Women who take antidepressants and are thinking about becoming a surrogate typically all have one question: does this disqualify me? The answer is not a simple yes or no, and that is actually good news. Taking antidepressants does not automatically count you out. What matters most is your stability, your medical history, and the specific type of medication you take.
This guide covers what to expect during the mental health screening, what agencies and fertility clinics consider when a surrogate takes antidepressants, and what you can do to find out where you stand. Reviewing the full surrogate requirements before you apply saves you time and sets you up for a confident first conversation with your case manager.
Can you be a surrogate on antidepressants?Taking antidepressants does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. Eligibility depends on the type of medication, the condition it treats, your dose, and how stable your mental health has been. A licensed mental health professional evaluates every surrogate individually. The goal is not to exclude women who take medication. The goal is to confirm that you are in a stable, supported place to carry a healthy pregnancy for another family.
Does Taking Antidepressants Disqualify You from Surrogacy?
Taking antidepressants does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. This is one of the most common misconceptions in the surrogacy world, and it keeps many qualified women from ever applying.
Los Angeles Surrogacy, following guidelines set by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, requires that all surrogates complete a psychological screening before matching with intended parents. That screening does not rule out women who have ever needed mental health support. Its purpose is to confirm that you are psychologically stable enough to manage the physical, hormonal, and emotional demands of a surrogate pregnancy.
A woman who takes a low-dose antidepressant and has been stable for two or more years is in a very different position than a woman who is actively managing a serious psychiatric condition. The psychological evaluation looks at your full picture, not just whether you have a prescription.
What the Screening Actually Evaluates
The psychological screening at Los Angeles Surrogacy is conducted by a qualified medical professional. The evaluator looks at your diagnosis, how long you have been managing it, what medication you take, the dose, and how long you have been stable on it. They also consider your support system at home, your understanding of the surrogacy process, and your history of handling stress and major life events.
The agency’s internal team separately reviews whether your current medication is considered safe to continue during a monitored pregnancy. This review involves your prescribing doctor and happens in addition to the psychological screening. You do not navigate either conversation alone. Your case manager coordinates both.
What Types of Antidepressants Come Up Most Often in Surrogate Screening?
Not all antidepressants are evaluated the same way. The type of medication, the condition it treats, and the dose all factor into the review. This post cannot tell you whether your specific medication qualifies. That determination belongs to the psychological evaluator, your prescribing doctor, and the Los Angeles Surrogacy medical team working together.
The four things the medical team evaluates about your medication:
The class of medication and how it works in the body. The condition it was prescribed to treat. The dose you are currently taking and whether it has been stable. The research available on that medication’s safety profile in the context of a monitored pregnancy.
Some antidepressants have a longer research history in pregnancy contexts than others. Some are regularly prescribed to pregnant women in general practice. Others have less data available, which raises more questions in the screening process. Your prescribing doctor is your best resource for understanding where your specific medication falls. The Postpartum Support International organization and the National Institute of Mental Health both publish reliable resources on this topic.
What Conditions or Medication Histories Are More Likely to Affect Eligibility?
Honesty is the most important thing here. The screening process is thorough, and inconsistencies between what you disclose and what your medical records show create problems that the Los Angeles Surrogacy team may not be able to resolve.
| More Likely to Raise Questions | More Likely to Move Through Smoothly |
|---|---|
| Active or recently treated serious psychiatric diagnoses | Mild depression or anxiety stably managed for two or more years |
| History of hospitalization for mental health reasons | Medication that has not needed a significant adjustment |
| History of self-harm or suicidal ideation | Strong at-home support system in place |
| Frequent medication changes due to instability | Good insight into the emotional demands of surrogacy |
| Diagnosis requiring high-dose medication to manage | Full, honest disclosure from the very first application |
None of the conditions in the left column are automatic disqualifiers without the full picture. All of them require a more in-depth evaluation. Many surrogates who take antidepressants for the reasons in the right column are approved and go on to have positive experiences with Los Angeles Surrogacy.
How Does the Surrogate Mental Health Screening Process Work? A Step-by-Step Overview
The mental health screening is one part of a broader medical and psychological clearance process. Here is how it works from your first application through clearance.
| 1 | Disclose your full medication history on the surrogate application.The Los Angeles Surrogacy application asks about current and past medications. Disclose everything accurately, including any antidepressant history. Your case manager has seen every situation and approaches this without judgment. Incomplete disclosure only creates delays later in the process. |
| 2 | Your case manager reviews your application and flags any questions.If your medication history raises questions, your case manager will talk with you directly before any formal evaluation is scheduled. This is an informational conversation. Nothing is decided at this stage. |
| 3 | You complete the psychological evaluation.This assessment is standard for every surrogate regardless of medication history. It takes one to two sessions and covers your mental health history, your support system at home, your motivation for becoming a surrogate, and your understanding of the emotional aspects of the journey. The evaluator writes a report for the fertility clinic. |
| 4 | The fertility clinic reviews your medication with your prescribing doctor.The fertility clinic reviews your medication information with input from your prescribing doctor and assesses whether it is compatible with the monitoring and treatment protocol used during a surrogate pregnancy. They may request documentation of your diagnosis, dosage, and stability history. |
| 5 | You receive a clearance decision from the fertility clinic.Once the evaluation and medication review are complete, the fertility clinic issues a medical clearance and your journey moves forward. If the clinic has concerns, Los Angeles Surrogacy guides you through the next steps. Review surrogacy and protections under the law to understand what your legal agreement covers at every stage. |
| 6 | Therapy is available to you throughout your entire journey.Los Angeles Surrogacy provides paid-for therapy for every surrogate throughout the pregnancy. If you take antidepressants, continuing your regular mental health care during the process is actively supported. Your wellbeing is not an obstacle to surrogacy. It is a priority the agency builds into your experience from day one. |
Should You Stop Taking Antidepressants to Qualify as a Surrogate?
