The journey of surrogacy pregnancy has many challenges. The knowledge of these challenges helps women to decide and continue the surrogacy program. Surrogacy is not only to carry a baby for someone else, but it has similar physical and mental changes associated with a natural pregnancy.
In addition, IVF treatment and legal procedures are extra challenges in surrogacy. The following are some general challenges usually common in the case of a gestational carrier, but it is always suggested that the surrogate should discuss with a surrogacy agency and consult with experts regarding the individual challenges depending upon the personal health risk along financial and emotional defies.
Medical challenges associated with surrogacy
Carrying a fetus and successfully deliver a healthy child after completion of the whole term is a big physical challenge for surrogacy. Almost a year’s time period surrogates need to give and attain all medical procedures involve in surrogacy.
The symptoms of pregnancy including nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, backache weight gain, indigestion, and swelling of hand and feet are common in surrogacy. Even some surrogates also develop hypertension, gestational diabetes, and reproductive organ damage.
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IVF related fertility treatment can create extra physical challenges in the surrogacy journey. Administration of fertility medicine containing injections for regulating the menstrual cycle can cause many side effects depending upon individual physical health.
Surrogate can experience abrasion at the site of injection or even mild allergic reaction. Some surrogates also complain of frequent headaches and mood swing issue due to pre-menstrual syndrome development. Consult with a doctor to control or minimize the symptoms.
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The embryo transfer process also has some mild health risks, such as abdominal cramp, vaginal bleeding due to the procedure, and even can cause mild infection. Medical consultation and immediate treatment are very important in such cases.
The chances of multiple births are higher in surrogacy. Therefore, the risk associated with multiple births may twins or triplet pregnancy causes premature delivery, low birth weight, abruption of the placenta, and Cesarean-section delivery are common.
Medical supervision and follow-up with regular intervals are essential to reduce the risk. Doctors usually provide instruction for multiple birth restriction guidance, surrogate need to follow all the instructions strictly to reduce the maternal and child health risk.
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The surrogacy agency also strictly follows the medical screening process before commencing the surrogacy procedure to confirm the complete well-being of the surrogate. These screening tests can help to assess the challenges in surrogacy for an individual candidate.
In case of higher risks, the surrogacy agency cancels her name from the surrogate list to avoid unnecessary complications.
Emotional Challenges
Emotional challenges also a considerable factor for a potential surrogate. In the case of surrogacy, after close contact with the fetus for nine months, and emotional bonding usually develops between the surrogate and the offspring. After delivery, gifting the child to the intended parent is a big emotional challenge for a surrogate.
During and after completion of surrogacy, the surrogate often has a complaint about chronic depression. Consultation with a mental health professional is essential to overcome the emotional challenges and to cope up with regular life after delivering the child.
In addition, support from family members and intended parents is essential to continue to stress-free gestational period. Overburden of work can cause stress build-up and which can be harmful to the surrogate. Therefore, not only surrogate alone, it is a team effort that helps to release emotional challenges.
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It is always appreciated when a surrogate overcome these challenges and enthusiastically complete her job with the selfless gifting of a baby to an infertile couple or individual who eagerly waits to start a family is a feeling of out of the world.
Note: Surrogacy Procedures may differ in different conditions.
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.