Abstract

GOUVEIA, Joana; GALHARDO, Ana; CUNHA, Marina  and  COUTO, Margarida. Surrogacy for infertility: psychological aspects - a review of the literature. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2017, vol.18, n.1, pp.248-262. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/17psd180120.

Infertility is defined as a clinical condition with repercussions on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Progresses in reproductive medicine have been enabling infertile couples to achieve parenthood. In this context, medical treatments and the use of donor gametes or donated embryos are important developments for the resolution of many infertility cases. Nevertheless, for several reasons and due to the reasonably low success rate of such treatments, there are couples who face greater difficulties. Among these are those which in the absence of a uterus, uterine malformations or disease find themselves unable to experience a pregnancy. In these circumstances surrogacy is the only chance to solve their infertility. However, this practice generates controversy, objections, and questions and is prohibited in most European countries. The objective of this review is to provide a body of knowledge based on results from studies that sought out to explore psychological aspects of surrogacy. Studies were analysed considering surrogacy as a solution for infertility, marital adjustment, disclosure to the child, physical and psychological well-being of the beneficiary couple and child, contact with the surrogate, and adjustment to parenting. Ten longitudinal studies were examined, with the following main results: surrogacy is considered a "positive experience", all beneficiaries couples show a good marital relationship, disclosure intends to occur at an early age, contact with the surrogate is held, beneficiaries couples show less stress and greater physical and psychological well-being during pregnancy, and adjustment to parenthood is higher until the child is 3 years old.

Keywords : infertility; surrogate; psychological aspects.

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