How does surrogacy affect the surrogate mother?

Hello, I’m currently doing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and I’m very interested in issues regarding the maternal-fetal attachment or MFA that develops during pregnancy, whether it is a natural pregnancy or by IVF. I’m especially interested in surrogacy and that’s how I came across this community… After 3 years researching, I’m aware that every mother develops an attachment with the child, and the child also does. How bonded they are depends on each case, but there’s always some percent, no matter how desperately you were to become pregnant. So in conclusion I know or can figure out that it is also there in the case of surrogate pregnancies and that it is somehow difficult for them to transfer the newborn to intended parents, so what are the side effect of this? Do you think it can cause psychological damage in the surrogate?

Dear Eloïse,

Thanks for your contribution. Well, it is true that being pregnant does not go unnoticed by any woman, but this is in fact the reason why traditional surrogacy is a type of surrogacy that is unused today, precisely for this reason: the goal is to reduce this emotional attachment between the baby and the surrogacy as much as possible.

Still, it is clear that the surrogate is the person who takes care of the child for 9 months and the birth mother after all, so it’s only logical that she develops some kind of attachment or bond. Right after childbirth, however, the most important is to consider the needs of the baby above all. An abrupt transfer from the gestational carrier to the IPs can be a shocking event for the newborn, as well as for the surrogate.

My advice is that intended parents are as involved as possible throughout the pregnancy to make the transfer easier for all the parties involved. It helps every party be prepared for the baby’s arrival. This is the reason why prospective surrogates are psychologically screened before being matched. They should prove that they are mentally prepared for the transfer, and that she will have a feeling that finally a family is complete after such a long process.

I hope this helps,

Best wishes