Psychological impact of pregnancy on surrogate mothers: a narrative review

Castro-Herrera O.; Ku-Chung E. · Revista Chilena de Obstetricia y Ginecologia (2025) · DOI: 10.24875/rechog.24000102

Resumen

Surrogacy, an assisted reproduction technique in which a woman carries a pregnancy to term for an infertile couple by contract, generates controversy by separating gestation from motherhood, which could affect the mental health of the surrogate mother. The objective of this narrative review was to analyze the psychological consequences of pregnancy on the surrogate mother. A search was conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Web of Science databases between the years 2014 to 2023 using search strategies with DeCS, MeSH terms and Boolean operators. Nineteen articles in Spanish and English were included. The findings indicate that most surrogate mothers experience a positive impact on their mental health during and after pregnancy. Despite the sadness that some may feel about the separation from the baby, the process is usually accompanied by feelings of satisfaction, pride and empowerment, thanks to the comprehensive support received and the good relationship with the contracting parents. However, challenges are also recognized, such as social stigmatization and lack of emotional support in certain contexts, which can negatively affect some surrogates, especially those from low socioeconomic strata. It is concluded that, although surrogacy can present difficulties, its overall impact tends to be positive.The need for broader longitudinal research that reflects the reality of surrogates in Latin America is highlighted, in order to better understand their mental health and well-being during the process.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos