Parents' relationship with their surrogate in cross-border and domestic surrogacy arrangements: comparisons by sexual orientation and location

Abstract

Objective To study heterosexual and gay couples' relationship with their surrogate and their disclosure decisions when the surrogacy arrangement was completed domestically compared with internationally. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) Participants were 40 gay couples and 76 heterosexual couples who had domestic surrogacy in the United Kingdom (UK) (n = 38) or international surrogacy in the United States (n = 58) or Asia (20). Most (75%) of the children were aged <4 years. Intervention(s) Online surveys containing open-ended and multiple-choice questions. Main Outcome Measure(s) Experiences of finding a surrogate, relationship with the surrogate, and disclosure to the child were examined among UK parents who had undergone surrogacy in the UK, United States, or India/Thailand. Result(s) Parents who had surrogacy in the UK and United States felt very involved in the pregnancy compared with those who had surrogacy in Asia. Couples whose surrogacy was completed in Asia were less likely to want contact with their surrogate after the birth and were also less likely to have any current contact with the surrogate. Parents who had surrogacy in the UK and United States described positive relationships with their surrogate. Gay couples intended to tell their child about surrogacy more than heterosexual couples. Conclusion(s) The specific country where couples conducted their surrogacy arrangement (i.e. United States, UK, or Thailand/India) was associated with how involved they were in the pregnancy and their contact with the surrogate over time. Limitations of the study include use of survey methodology and that the representativeness of the sample is not known.

Diversity of international surrogacy arrangements: considerations for cross-border reproductive care

“…As noted by Javda et al in this issue of Fertility and Sterility, surrogacy is practiced in diverse ways (1). In gestational surrogacy, the woman who carries the pregnancy is solely a gestational carrier and has no genetic connection with the child.…”

“…They found no studies on the relationship between the intended parents and their surrogates in cross-border surrogacy and only limited research on the experience for gay men with surrogacy. In this issue, Jadva et al address both these issues (1). Their manuscript compared the experiences of heterosexual and gay parents who had domestic surrogacy in the United Kingdom (U.K.) with parents who traveled internationally to destinations that had vastly different approaches to surrogacy (U.S., India, Thailand).…”

Analysis of gestational surrogates’ birthing experiences and relationships with intended parents during pregnancy and post‐birth

“…In countries where social stigma surrounding infertility and third‐party reproduction is pervasive, post‐birth contact may be unlikely even though the surrogacy partnership went well with a successful live birth upon completion . In contrast, studies conducted in the United Kingdom and the United States found that ongoing contact between parents and their unknown surrogates was common, with some intended parents wanting their surrogate to be part of their child's birth story. In addition, most surrogate–parent relationships did not dissolve upon surrogacy completion, although the frequency of post‐birth contact varied between families.…”

Constructions of surrogates, egg donors, and mothers: Swedish gay fathers’ narratives

“…Previous research shows variation regarding the kind of relationship that develops between the new families and the women involved in the creation of the child (Blake et al, 2016;Carone et al, 2018;Jadva, Gamble, Prosser, & Imrie, 2019;Teman, 2010). While some continue their relationship with the surrogate for years, others terminate it shortly after birth.…”