Does a Prior Miscarriage Disqualify You as a Surrogate?

Ask any surrogate and they’ll tell you the road to surrogacy is loaded with questions. Your weight, your age, your previous pregnancies are all fair game — but what about pregnancy loss? Does having had a miscarriage in the past disqualify you from being a surrogate? Keep reading for the full breakdown.

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Does a prior miscarriage mean I can’t be a surrogate?

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Context is key here. The good news: A prior miscarriage is not an automatic disqualifier. Instead, gestational age, a history of recurrent or late-term miscarriages, and/or at what stage of pregnancy the miscarriage occurred are factors that will be considered and may disqualify you. 

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A miscarriage — and possible resulting complications or recurring incidents — is a health event that must be discussed with your healthcare provider. Prior miscarriages are a potential speed bump along the road to becoming a surrogate. Only a medical professional can assess your ability to carry a pregnancy after a miscarriage. 

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Related: How to Create a Surrogacy Support Team, According to an Expert

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What if I’ve been pregnant before? 

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That’s great! In fact, becoming a surrogate requires a previous healthy pregnancy. So, if you’ve carried at least one child with no complications and you are done having your own children (more on that in a minute), you’ve already passed one of the qualifications to become a surrogate.

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However, if you’ve had a past pregnancy complication, you’ll find that surrogacy is not an option for you. These complications include:

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Preeclampsia — A severe high-blood pressure disorder that occurs during pregnancy or immediately following birth. 

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Pre-term labor — Labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

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Gestational diabetes — A form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.

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Late-term miscarriage — A miscarriage that occurs between weeks 12 weeks and 24 of pregnancy.

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This qualification is just one of the basic requirements created by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to become a surrogate. Remember, these qualifications are in place for a reason, namely to protect potential surrogates and the babies they will be carrying.

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Related: How to Become a Surrogate: 8 Things to Consider Before You Apply

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Do I have to be done having my own kids?

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This one is pretty cut and dry. If you still want to have your own children, you won’t qualify as a surrogate. Because of the myriad issues that can occur during any pregnancy, this one is in place to protect what you still might want in the future. If you are still building your family and want to become pregnant, we don’t want surrogacy to keep you from doing that.

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The bottom line: The road to surrogacy can feel long, but the reason health professionals are so thorough is that they have you (and a potential baby) in mind. Want to know more? Check out our blog post, What Disqualifies You from Being a Surrogate? and get more details on what’s required to be a gestational carrier.

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