Surrogacy is a profound act of generosity that changes lives. Beyond carrying a child, it offers hope to people facing infertility, and it asks for physical resilience and emotional stability from the surrogate.
Surrogate requirements: are you eligible?
Royal Surrogacy and our partner clinics follow American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) guidelines.
Basic qualifications
- Age: 21–36
- Pregnancy history: at least one full-term pregnancy without complications
- Parenting: currently raising at least one child
- BMI: under 32
- Residency: U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident for at least two years
- Driver’s license: required for travel to appointments
- Location: a surrogacy-friendly state (not Michigan, Louisiana or Nebraska)
- Health: non-smoker, no drug use, excellent physical and mental health
- Support: strong support from family or a partner
- Background check: including your spouse or partner if applicable
Conditions that usually disqualify
- Pregnancy and gynecological history: PCOS, endometriosis, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes (unless diet-controlled), more than two C-sections, a preterm delivery, uterine abnormalities or surgery including Essure
- Medical history: cancer, lupus, hepatitis C, HIV, type 1 or 2 diabetes, sickle cell disease
- Other: substance abuse history, certain antidepressants or antipsychotics, no stable home, no support from a spouse or partner
Some conditions can be reevaluated. If you’re close to meeting the criteria, apply anyway.
Emotional and psychological readiness
A mental health professional will talk with you about your motivations, your emotional experience of past pregnancies, your support network, and your understanding of the process and its challenges.
The surrogate process step by step
| Stage | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Application | 20–30 minutes |
| Consultation | Within 48 hours |
| Pre-screening | 2–4 weeks |
| Matching | 2–3 weeks |
| Medical screening | 4–6 weeks |
| Legal contracts | 2–4 weeks |
| Embryo transfer | 5–8 weeks |
| Pregnancy | 9–10 months |
| Delivery and beyond | Ongoing |
See the surrogacy process and surrogate pay and benefits.
Take the first step
If you meet the criteria and feel called to help create a family, start your application.