The decision making for a woman to become a surrogate is challenging for her. Surrogate mother carrying child/children for other intended parents which is not only an emotionally taxing process but also have similar health issues alike a normal pregnancy along with complication related to IVF process and legal interventions.
The surrogacy process involves long-term commitment which lasts for more than one year due to intervention of fertility treatment followed by gestation period. During this period, both medical issues and the emotional risk of surrogacy affect the surrogate mother.
Medical issues include generalized health problems like morning sickness, nausea, weight gain, heartburn, back pain, swelling lead to uncomfortably to the surrogate mother. However, some surrogate mothers can experience some more complicated health issues including gestational diabetes, hypertension, or potential damage to the reproductive organ.
Before starting the clinical process, the surrogate mother must undergo a medical screening process to ensure her eligibility to continue as a surrogate mother.
The IVF cycle is an integral part of the surrogacy process. The IVF treatment cycle needs an infusion of fertility medication which can cause an allergic reaction. During the fertility treatment undergoes the possibility of getting pregnant is increased. Moreover, the risk of a pre-menstrual syndrome-like headache, mood-swing issues are also increased.
Surrogate mothers also need to bear the problems associated with the embryo-transfer process including bleeding and abdominal cramp. During this period medical supervision is the utmost requirement to prevent the infection risk and antibiotic treatment may require in case of the tendency to develop an infection.
Surrogacy is often associated with multiple birth risks which include preterm delivery, low birth weight, placental abruption, and potential for risk of C-section.
Surrogate mothers need to follow all the instructions given by the doctor to reduce the risk of carrying multiples, which may bother the everyday life of surrogate mothers.
Apart from the medical issues, emotional factors also affect the surrogate mother. Surrogacy creates emotional challenges to the surrogate mother as after giving birth to a child she needs to relinquish the baby to the intended parents.
During gestation, the surrogate mother is emotionally attached to the growing fetus, and giving birth to a child gives her an overwhelming feeling which lasts for a very short period.
Often surrogate mother takes more than months to recover the emotional grief that may create depression after giving the parental right to the intended parents. Support from family and friends can help to recover her. But need to take help from a psychological counselor in case of the worst condition.
Ravi Sharma is a self-motivated, successful entrepreneur and has a solid experience in the fertility segment. and he is the director at ARTbaby Global (ARThealthcare). He is a pharmacy graduate with post-graduation in business administration and has 14 years of rich experience in the field of infertility segment. He loves to write about IVF, Surrogacy, and other ART (assisted reproductive technology) news, issues, and updates. He is a Pharmacy graduate (B. Pharm) and M.B.A (marketing).
His most recent success includes the successful launch of the medical tourism company, ARTbaby, which offers treatment options for infertility, egg donation, and surrogacy. He likes spending time with his family and writing about various aspects of IVF surrogacy and donating eggs.