Today, the use of surrogacy is one of the methods for treating infertility in many countries around the world. In this method, infertile couples get help from a volunteer woman to undertake a 9-month pregnancy. The fertilization of the woman's egg and the man's sperm is done via IVF, and after that, the embryo is transferred to another woman's uterus. Can any woman volunteer to be a surrogate? In what cases will surrogacy be rejected? What characteristics should a volunteer woman have? Join us to become fully acquainted with the answers to these questions.

Medical Problems and Chronic Diseases

One of the most important characteristics of a volunteer woman is her physical health. If the surrogate mother has any chronic diseases, the pregnancy will be dangerous for both the woman and the fetus. Before accepting a volunteer, comprehensive tests are taken from her to confirm her health. Examples of chronic diseases include the following:

• In the case of uncontrolled diabetes, fluctuations in blood sugar increase the probability of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature delivery.
• High blood pressure or preeclampsia during pregnancy are among the diseases that will lead to the rejection of a surrogate.
• Blood disorders such as thalassemia major or blood clotting are considered chronic diseases.
• If the volunteer woman has advanced diseases such as heart, respiratory, or kidney problems, it will put a lot of pressure on the cardiovascular system and will be dangerous.



Psychological Problems and Mental Disorders

In addition to physical health, the volunteer woman must also have mental and psychological health. Women face various psychological challenges during pregnancy, and they must have the necessary mental capacity to cope with them. For example, a volunteer woman should not have problems such as moderate to severe depression, chronic and severe anxiety disorders, a history of suicide or psychiatric hospitalization, or severe emotional dependency. In most infertility treatment clinics, in addition to comprehensive medical tests, complete psychological consultations are conducted to determine whether the volunteer is mentally ready for this experience or not.

Addiction to Drugs, Cigarettes, or Alcohol

Another important condition for a volunteer woman is the absence of addiction to drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. The use of any of these substances will endanger the health of the fetus and the surrogate woman. Therefore, various addiction tests will be taken from the volunteer woman to prove her lack of addiction.

History of Unsuccessful or High-Risk Pregnancy

One of the main conditions for accepting a surrogacy volunteer is having a history of a successful pregnancy. Therefore, the treating physician and the infertility clinic review all the medical records of the volunteer woman and the hospital report. Thus, if the volunteer woman has any of the following, she will be disqualified.

• Premature delivery before week 36
• History of stillbirth
• Severe bleeding during pregnancy or after childbirth
• Multiple caesarean sections, usually more than two

Inappropriate Age Range

A surrogate mother should be in the age range of 20 to 40 years. Of course, there is no law for this age range, and sometimes women under 20 and over 40 who meet other conditions can use surrogacy. In general, women under 20 may not be mentally ready, and women over 40 may not be physically ready enough. If the appropriate age condition is not considered, problems such as the quality of the uterus and embryo acceptance, an increased probability of miscarriage, and an increased probability of gestational hypertension and diabetes may arise.

Lack of Family and Social Support

The use of surrogacy is still not fully socially accepted in Iran and many other countries. Therefore, the surrogate woman may face social pressures. In this situation, having a supportive family will be very helpful. If it is diagnosed in the counseling sessions that the family, especially the volunteer woman's husband, is opposed, the woman has severe economic problems, or will not have the ability to tolerate environmental pressures, she will usually be disqualified.

Criminal Record and Legal Problems

Before signing the contract and choosing the surrogate woman, in addition to all the mentioned items, the volunteer woman will also be assessed for her criminal record. If the surrogate woman has a criminal record, especially in the area of violent crimes, trafficking, financial crimes, and child abuse, she will not be eligible.

Non-adherence to Cooperation with the Medical Team

The volunteer woman and the infertile couple will be committed to performing duties from the time the contract is signed through the pregnancy until delivery. If the volunteer woman is unreliable and non-compliant from the beginning with medical and laboratory procedures or legal matters, she will likely continue this behavior after signing the contract.



Conclusion

The surrogacy process is a complex one that must be preceded by specific medical and legal procedures. In this case, the volunteer woman must meet certain conditions to be accepted by the treatment team. Physical and mental health, non-addiction to alcohol and drugs, having no criminal record, and other items are among the conditions for accepting a volunteer woman. If any of the necessary factors are missing, the volunteer woman will not be qualified.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What conditions must a volunteer woman have?

The surrogate woman must have complete physical and mental health. Non-addiction to drugs and having no criminal record are among the conditions for a volunteer woman.

What range should the volunteer woman's age be in?

The volunteer's age should be in the range of 20 to 40 years, although in special cases it is possible that the woman may not be in this age range.

If the volunteer woman is single, will she be rejected?

No, being married is not a necessary condition. Of course, in this case, the woman must definitely have the support of her family.

After completely quitting smoking, can one apply for surrogacy?

Yes, about three to six months must have passed since quitting the addiction, and complete tests must be taken from the volunteer.

Are the approval criteria the same in all countries?

In general, these criteria are mostly the same in all countries, but there are also differences. For example, in some countries, there is a condition of being married.