Start with professional guidance, not a single agency checklist
ASRM guidance recommends that a gestational carrier be of legal age and preferably between 21 and 45, and ideally have completed at least one term, uncomplicated pregnancy. It also recommends medical, infectious-disease and psychosocial evaluation. Individual fertility clinics and surrogacy programs may apply narrower criteria.
Common areas that are reviewed
Pregnancy history
Prior pregnancies, deliveries, C-sections and complications are reviewed by the fertility clinic. A past complication should not be treated here as an automatic universal disqualification.
Current health
Medical history, medications, physical examination, laboratory testing and whether pregnancy is medically appropriate are part of clinical review.
Psychosocial readiness
Programs commonly evaluate informed consent, support systems, emotional readiness, expectations and the ability to participate voluntarily.
Lifestyle factors
Nicotine, alcohol, drug use and other health-related behaviors are discussed as part of screening. The exact policy may vary by clinic or program.
BMI and other program thresholds
Some clinics or programs use BMI or other numerical thresholds. These are not a single nationwide legal standard and may differ among programs.
Legal compatibility
The agreement, parentage process, residency or other eligibility questions can depend on the state and the facts of the proposed arrangement.
What medical screening may include
ASRM guidance lists medical history, physical examination, laboratory and infectious-disease testing, preconception testing, uterine-cavity evaluation, psychosocial evaluation and legal counseling among the screening and counseling topics for gestational carriers.
Questions that need individual review
What if I had a C-section?
A previous C-section does not by itself answer eligibility. The number of prior deliveries and C-sections, surgical history and overall pregnancy history are reviewed clinically.
What if I had a preterm birth, preeclampsia or gestational diabetes?
Those histories deserve individualized medical review. They should not be converted into a universal yes/no rule by an educational website.
Do I need to be married or a U.S. citizen?
Those are not universal medical eligibility rules. A program may have its own administrative criteria, and state law may create additional requirements in particular arrangements.
How long does screening take?
There is no reliable universal timeline. Record collection, clinic review, psychological evaluation, legal planning and program workflow can all affect timing.
Use online criteria as a starting point only. The fertility clinic makes medical-clearance decisions, while program and legal requirements must be checked separately.