Becoming a gestational surrogate is an extraordinary commitment. It requires not only compassion and dedication, but also careful medical evaluation to ensure a safe and healthy journey for everyone involved.

At Family Source Consultants, the medical screening process is thorough, thoughtful, and designed to prioritize the well-being of both the surrogate and the intended parents. Here is what surrogates can expect during this important phase of the journey.

Why Medical Screening Matters

Medical screening exists to ensure that a surrogate is physically prepared for pregnancy and that the intended parents’ embryo transfer has the highest likelihood of success.

This process protects:

  • The health and safety of the surrogate
  • The well-being of the future baby
  • The emotional and financial investment of intended parents

Thorough screening helps create a strong foundation before any medications or procedures begin.

Initial Qualification and Record Review

Before attending a fertility clinic appointment, surrogates complete a detailed medical history review. This includes information about previous pregnancies, deliveries, overall health, and lifestyle habits.

Obstetric records from prior pregnancies are requested and reviewed by the fertility clinic. Physicians evaluate factors such as:

  • History of full-term pregnancies
  • Delivery outcomes
  • Pregnancy complications, if any
  • Recovery after birth

This review helps determine whether a surrogate meets clinical guidelines for moving forward.

Fertility Clinic Medical Evaluation

Once preliminarily approved, the surrogate attends a comprehensive medical screening appointment at the intended parents’ fertility clinic.

This typically includes:

  • A physical exam and consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist
  • Bloodwork to evaluate hormone levels and screen for infectious diseases
  • A transvaginal ultrasound to assess uterine health
  • A saline sonogram or mock transfer to evaluate the uterine cavity
  • The physician will review medical history in detail and answer any questions about the process.

Infectious Disease and FDA Screening

Surrogates undergo infectious disease testing in accordance with FDA guidelines. This ensures safety for embryo transfer and pregnancy.

While this part of the process can feel clinical, it is standard protocol and designed to protect everyone involved.

Psychological Screening

In addition to medical clearance, surrogates participate in a psychological evaluation. This assessment ensures emotional readiness, confirms understanding of the process, and provides space to discuss expectations and support systems.

Surrogacy is both a medical and emotional journey, and both aspects are taken seriously.

Partner Screening (If Applicable)

If the surrogate has a spouse or partner, they may also undergo infectious disease screening and participate in a psychological consultation. This ensures full support and informed consent within the household.

What Happens After Clearance

If medical and psychological clearance are granted, the journey moves into the legal phase and then medication preparation for embryo transfer.

Throughout this time, the team at Family Source Consultants remains actively involved, coordinating communication between the surrogate, intended parents, clinic, and legal professionals.

Support Every Step of the Way

The medical screening process can feel detailed and sometimes overwhelming. That is completely normal. Our experienced team guides surrogates through every appointment, explains next steps, and remains available to answer questions along the way.

Many of our surrogates return for additional journeys because they feel informed, respected, and supported throughout the process.

A Foundation Built on Care and Safety

The medical screening process is not meant to create barriers. It is designed to ensure safety, transparency, and the best possible start to a surrogacy journey.

If you are considering becoming a surrogate and want to learn more about what to expect, we invite you to connect with Family Source Consultants.

Your willingness to carry for another family is extraordinary. We are honored to walk alongside you from screening to delivery and beyond.

Staci Swiderski, CEO and owner of Family Source Consultants, has been a prominent leader in reproductive medicine for over two decades. Through her strategic vision and dedication, she has developed Family Source Consultants into a globally recognized agency specializing in comprehensive egg donation and gestational surrogacy services. Under Staci’s leadership, the agency has become a trusted partner for intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors worldwide, known for its rigorous standards, compassionate support, and commitment to excellence in third-party reproduction.

Her professional insight is uniquely informed by her own family-building experiences. As an intended parent, Staci welcomed her son via gestational surrogacy in 2005, and as a known egg donor, she assisted an infertile couple in expanding their family. These experiences lend a rare depth to her leadership and have fueled her ongoing dedication to ethical, empathetic, and professional support within the field of reproductive medicine.