What Happens if Our Surrogate Fails Medical Screening?

Reaching medical screening can feel like a big moment. You may have spent months researching surrogacy and matching with a gestational surrogate. So if she fails medical screening, you might feel uncertain, overwhelmed or discouraged.

Remember that medical clearance exists for a reason. It’s designed to protect your embryos and your surrogate. If your fertility clinic doesn’t approve her for medical clearance, it usually means they see a higher risk for a failed transfer or pregnancy complications.

Below, we’ll explain what happens if a surrogate fails medical screening, the most common reasons this can happen and what your next steps look like. If you’re ready to talk through your options, we can help you connect with a surrogacy professional.

What Happens if a Surrogate Fails Medical Screening?

If your surrogate does not receive medical clearance, the fertility clinic will notify your team that she cannot move forward to embryo transfer. The clinic may share a general reason for the decision, but they often cannot provide details because of medical privacy rules.

In most cases, the next step is a rematch. Your journey doesn’t have to end here, but it may shift back one step while you find a new surrogate.

When you work with an experienced surrogacy agency, the rematch process is often faster. Many agencies maintain a pool of pre-screened surrogates whose medical records have already been reviewed. Your surrogacy professional may be able to introduce a prospective surrogate right away.

Agencies like American Surrogacy use pre-screening to reduce the chances of a surrogate failing clinic-level medical clearance. This helps intended parents avoid unnecessary delays and additional costs.

Why Would a Surrogate Fail Medical Screening?

Even when a surrogate seems like a great match, she may not receive medical clearance. Fertility clinics follow strict medical guidelines because surrogacy involves complex medical care. The goal is to give your embryo the best possible chance of implantation while also protecting the surrogate’s health.

Here are five common reasons a surrogate might fail medical screening:

How Often Do Surrogates Fail Medical Clearance?

Surrogacy has strict requirements. In fact, it’s estimated that only about 2% of women who apply to be surrogates qualify.

When intended parents work with reputable surrogacy agencies, it reduces the risk of their surrogates failing medical clearance. That’s because these agencies review pregnancy and delivery records before a surrogate is ever presented as a potential match.

What Happens Next? Finding a New Surrogate After a Failed Screening

After a failed medical screening, the next step is to find a different surrogate.

If you matched independently, this moment can feel especially discouraging. Working with a surrogacy agency can make the process more manageable, since many agencies maintain a pool of pre-screened surrogates.

Here’s what the rematch process looks like when working with a reputable surrogacy agency:

Agencies with active, pre-screened surrogate pools can shorten the time it takes to find a new surrogate after a failed screening. Instead of restarting the search from scratch, you may be able to move forward with your journey much sooner.

Cost Implications of Surrogate Medical Screening Failure

If a surrogate fails medical screening, you likely have already invested time and money in the process.

Gathering medical records, scheduling appointments and coordinating travel can take several weeks. If a surrogate does not receive medical clearance, your family-building timeline may shift while you begin the rematch process.

You may have paid for medical services, such as fertility clinic testing and travel expenses. Because these services have already taken place, those costs are typically nonrefundable.

Depending on your surrogacy program, you may also need to pay agency fees again when you begin the rematch process. These costs can set you back further unless your surrogacy agency offers financial protection.

Our Surrogate Failed Medical Screening and We Feel Defeated — What Should We Do?

You may feel like you finally had momentum — and then it suddenly stops. A failed medical screening can make the future feel uncertain.

As hard as it is, a failed screening can also be protective. The clinic identified something that could increase the risk of a failed transfer, miscarriage or complicated pregnancy. Finding that out now helps protect your embryos.

If you’re working with an agency, lean on your surrogacy professional during this stage. They can help coordinate the rematch process, explain the next steps and guide you forward as your journey continues.

How to Reduce the Risk of Screening Setbacks

You can lower the chances that your surrogate fails medical screening by working with an agency that pre-screens surrogates.

The best agencies:

• Confirm baseline eligibility
• Collect and review pregnancy and delivery records before matching
• Complete psychological screening before introducing a candidate
• Help coordinate clinic communication so records are reviewed quickly

Worried About Screening Risks? Here’s How to Protect Your Journey

When your surrogate fails medical screening, it can feel like your journey is ending. But for many families, this is a detour, not the end of the road.

The next step is usually a rematch with a surrogate who is more likely to be medically cleared by your clinic. Reputable surrogacy agencies prioritize pre-screening so that you can feel confident moving forward.

When you’re ready, you can fill out our form to connect with a surrogacy professional.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or procedure.