An Introduction to the Screening Process for Surrogacy in Nevada

Your selflessness in becoming a surrogate mother is present long before your pregnancy begins. In the months leading up to the embryo transfer, you must successfully complete a rigorous screening process to ensure that you can follow through with the pregnancy. You must commit the time necessary to complete all components of the screening process and patiently wait for your approval. When the time finally arrives to begin fertility treatments, you have shown that you are dedicated to helping a couple or individual grow their family. To better help, you understand what to expect as you prepare for surrogacy, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Nevada is providing you with this introduction to the screening process for surrogacy in Nevada.

1. Meet the Minimum Surrogate Requirements

Before you begin the application process, there are several surrogate requirements you need to meet for Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Nevada to consider your application. It is important that you carefully review these before moving forward with the application process.

To qualify for gestational surrogacy, you need to prove U.S. citizenship, but you can’t be participating in any social programs for financial support. You will need to confirm that you are between 21 and 39 years old and that your BMI is in the range of 18 to 31. We also require that prospective surrogates have experienced at least one healthy pregnancy and that they are currently raising a child.

To eliminate certain health risk factors, we require that prospective surrogates have not had any tattoos, piercings, or blood transfusions in the last year. Additionally, you must have been a non-smoker in a non-smoking environment over the past year. Illicit drug use is also a disqualifier as well as taking medications that could complicate a pregnancy.

2. Submit Your Surrogate Mother Application

Once you can confirm that you have met all the initial surrogate requirements, you can proceed forward in submitting your surrogate mother application. The purpose of your application is to give us a general idea of who you are and why you are choosing to become a surrogate.

3. Visit Your Doctor to Prepare for Gestational Surrogacy

Good health is of the utmost importance during your pregnancy. That’s why you need to visit your doctor, preferably an OB/GYN, to evaluate whether you are healthy enough to support a pregnancy. As part of your assessment, you will need to undergo lab work to make sure you have no diseases, including STDs, and to confirm that you are drug-free. If you have a partner, he or she will also undergo drug and STD testing.

4. Provide Your Medical History to Your Surrogate Agency

Not only do you need a clean bill of health, but you also need to provide us with your personal and family medical history. This is an additional measure to ensure you are at minimal risk for developing any conditions that can complicate your pregnancy. For example, we would want to confirm that you have no personal or family history of conditions such as gestational diabetes before proceeding any further with your pregnancy.

5. Meet with a Social Worker from Your Surrogate Agency

To expand upon the information that you provided in your initial application, a social worker from Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Nevada will hold an in-person meeting with you to discuss surrogacy in much greater depth so you fully understand what you are committing to. We encourage you to not hold back and to ask as many questions during this meeting. Be honest about why you have chosen to become a surrogate and what your needs are to ensure you are making a prudent decision.

6. Make Sure Your Social Life is Compatible with Surrogate Requirements

You might not initially expect to have to provide us with information regarding your personal traits and social life when applying to become a surrogate. However, this information is an important factor in helping us determine if you qualify for surrogacy. We want to make sure that you do not participate in activities that could put your safety and health at risk. Likewise, it would not be fair to have you go through a pregnancy that you are not ready for, and that will disrupt your life.

7. Undergo a Background Check before Becoming a Surrogate

Before we can clear you to proceed with the surrogacy process, you are required to go through a criminal background check. The purpose of this is to eliminate certain risk factors that could make you and the baby vulnerable to harm or instability during the pregnancy.

8. Confirm that You are Mentally Healthy Enough to be a Surrogate Mother

Even though you are going into a surrogate pregnancy knowing that the baby is not yours, the pregnancy can still emotionally affect you in ways you may not initially anticipate. At some point, you may form a connection with the baby. There’s a chance that you might be at risk of developing postpartum depression after you deliver the baby. The significant hormonal changes may negatively impact your mental health and exacerbate any existing mental health issues you may be working through. It is critical that the chances of you experiencing an emotionally tumultuous pregnancy with lasting effects are minimal.

Are You Ready to Start the Surrogacy Screening Process in Nevada?

Although the surrogate screening process can take some time and requires a great deal of patience and cooperation on your part, you will be so much closer to helping a couple or individual become the parents they are longing to be. If you are a woman considering becoming a surrogate in Nevada, and this introduction to the screening process for surrogacy in Nevada was helpful, reach out to Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Nevada today to jumpstart your surrogacy journey!

Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can also call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673 (Toll-Free) | 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas) | 775-825-4673 (Reno) | 775-738-4673 (Elko) | 775-884-4673 (Carson City).

Meet the Author: Mary DeStefano is an Ohio native currently living in northern Virginia and works in the litigation consulting industry where she has experience in antitrust, product liability, and mass torts matters. She holds a B.A. in Economics (‘15) and an M.A. in Applied Economics (‘16) from the University of Cincinnati. 

Mary is passionate about empowering and supporting those involved in the adoption and surrogacy processes. She finds great meaning in wielding the written word to develop impactful narratives and to help people stay informed. In her spare time, Mary can be found beachcombing and going on other adventures with her dog along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. She also has an affinity for antiquing and loves a good 80’s movie marathon.