What are the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Surrogate Screening Requirements?
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to advance reproductive medicine. Thus, one of their contributions to the United States is a list of requirements that surrogate mothers must meet before beginning the surrogacy process. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is a private surrogacy agency seeking holistic care for all their surrogate mothers and intended parents. Since Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is based in the United States, we must follow the guidelines put in place by the ASRM to protect both the surrogate mothers and intended parents.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a surrogate, please call or text us at 303-670-4673 (HOPE) or visit us at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado.
What are the Initial Surrogate Qualifications?
If you are looking to become a surrogate mother in Colorado, you will need to fulfill a list of requirements before you can begin. The ASRM has defined the following qualifications as follows:
- 21-39 years of age
- U.S. citizen living in the United States
- BMI between 18-30
- Can pass a background check
- Free from STDs
- Experience with at least one healthy pregnancy
- Currently parenting a child
- No history of postpartum depression
- Free from mental health issues
- Not on medication for mental health issues
- Free from public assistance (Medicaid, food stamps, etc.)
- Able to travel for appointments
- Not a smoker
- Not taking illicit drugs
- Not an alcoholic
- Stable lifestyle and support system
- Must have partners support if in a relationship
If you fulfill the following qualifications, you will be free to move forward with the surrogacy process and complete a medical and psychological screening. These screenings confirm that you are fit to hold a child and are ready to begin the fertilization process.
Why Are There So Many ASRM Surrogacy Requirements?
These requirements may seem hard to fulfill, but they are necessary to prevent any complications during the Colorado surrogacy process and make sure that both the surrogate mother and intended parents will be protected throughout the process. Many couples that approach Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado are either unable to have children of their own or have tried in the past and found themselves unsuccessful. The pain of fertility complications can leave a couple feeling hopeless. However, having a chance to have a child of their own through a surrogate’s body is an amazing way for them to start a family. Therefore, it is extremely important that Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado secures only the healthiest women to be surrogate mothers.
How Do I Begin the Surrogacy Process?
If you are interested in starting the surrogacy process or learning more about surrogacy, please contact Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado, where our staff will assist you in any way they can.
If you are interested in learning more about your gestational surrogacy 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: Kyla’s life has been filled with adventure and transition – both good and difficult. She loves to take on challenges head-on and lead an organized and balanced life. She’s passionate about many different areas and loves how writing gives her the flexibility to engage in research of almost every field of study imaginable. She grew up very involved in theater and music and continues to use her free time to play the piano and sing. However, she is also very interested in how the natural world works and takes any chance she has to spend the day away from crowds, enveloped in the seclusion of nature. Growing up in the Philippines, she’s had some unique experiences that have shaped her worldview and given her a deeper understanding and appreciation for different cultures. She gets excited about research papers, completed to-do lists, and her morning coffee.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!