5 Steps to Prepare Your Body for Surrogacy

You’ve been matched with your intended parents (IPs), completed the psychological and medical screening, and signed the contract. Now it’s time to get your body ready for surrogacy. 

At Great Beginnings Surrogacy Services (GBSS) in San Diego, California, our fertility and surrogacy expert Dr. Samuel Wood and the amazing team have made our clinic one of the top surrogacy agencies in the United States. We achieved this honor by providing our IPs and surrogates with all the support and tools they need for a successful surrogacy experience.

Here, we want to share some of the steps you can take to prepare your body for surrogacy.

1. Get to a healthy weight

Every surrogacy agency has specific requirements each surrogate must meet before they can start the surrogacy process. Surrogates must be between ages 21 and 45 (our requirements are between ages 21 and 38) and have a history of at least one healthy, full-term vaginal pregnancy. 

We also want surrogates in good health before they start the process. We require our surrogates to have a body mass index (BMI) of 32 or lower. Your weight can complicate the pregnancy, increasing the risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. 

Getting to a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do to prepare for surrogacy. 

2. Take folic acid supplements

Preparing your body for surrogacy is no different than how you would prepare for any pregnancy. Folic acid is a nutritional supplement you must take at least a month before the pregnancy. 

Your body needs this folic acid to make DNA, RNA, and new cells. Folic acid is essential for everyone, but it’s especially important for women of childbearing age. Getting an adequate supply of folic acid during pregnancy — 400 micrograms a day — reduces the risk of birth defects. 

3. Eat a balanced diet

The growing baby needs an adequate supply of energy and nutrients to grow. 

Eating a balanced diet benefits your health now and during pregnancy. It also helps establish healthy habits that you can continue into and throughout the pregnancy. Eating a balanced diet also helps with weight management.

4. Find healthy outlets for stress

Pregnancy lasts only nine months, but surrogacy can take up to two years. That’s a long commitment for a woman with a life and family outside of surrogacy. Adding in fertility treatments, embryo transfer, and pregnancy can take its toll on your emotional and mental well-being.

Finding ways to manage your stress now can give you an arsenal of tools to handle the stress of surrogacy. Exercise, meditation, and getting enough sleep can lower stress, boost mood, and improve overall health.

5. Kick unhealthy habits

The use of tobacco or alcohol can cause problems during pregnancy. If you smoke or drink and want to be a surrogate, now is the best time to quit. 

Kicking these unhealthy habits benefits your overall health and improves pregnancy outcomes.

Surrogacy is a major commitment that can affect your physical, emotional, and mental well-being — preparing yourself for surrogacy benefits you, the IPs, and the baby.

Are you considering surrogacy? Call our office or book an appointment online today to learn all about surrogacy, how to prepare, and what to expect.