Can I be a surrogate if my tubes are tied?

At Reproductive Possibilities, not a day goes by without answering this question at least once or twice. A common misconception is that if your tubes are tied, that you are not able to get pregnant. While that may be true when trying to conceive naturally, it IS still possible to carry a pregnancy if your tubes are tied. Whether your tubes are tied, cauterized, or cut – you can STILL be a gestational surrogate!

Let’s explain why!

When trying to conceive naturally, timing can be everything. During a woman’s monthly cycle, there is only a small time in which they ovulate. This is when her eggs naturally drop from the ovaries, travel through the fallopian tubes, and settle in the uterus. If these eggs are not immediately fertilized, they will expel themselves from the body and you would need to wait until the next time you ovulate to try and achieve a pregnancy.

When becoming a surrogate you will need to undergo in vitro fertilization. In Vitro Fertilization is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) commonly referred to as IVF. IVF is the process of fertilization by extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. The embryo(s) is then transferred to the uterus.

As a gestational surrogate, your eggs are not used to create the embryo so there is no biological relation between you and the baby. This means, there is no impact on your ability to get pregnant as a gestational carrier if your tubes are tied. It may be best to first explain what gestational surrogacy means.

What is gestational surrogacy?

Gestational Surrogacy is the most popular type of surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, the biology is provided by the intended parents or donor (not the surrogate mother), and therefore the surrogate is not biologically related to the baby. Simply put, gestational surrogacy is when a woman carries someone else’s baby for them. This is not the case for traditional surrogacy. Traditional surrogacy does use the egg of the surrogate to create the embryo. To learn more about gestational surrogacy and how it differs from traditional surrogacy, you can read more about the topic in our blog post.

For gestational surrogacy, the embryo will be created before being transferred to your uterus, that means we will not need your eggs or tubes! We will be using an embryo that contains the eggs of the Intended Mother or a donor, fertilized by the sperm of the Intended Father or a donor.

It may be a benefit!

Some fertility clinic may even consider having your tubes tied as a benefit for your surrogate pregnancy! Having your tubes tied or cauterized means that there is no chance of you conceiving your own natural pregnancy while trying to get pregnant for someone else!

There are other methods used to block your tubes to prevent pregnancy, such as Essure or Filshie clips. Some of these other options may not be acceptable for gestational surrogates as the clips can protrude into the uterus and cause issues if you do become pregnant through IVF. If you aren’t sure if you would qualify, we would recommend speaking with your own OB/GYN and anyone is welcome to contact us directly with any questions.

Can I be a surrogate if…?

Wondering if you can become a surrogate if your tubes are tied is not the only frequently asked question that we get about surrogate qualifications. Women often ask about age, BMI, and different personal medical afflictions to learn if they are eligible to become a surrogate. To help women better understand what’s required to be a surrogate, we’ve taken the most popular questions we’re asked about becoming a surrogate and answered them in a blog post!

Still have questions?

There is a lot of information about surrogacy available to you in your search. It is important to do your research prior to applying to become a surrogate. If you still have questions about becoming a surrogate at Reproductive Possibilities, you can send us a message through our contact us form, give us a call at (201) 505-0078, or check out our most frequently asked questions on our Surrogate FAQ page.

Ready for next steps?

There is a lot to know about the surrogacy process prior to applying. If you’re interested in reading more about the process of becoming a surrogate at Reproductive Possibilities, you can do so here!

If you are just finding out that you may qualify to become a surrogate and are looking to apply, look no further! You can find our application here. You can also follow our social media channels to stay up to date with agency announcements, exciting news, and real time photos of some of our surrogates, surro-babies, intended parents, and parents!