The Screening Process: Part 3 – Medical & Psychological Clearance

After my medical records were reviewed and approved, I officially moved on to the next phase of the screening process.

My agency submitted a referral to a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) physician through Ouma Health. For anyone unfamiliar, Maternal-Fetal Medicine physicians specialize in high-risk pregnancies and are often involved in reviewing a potential surrogate's medical history to make sure pregnancy would be as safe as possible for both the surrogate and the future baby.

I had my virtual appointment on June 17, and it was actually very straightforward.

First, I met with an intake nurse who reviewed all of my information. She asked questions about my medical history, previous pregnancies, deliveries, surgeries, medications, and overall health. It was mostly a confirmation of everything that had already been documented in my records.

After that, I met virtually with the physician.

He reviewed many of the same topics with me, asked a few follow-up questions, and discussed my previous pregnancies. The appointment was relaxed and conversational, and the entire visit only took about 30–45 minutes.

Before ending the appointment, they asked if I could obtain an updated A1C level. Since my primary care provider had already been helping me monitor my health, I went to the lab the very next day to have it drawn.

While I was waiting for those results, I moved on to another important part of the screening process: the psychological evaluation.

Both my partner and I were required to complete this step.

Many people are surprised to learn that surrogates undergo a psychological evaluation, but it makes perfect sense when you think about it. Surrogacy isn't just a physical commitment—it's an emotional one as well. The evaluation helps ensure that the surrogate fully understands the process, has realistic expectations, has a strong support system, and is emotionally prepared for the unique experience of carrying a baby for someone else. It also gives intended parents confidence that their surrogate is entering the journey for the right reasons and has the emotional tools to navigate it successfully.

Like my medical consultation, the psychological evaluation was done virtually.

Unfortunately...

This was probably my least favorite part of the entire screening process.

When I scheduled the appointment, everything was done through email. Unlike most telehealth appointments I've had, I never received instructions about how the visit would actually take place. I assumed there would be a Zoom link or a secure patient portal, but as my appointment time got closer, I still hadn't received anything.

About five minutes before my scheduled appointment, I finally emailed the doctor asking how I was supposed to join.

That's when I found out she conducted her appointments over FaceTime.

The evaluation itself consisted of two parts.

First, my partner and I completed about a 50-minute interview together with the psychologist. We talked about our relationship, family life, previous occupations, and why we wanted to pursue surrogacy.

To be fair, I had just finished working a 12-hour night shift, so my brain wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders. I definitely felt more forgetful than usual.

During the interview, the psychologist also brought up what she described as an "issue" in our relationship.

The problem was...

It wasn't actually something we had experienced.

Looking back, I think she may have intentionally presented that information to see how we would respond as a couple and whether our answers aligned. Whether that was part of her assessment or simply a misunderstanding, I'm honestly not sure. Either way, it caught us off guard.

After our interview, I was assigned a 344-question Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI).

Despite the intimidating number of questions, it actually went pretty quickly. Most of the questions were short, straightforward, and repetitive by design. I completed the entire assessment on my laptop and submitted it without any issues—or so I thought.

The following week, I received an email stating that I hadn't finished the assessment.

The psychologist was fairly accusatory, telling me I needed to complete it and suggesting that I should use a laptop instead of my phone.

The only problem was...

I had used my laptop.

I knew I had completed every question before submitting it.

Thankfully, after I explained what had happened, she contacted the testing center to investigate.

It turned out the problem wasn't on my end at all.

When they sent me a new link and I opened it, a message immediately appeared stating that I had already completed the assessment. The issue had been with the testing platform, not my submission.

That was definitely a relief.

Once everything was sorted out and my assessment was officially received, I was notified that I had successfully passed my psychological evaluation.

One more box checked.

Every appointment, lab, and evaluation brought me one step closer to becoming a surrogate. While not every part of the process was enjoyable, I appreciated knowing that each step existed for a reason. Surrogacy involves so much trust—from the intended parents, the agency, and the medical team—and these evaluations help ensure everyone is prepared for the journey ahead.