Health Requirements for Surrogates in Colorado: What You Need to Know
Choosing to become a gestational surrogate is an extremely rewarding decision and can change the lives of the intended parents who you help. However, not just any woman can become a gestational surrogate. Depending on what state you live in, there are various government requirements that outline what criteria women must meet to become a surrogate. While some of Colorado’s requirements are centered around non health-related matters, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is here to discuss what you need to know about health requirements for surrogates in Colorado.
Health Requirements for Surrogates in Colorado
If you are interested in becoming a surrogate and helping intended parents achieve their dreams of having children in the state of Colorado, there are some criteria that you must meet first. From age requirements to previous successful pregnancies, here are some key questions about health requirements for gestational surrogates in Colorado:
How old do I have to be to become a surrogate?
One common requirement for surrogates throughout the United States is an age requirement. This requirement helps to increase the chances of having a successful pregnancy, as women who are too young or too old are less likely to be able to carry the baby safely to term In Colorado, gestational surrogates need to be somewhere between the ages of 21 and 40. Unfortunately for women outside of this age range, it’s not possible to serve as a gestational surrogate, but there are still many other ways to reach out.
Am I still able to become a gestational surrogate if I have health conditions?
Many women with health conditions can still act as gestational surrogates in the state of Colorado. For women who have HPV or herpes, it’s often still safe to become a gestational surrogate and help intended parents out. This is because these health conditions often do not affect a developing baby. However, if you are HIV-positive, it likely will not be possible for you to act as a surrogate mother. Because HIV can be spread from mother and child during pregnancy or childbirth, HIV-positive women are typically not able to work as gestational surrogates.
If this concerns you, feel free to reach out and learn about other ways to help! For other health conditions not mentioned here, Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado can answer questions about eligibility to become a gestational surrogate.
How long after having a child should I wait before becoming a surrogate?
If you are a woman who has recently had a child, congratulations! However, there are some limitations as to how soon you must wait before acting as a surrogate for another intended parent family. Depending on the type of delivery you had last, there are different amounts of time that surrogacy clinics recommend you wait before working as a gestational surrogate. If your child was delivered through a vaginal delivery, surrogacy clinics typically will wait to work with you for 3 months. If your child was delivered through a Cesarean section, also known as a C-section, you will need to wait around 6 months before helping another family out as their surrogate.
Do I need to have a successful pregnancy before becoming a surrogate?
Because pregnancy can take a large toll on your body, having a previous complication-free pregnancy is a good indicator that another pregnancy will be successful as well. Women who are familiar with what it’s like to be pregnant are the best candidates for surrogacy because they already have some idea of what to expect. Therefore, women who have not already had a complication-free pregnancy are not able to become gestational surrogates in Colorado. To ensure the health of both the surrogate and child, this requirement is enforced strictly.
Can I be a gestational surrogate more than once?
Every woman navigates a different experience when dealing with pregnancy. For this reason, it’s difficult to make a generalization as to how many times a woman can be a surrogate. If a woman is healthy and has already had a successful experience as a gestational surrogate, it could be very possible for her to be eligible to help out as a surrogate again! If you are a surrogate who would like more information about this, please feel free to reach out to Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado with your situation.
Interested in Gestational Surrogacy?
If you are interested in or have questions about becoming a gestational surrogate in the state of Colorado, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado. We will help to make sure you have legal representation, medical care, and hands-on support throughout the entire surrogacy process.
Becoming a gestational surrogate is a life-changing and super rewarding experience. We would love to support you through the journey and match you with possible intended parents!
If you are interested in surrogacy and want to learn more about your options, contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Ashley Nies is an undergraduate student at Stanford University who is studying Human Biology and Political Science. Ashley is largely interested in various aspects of health and healthcare, and writes about these topics. She has taken classes on rhetoric, ethics and social media in health, as well as other creative writing classes during her freshman year at Stanford.
Ashley is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and considers herself to be fun-loving and adventurous. She values the importance of combining STEM with liberal arts education and hopes to integrate these in her writing.