Despite its growing popularity, surrogacy is still a very misunderstood family-building process. There is a lot of confusion out there about the women who choose to become gestational surrogates, especially when it comes to the requirements they have to meet to carry a child for someone else. In fact, many of the women who are considering becoming a surrogate mother having never been pregnant are surprised to learn that this is a disqualifier for the process.

There are many requirements to become a gestational carrier in Pennsylvania, and exceptions to these rules are sometimes made on a case-by-case basis. But, when it comes to a woman pursuing surrogacy without a previous pregnancy, this is unfortunately always a non-starter.

Here at The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly, we know how frustrating it can be to research surrogacy and decide it’s the right path for you only to find out that becoming a surrogate without a previous pregnancy is not an option. That’s why you will find important information about this topic below to help you understand the realities of embarking on a Pennsylvania surrogacy without a previous pregnancy — and the dangers you may subject yourself to if you disregard basic surrogacy requirements.

For more information on becoming a surrogate with our surrogacy program, please call our surrogacy professionals at 814-237-7900 or contact us online today.

Why People Want to Be a Surrogate Without a Previous Pregnancy

The women who wish to become gestational carriers in Pennsylvania come from all kinds of backgrounds. There is no one “example” of what a gestational carrier looks like. The range in experiences and characteristics is what helps surrogacy professionals like The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly match the perfect intended parents to the perfect gestational carrier.

Because surrogates’ experiences are so different, there are often women who wish to become a surrogate mother — but have never been pregnant before. Perhaps being a gestational carrier has been a dream for them since they were very young, and they are interested in pursuing this journey as soon as they are old enough (even if they have not yet had children of their own). Some prospective carriers don’t ever want children of their own and decide that, by pursuing surrogacy, they can use their healthy uterus to help someone who desperately wants a biological child. In other situations, a woman who has not yet been pregnant may be approached by a family member or friend to be a surrogate and accepts the opportunity offered to her.

In all of these cases, one thing remains the same: A woman has a desire to carry a child for intended parents but has not fully researched the requirements for doing so. Fortunately, this article is here to help.

So, Can You Be a Surrogate if You’ve Never Given Birth?

It is fairly common for women to think about becoming a surrogate mother having never been pregnant before. However, regardless of their personal circumstances, these women will not be approved for the surrogacy process by any professional — even if they are comfortable with the risks and challenges presented to them.

Remember, the intended parents who pursue surrogacy have often pursued months or years of infertility treatments before turning to this family-building process. Surrogacy is expensive, and it’s likely the last chance that intended parents have to add a biological child to their family. They want to make sure they have the best possible chances of success, which means they want to work with a gestational carrier who has proven her ability to carry a child to term.

Becoming a surrogate without a previous pregnancy in Pennsylvania isn’t just prohibited to protect intended parents. Even if intended parents have approached you about becoming a gestational carrier and are comfortable with the risks, you will still be putting yourself at risk and jeopardizing your health if you choose this path.

If you have never been pregnant before, you will have no idea of what to expect from a surrogate pregnancy. If your first time having a baby is as a surrogate mother, you will likely find yourself experiencing many complicated emotions. Not only will you have to cope with the physical challenges of pregnancy for the first time, but you will also need to deal with postpartum emotions — without a baby to keep after birth. As much as you may research about this process, it is nothing like living through it firsthand.

And, there is always the risk of losing your reproductive ability when you become a surrogate. If you have not have children yet before carrying for someone else, there is a possibility you will never be able to have biological children of your own. Pregnancy is dangerous, even when medically supervised. While rare, there are life-threatening conditions that you could develop as a result of your pregnancy.

Despite all of these challenges, women sometimes wonder how to become a surrogate mother without having a child beforehand. They may think an independent surrogacy journey will allow them to pursue their surrogacy goals, even if they don’t meet a surrogacy program’s requirements. Unfortunately, if you have never had children before, you will be disqualified from the surrogacy process when you complete your necessary medical screening at a fertility clinic.

If you’re thinking, “I want to be a surrogate in Pennsylvania,” but have never had a baby before, there are other avenues — such as egg donation — that will still allow you to help those wishing to be parents. If you meet all the other requirements to be a gestational carrier, you can always reapply with a surrogacy program like the one at The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly once you do carry a child to term.

For more information about our program’s surrogacy requirements and how to become a gestational carrier today, please call 814-237-7900 or contact our professionals online.