No. Never stop taking prescribed medication without consulting your doctor first. Stopping antidepressants to try to qualify for surrogacy does not necessarily help your application and may make things worse.
Stopping antidepressants without medical supervision can cause withdrawal effects and mood instability. A surrogate who abruptly stops medication to pass a screening and then restarts it, or who becomes destabilized during the journey, creates a situation that is far more difficult to manage than disclosed medication history would have been from the start.
If you are curious about whether it makes sense to adjust your medication before applying, that is a conversation for your prescribing doctor, not a surrogacy agency. Your doctor knows your full history. Any personal medication decisions belong to that relationship.
What Should You Disclose on Your Surrogate Application?
Disclose everything. Current medications, past medications, current and past diagnoses, therapy you are in or have been in, and any mental health history that feels relevant. The agency asks these questions to build a complete picture so it can support you properly, not to look for reasons to reject you.
Surrogates who are upfront about their mental health history and demonstrate stability, good insight, and a strong support system regularly receive clearance. Women who omit information and have it surface later in the medical review face delays, loss of their match, and in some cases disqualification that would not have happened with honest disclosure from the start.
Your Los Angeles Surrogacy case manager has worked with surrogates in every possible situation and wants to help you get qualified, get matched, and stay healthy throughout the journey. The application and the intake conversation are safe places to be honest. For a full picture of what the process involves financially and logistically, review the surrogate compensation guide before your first call.
Frequently Asked Questions: Surrogates and Antidepressants
Can you be a surrogate if you take antidepressants?
Taking antidepressants does not automatically disqualify you from becoming a surrogate. Eligibility depends on the type of medication, the condition it treats, the dose, and your stability over time. A licensed mental health professional evaluates every surrogate individually. Most surrogates who take antidepressants for mild depression or anxiety that is well-managed are approved.
What mental health conditions disqualify you from being a surrogate?
There is no single condition that is an automatic disqualifier in every case. However, conditions that require significant psychiatric treatment, have involved hospitalization, or are not currently stable create more questions in the screening process. The psychological evaluation reviews your full history and current stability. The fertility clinic makes the final medical determination.
Do you have to disclose antidepressants on a surrogate application?
Yes. All current and recent medications must be disclosed on your surrogate application. Leaving information out creates problems later in the medical review process and can result in disqualification that would not have occurred with honest disclosure. Your case manager uses this information to support you through the process, never to judge you.
Can you continue taking antidepressants while pregnant as a surrogate?
Whether you continue your current medication during a surrogate pregnancy is a decision made in collaboration with your prescribing doctor and the fertility clinic’s medical team. Some medications are used in pregnancy contexts regularly. Others require closer review. Your doctor and the fertility clinic work through this together before your journey begins.
Does Los Angeles Surrogacy provide mental health support during the journey?
Yes. Los Angeles Surrogacy provides paid-for therapy for every surrogate throughout the journey. If you take antidepressants, continuing your mental health care during the process is not just permitted, it is actively supported. Your case manager coordinates this as part of your overall care plan. You are never expected to navigate the emotional aspects of surrogacy without professional support in place.
Should you stop taking antidepressants before applying to be a surrogate?
No. Do not stop prescribed medication to try to qualify for surrogacy. Stopping antidepressants without medical supervision can cause withdrawal effects and destabilization, which creates a more serious concern in the screening process than the original medication history. If you have questions, talk to your prescribing doctor before you contact an agency.
How Los Angeles Surrogacy Supports Surrogates Through Mental Health Screening
Los Angeles Surrogacy works with surrogates from every background. The agency’s case managers understand that many extraordinary women who would make exceptional surrogates also happen to manage their mental health with medication. The screening process exists to protect you and the family you carry for, not to exclude women who had the courage to get the support they needed.
Every surrogate receives competitive compensation, fully covered insurance and all medical appointments during the pregnancy, covered pregnancy necessities including clothing, a maternity pillow, vitamins, and pumps, paid-for therapy throughout the journey, and a dedicated case manager who is available from the first consultation through postpartum recovery. Postpartum Support International and RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association both recognize the emotional complexity of the surrogacy experience, and the support structure at Los Angeles Surrogacy reflects that understanding at every stage.
Los Angeles Surrogacy works with the best fertility clinics in California, staffed with well-trained doctors using the most current medical technology available. Discrimination is never tolerated. The agency celebrates surrogates and intended parents of all genders, sexualities, religions, races, and cultures. If you take antidepressants and are wondering whether surrogacy is possible for you, the best first step is a direct conversation with a case manager who can review your specific situation. When you are ready, apply to become a surrogate and a case manager will follow up within one business day.
Ready to find out if surrogacy is right for you?Read our full surrogate requirements guide to understand what the evaluation involves, or contact our team directly with your specific questions. You can also call us at 800-204-7129 Monday through Friday, 10AM to 5PM PST.