’t want to risk passing the disease to the child.
3) Drugs and Alcohol
If a surrogate smokes or drinks alcohol during the surrogacy journey, it will have a negative impact on the child’s health and well-being. Because of this, the surrogate must refrain from smoking and drinking during the pregnancy. She should also refrain from using illegal drugs and other substances.
If you are a smoker, you need to stop smoking one year prior to applying. You should also avoid inhaling secondhand smoke. You can do this by avoiding homes and public spaces where smoking is commonplace.
4) Healthy Habits During the Pregnancy
If you are selected and matched, you will have to maintain your health – and, thus, the child’s health – during the nine-month pregnancy. This entails eating healthy and seeing an obstetrician regularly. You should also consider taking prenatal vitamins. Exercising is also a good idea, but you should be careful not to strain yourself.
Become a Surrogate Mother
If you have any questions about the health requirements for surrogate mothers, don’t hesitate to contact us. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma is committed to making the surrogacy journey as easy and fulfilling as possible for both the intended parents and the potential surrogates. We’re here to keep you informed so you feel confident and prepared going into the process.
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Oklahoma is a surrogacy and adoption agency, licensed by the state of Oklahoma and leader in the community. We assist both intended parents and gestational carriers (surrogates). Our staff members are committed to providing an ethical, empowering, and personalized experience to all involved in the surrogacy process.
You may visit our website here or call toll-free: 800-898-6028 | OKC Local: 405-755-1999 | Tulsa Local: 918-447-7777
or Text: 405-310-8790
Meet the Author: Heather Valenzano is an up-and-coming content creator with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and a minor in English. After graduating from Iona College in 2019, she got an internship – and then a part-time job – writing blogs and managing social media accounts forHip New Jersey, a lifestyle website owned byLong Shot Productions. She has also produced website and social media content forCommonPage, an external collaboration platform.
When she isn’t working, Heather enjoys watching crime shows like Forensic Filesor posting book reviews toOnlineBookClub.orgunder the username “LavenderLiterature2.”