# Surrogate mothers: blood type + age issues



## Want-a-baby (Apr 23, 2010)

Dear all, I have been recently diagnosed with a medical condition which prevents me from carrying a full term pregnancy  . After thinking things over, we decided to go down the surrogacy road in addition to DE + DS. We've been in contact with an agency and some questions have been raised over the last few days, regarding blood types and age of prospective surrogate mothers (SM). 


Since our egg donor is B+, and our sperm donor is A+, we know that our baby might be one of the four blood types A, B, AB or O /  Rh+ or Rh- are both possible as well. So, in order to avoid Rh incompatibility, we will need a Rh+ SM. However, when it comes to ABO, the agency says that it really DOES NOT MATTER, thus allowing us to choose a SM with ANY blood type. I must admit that I'm concerned about ABO incompatibility (and hemolytic disease of the newborn), even though only a tiny minority develop symptomatic disease. I'm especially worried about the possible situation in which an O+ SM would carry our AB+ baby (this does not occur in nature - and the SM's anti-A and anti-B antibodies could attack the baby red cells, leading to anemia and/or jaundice). Please, I would love to hear any comments on this matter. What would you do if you were in my place? Which blood types would you accept?


As for SM age, the agency says that there are no differences in terms of pregnancy success, as long as the SM if not older than 40 yo. On the other hand, I learned that after 35 yo, some women may start experiencing hormonal fluctuations which can play a negative influence in pregnancy. Please, I would love to hear your opinion on that subject as well. What would be the maximum age you would accept for  YOUR  SM?


Thank you for your help and the best of luck     to all,  FM


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## apricot (Apr 21, 2008)

I am so sorry that you have found out that you can't carry to term - it is such a painful thing to go through and my heart goes out to you    

Sadly I don't know anything about blood types - I think you probably need to get a doctors advice on that one and then decide what you are comfortable with. One thing that I should mention is that as you are planning on DS and DE you may want to get some legal advice with regards to the Parental Order as I believe that for it to be classed as surrogacy one of you has to be biologically related to the baby. Have a word with Nat Gamble on the Legal board and she will help you further as I think what you are doing is technically classed as adoption - please someone jump in and correct me if I am wrong!

In terms of age. Our surrogate is the same age as me so she will be 39 this year and was 37 when she delievered our little girl. I was much more concerned that she was healthy and that she had had easy previous pregnancies than what her age was. Of course age does eventually make all pregnancies riskier but if your surrogate has had a recent easy pregnancy then I wouldnt worry about age too much. Most clinics can medicate the surrogate - ours had odd hormones on a natural cycle with our baby so they cancelled that cycle and medicated her on the next cycle and then until 12 weeks pregnant. There are surrogates out there that have been through the menopause and carry to term!!! So if your surro is under 40 then I really wouldnt worry too much unless the doctor feels there is a problem.

Whatever you decide - good luck hun - I hope it all goes really well.  xxxxxx


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## nostalgicsam (Jul 1, 2005)

Hello,
I know nothing about the blood issues either I'm afraid, as for the age of the surro mum, many clinics accept women into their 40's with healthy prior pregancy history etc.

What worries me more is as apricot has mentioned: DE & DS means no genetic connection to the baby and therefore this is not classed by the current UK law as surrogacy and you would not get a PO granted.


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## Want-a-baby (Apr 23, 2010)

Hello Apricot and Nostalgicscam, thanks a lot for your replies. Right now I'm thinking things over before moving on. Best wishes   ,  FM


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