One of the surrogacy requirements is to have already had a successful pregnancy beforehand so it comes as no surprise that a question we hear from time-to-time with prospective surrogate mothers is “how soon after giving birth can I become a surrogate?”
In today’s blog we will discuss this question and also go over other elements relating to the appropriate time to become a surrogate mother.
How long after giving birth can I become a surrogate mother?
The fertility clinic that you will be paired with can impact the pregnancy gap that is required before you can become pregnant again (the time from when you last gave birth to when you can become pregnant as a surrogate mother). Although many clinics will have different requirements, the pregnancy gap can generally be between 6 to 12 months.
The reasoning behind this gap is to ensure that you and your body are ready for pregnancy again. Although technically some women are able to get pregnant within 3 weeks after giving birth, having a pregnancy gap ensures that your body has healed and is ready to take on a new pregnancy.
Do other factors alter the pregnancy gap needed before becoming a surrogate?
Aside from pre-defined pregnancy gap requirements coming from the fertility clinic, there are definitely factors that can play a role in how long you must wait before becoming pregnant again as a surrogate. This can include:
- Type of previous pregnancy – The type of pregnancy you had previously (vaginal or c-section) can have an impact on the time between that delivery and getting pregnant again. Due to c-sections requiring longer periods of time to heal, women who have just had a c-section may have to wait longer than women who had a vaginal birth before becoming pregnant as a surrogate mother.
- Health of the surrogate mother – As detailed in our surrogate mother requirements, women must be in good health to become a surrogate mother. After a woman’s body goes through full-term pregnancy there will be time needed to heal. This time can change from one woman to another and it is often advised to speak with your own doctor regarding your surrogacy plans and if your body is ready for pregnancy at that time.
Is there anything I can do while waiting to become a surrogate?
Just because you may not be eligible to be pregnant yet, due to the pregnancy gap, doesn’t mean you can not get started with the surrogacy processes. As we detailed here in our Florida surrogacy process, the process of getting pregnant as a surrogate mother is the 4th of 5 steps in the overall surrogacy process. That means that if you have decided to become a surrogate mother, even if you haven’t hit the pregnancy gap yet, you can definitely start the process.
By starting the surrogacy process early, you will be able to apply with the surrogacy agency, go through the psychological screening / necessary background checks, begin the medical screening and match with the intended parents.
Additional resources
If you are interested in becoming a surrogate mother, whether you just had a baby or you have had one years ago, and have questions about the surrogacy process we are here for you. At Creative Love Egg Donor & Surrogacy Agency we are available to provide resources, guidance and ultimately help surrogate mothers throughout the surrogacy journey. We welcome you to begin your journey by filling out our surrogacy application or, if you have some questions, contacting us.
