What are the Requirements?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that happens for the first time when you are pregnant. The high blood sugar levels appear in the second and third trimesters and typically disappear after birth. Rates of gestational diabetes have been going up in the United States. In 2021, the percentage of mothers who gave birth with a diagnosis of diabetes was 8.3%, according to the Centers for Disesase Control and Prevention (CDC).
Gestational diabetes, especially if uncontrolled, can be a risk factor for high blood pressure and preeclampsia, pre-term delivery, high birth weight babies, and a higher likelihood of c-section delivery. Also, there is a greater chance that you will have gestational diabetes in a future pregnancy if you’ve had it previously. For this reason, IVF clinics pay special attention to gestational diabetes if it appears in a surrogate’s medical history.
If you’ve had gestational diabetes in the past, it does not automatically disqualify you from being a surrogate. In particular, if you were able to control the gestational diabetes with diet and exercise alone, then it is very likely that a clinic will clear you to become a surrogate. If you required medication and/or hospitalization, then it is almost certain that you will not be medically cleared at an IVF clinic as a surrogate.
Your history of gestational diabetes – controlled by diet and exercise alone – will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis at most clinics. Typically, clinics in the United States West and South are more likely to be accepting of the gestational diabetes history, whereas a significant percentage of clinics – mainly in the Northeast- will automatically disqualify the surrogate candidate with a history of gestational diabetes. And if accepted at any clinic, you will most likely be cleared for a single embryo transfer vs. a dual embryo transfer.
If you are able to move forward as a surrogate, your blood sugar levels will be closely checked during the medical screening process and throughout the surrogacy pregnancy. At Capital Surrogacy, we openly accept surrogate candidates with a history of gestational diabetes controlled by diet alone, although it may take a bit longer to match with the right intended parents working with a clinic that will carefully screen on a case-by-case basis.
We encourage all prospective surrogates to contact Capital Surrogacy and learn more about the requirements. Please visit our qualifications page and also complete the short contact form, we cannot wait to hear from you!
