Surrogacy: The Medical Side of the Screening Process

The medical part of the screening process to become a surrogate usually comes after the psychological screening. The tests you will need done will somewhat vary from RE (reproductive endocrinologist) to RE but generally speaking they will pretty close to the same thing.

Some REs require you to see them in person to get the testing done, others will be ok if you do it with your local clinic and have the results faxed back to the RE. This is something you will have to work out with the RE and your Intended Parents as they may have a say in it because of costs. There are times that going to the RE will save money because they do these tests all the time as opposed to your local clinic who may not do them very often if at all. Again that varies from place to place.

To start with, you will have to be at a certain point in your cycle, usually between days 3 and 7 in order for some of the tests to be most accurate. The general blood tests include CBC (complete blood count), blood group and type and RH factor, HIV 1 and 2, HIV p24 Ag, HTLV 1 and 2, hepatitis B (antibody and surface antigen), hepatitis C antibody, FSH, prolactin, free testosterone, VDRL (syphilis)/RPR, and cystic fibrosis. A positive herpes test will not necessarily exclude you. There are also cervical swabs which are C&S Group B Strep, C&S Gonorrhea, Microplasma/Ureaplasma Culture, and Chlamydia Culture. You might also have to take a drug and nicotine test and other hormone testing for your thyroid. A Hysterosalpingoram (Hysteroscopy) may also be ordered; in fact this one is quite common to make sure you have no masses inside your uterus.

Specific ethnic groups will be screened accordingly for things such as African Americans-Sickle Cell Screen or Jewish-Tay Sachs Screen, etc.

Once your medical testing is done and the results are received then your husband or significant other will be sent for testing which includes Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, HTLV-1, syphilis and a urine drug screen.