SurrogateMothers

Overview

Surrogacy is a highly debated topic in North America. The over arching definition of surrogacy is an agreement by a woman to donate her egg, along with sperm of the intended father, or possible sperm donation. Most often this can be accomplished through artificial insemination, thereby avoiding the greater costs of in vitro fertilization. This woman is considered the biologic, genetic and gestational mother and will carry the pregnancy till delivery, whereby she relinquishes all parental rights of the child to the intended parents.

Types of Surrogacy

There are only two methods of surrogacy that are being used currently. Both are considered vastly different.

Traditional Surrogacy:

The surrogate holds the egg donor and the surrogate for the embryo. Next, the woman is impregnated through a transfer of sperm that is taken from the biological father and placed into the surrogate's uterus. This method is popular to women who's egg are unable to be used or if the man is infertile. This is known to be a traditional surrogacy.

Gestational Surrogacy:

This method is widely used when the mother, due to old age or health is not able to have a baby. Therefore, they rely on someone else. The surrogate's eggs in this type of surrogacy is not used. It is the biological mother's eggs and the father's sperm that is being used, fertilized and then transferred into the uterus of the surrogate woman. This process is called vitro fertilization. From there, the surrogate will hold the embryo during the duration of the pregnancy.

Controversies and Legality

Many countries such as England, Australia and many states across the United States bar surrogacy for pay. This is often known as commercial surrogacy. However, some states such as California recognize surrogacy as acceptable and legal. There are also numerous of countries who do not support surrogacy whatsoever; Italy, Sweden, and Norway are a few countries in Europe that stand by this perspective

With plenty of restrictions, policies, and legal matters facing infertile women or men, many are turning to India to find their surrogate mother. India currently has no laws surrounding surrogacy and is much less expensive than other locations.

Payment Structure

Surrogate mothers are usually compensated. Many are reimbursed with all expenses covered during the surrogacy duration and a "salary". This is known as a commercial surrogate. Other women who choose to do it believe in the altruistic approach where no reimbursement or salary is gained or retrieved for the surrogacy. The phenomenon of surrogacy reaches across the globe and many women who are struggling financially in rural parts of the world such as India look at this opportunity to make money. Indian women who assume their role as the surrogate mother are expected to nurture the baby while hardly negotiating their salary. Most, accept whatever the amount proposed. . However, if any unfortunate and unfavorable outcomes are experienced with the baby, these women who bear the child do not get paid

Why women choose to be surrogates

Studies show women are mainly driven by the money and that is why they turn to surrogacy. However, many aspects such as wanting to give life, dealing with an internal conflict of an abortion from a previous experience, and wanting to be pregnant are all other factors that motivate women and their decision of carrying life for someone else.

Effects of surrogacy on surrogates

Plenty of research has demonstrated the effects of being a surrogate mother. It has been found that most women do not experience major issues in their relationship with their partner or families during the pregnancy or after. Emotional problems tend to subside gradually after birth of the child.

As noted above, emotional problems tend to surface during and after the birth of the child. Often, mothers are afraid of the child being born with a defect. Many of these women take it personally and believe it is their fault as to why there is a defect. In other cases, women are afraid to tell their loved ones that they are a surrogate mother, believing that there is a negative stigma behind what they are doing. .

References

1. The American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol 140(1), Jan 1983, 117-118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/ajp.140.1.117 2. Jadva, V. (2003). Surrogacy: The experiences of surrogate mothers. Human Reproduction, 18(10), 2196-2204. doi:10.1093/humrep/deg397 3. Ahmari Tehran, H., Tashi, S., Mehran, N., Eskandari, N., & Dadkhah Tehrani, T. (2014). Emotional experiences in surrogate mothers: A qualitative study. Iranian Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 12(7), 471–480 4. Pande>, A. (2010). Commercial Surrogacy in India: Manufacturing a Perfect Mother‐Worker. Signs, 35(4), 969-992. doi:1. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/651043 doi:1 5. Saxena>, P., Mishra, A., & Malik, S. (2012). Surrogacy: Ethical and Legal Issues. Indian Journal of Community Medicine : Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 37(4), 211–213. http://doi.org/10.4103/0970-0218.103466