Clinical Risk in Surrogacy: A Review of the Limitations, Awareness, and Assessment of Prenatal / Neonatal Complications

Abstract

Infertility due to clinical complications or conditions arising due to congenital or acquired absence of a healthy functioning uterus in women leads the couple to opt for surrogacy that involves high risk both for mother and future child. In some societies as in India and in Eastern European countries, Surrogacy has turned as wealthy practice, badly influencing the young minds of couples whom are healthy to reproduce a child but do not want the pain and to waste the time. Many reports do not highlight the associated obstetric risks or warn about the extreme cautions that must be exercised while adopting surrogate pregnancies. In spite of international guidelines clinical practice that advice surrogacy, prepregnancy counseling helps the couple to realize the clinical implications and even in decision over surrogacy. Majority of the literature available are focused on treatment or addressing the use of surrogacy, a special focus on the drawbacks in surrogacy and how antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care in surrogacy is vital are outlined. Also, there are no or limited data reported on the risk, complications and obstetric outcomes that are of greater significance in explaining the health issues, psychological and surrogacy effects on society. Therefore, in this review we focus on the assessing and outlining the possible risk, clinical complications that are reported due to surrogacy. We also expect this essay provides valuable insights and reasons for the individuals clearly indicating potential harm araised due to surrogacy and to limit or discourage the practice.