Can You Be a Surrogate If You Have HPV?

An HPV result or an abnormal Pap can feel alarming, and a lot of women assume it rules them out. Usually it doesn't. Here's what clinics actually look at.

Published October 12, 2026

Usually, yes: having HPV, or a past abnormal Pap test, doesn't by itself rule you out, because HPV is extremely common and most infections clear on their own. What clinics want to see is that your cervical cancer screening is up to date and any abnormal result has been followed up, with a closer look if you've had cervical treatment such as a LEEP or cone biopsy.

If you've been told you have HPV, you're in very large company. The CDC calls HPV the most common sexually transmitted infection, and ACOG notes that most people who are sexually active will get an HPV infection at some point in their lives. According to the CDC, about 9 out of 10 HPV infections go away on their own within two years without causing health problems.

So a positive HPV test is ordinary. What matters for surrogacy is the health of your cervix and whether anything needs attention before a pregnancy.

What ASRM's screening includes

ASRM, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, lists cervical cancer screening following ACOG guidance as part of the preconception testing for every gestational carrier. In other words, the clinic wants your cervical screening to be current, the same way your own OB typically would before a pregnancy.

ACOG's schedule depends on your age. From 21 to 29, a Pap test every three years is the usual approach. From 30 to 65, the options are a Pap test every three years, an HPV test every five years, or both together every five years. If you're due, the clinic may ask you to have it done, or do it during your screening.

HPV is not on the separate infectious disease panel ASRM recommends for carriers and their partners, which covers infections like HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. That panel is about infections that could pass to the pregnancy. Cervical screening is about your own health.

If you've had an abnormal Pap

An abnormal result usually leads to follow-up rather than treatment right away: a repeat test, an HPV test, or a closer look at the cervix called a colposcopy, sometimes with a small biopsy. Many abnormal results reflect HPV-related changes that are watched over time.

For surrogacy, the question clinics typically ask is simple: has the follow-up your doctor recommended been done, and where do things stand now? An open follow-up is usually a "finish this first" rather than a "no." Clinics typically want it completed, and your most recent result reviewed, before an embryo transfer. The CDC notes that cervical screening continues during pregnancy too, so the goal is to start with a clear picture.

If you've had a LEEP or cone biopsy

When higher-grade precancerous changes are found, treatment often removes them from the cervix, most commonly with a LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure) or a cone biopsy. ACOG explains that LEEP may be associated with an increased risk of future pregnancy problems, including a small increase in the risk of premature birth and of having a low birth weight baby, and that in rare cases the cervix is narrowed afterward.

That's why a clinic will look at the details:

• How many procedures you've had, and when.
• What your pregnancies looked like afterward. If you carried a baby to term after your LEEP, that's reassuring to the clinic.
• Your follow-up results since treatment, to confirm things have stayed clear.

Some programs will be comfortable after one procedure followed by a healthy term pregnancy. Others may want more information, or your OB may plan to keep a closer eye on your cervix during a surrogacy pregnancy. It's a case-by-case medical decision.

What about genital warts?

Some types of HPV cause genital warts rather than cervical changes. The CDC notes that warts can go away with treatment from a healthcare provider or with prescription medicine, and that pregnant women with HPV can get genital warts. If you have warts now, the clinic's doctor will note them at your physical exam. ASRM's guidance says a carrier shouldn't move forward while the exam shows physical evidence of risk for a sexually transmitted infection, so expect to have them treated and cleared first.

What we'll ask you

On a screening call, we'll ask when your last Pap was, whether any result came back abnormal, what follow-up you had, and whether you've had any cervical procedures. There are no wrong answers, and an HPV history is nothing to be embarrassed about. If your history fits, we'll connect you with partner agencies, and the final medical decision always belongs to the clinic's doctor after reviewing your records.

The bottom line

HPV is one of the most common things in anyone's medical history, and on its own it rarely stands between a woman and surrogacy. Keep your cervical screening current, finish any follow-up your doctor recommends, and bring the records from any cervical procedure. That's usually what turns a worry into a straightforward review.