These risks include hypertension disorders and postpartum haemorrhage.
A recent study found that surrogates have a considerably higher risk of serious pregnancy-related problems than mothers carrying their pregnancies.
Women who carry their pregnancies—whether naturally or through infertility treatments—are less likely to experience major pregnancy-related issues than gestational carriers, often known as pregnancy surrogates. According to a new study, these problems include postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive syndromes, and severe maternal morbidity.
Careful gestational carrier selection and customised pregnancy care plans for this population are critical, according to the Canadian study’s researchers. The findings were reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study was carried out by McGill University researchers who analysed more than ten years’ worth of data from the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario database, which includes information on more than 99 per cent of births in Ontario.
Data from 8,63,017 singleton births were included in the study; 806 of them were from surrogates. The study found that the risk of severe maternal morbidity for surrogates was 7.8 per cent, greater than the risk for spontaneously conceived women and nearly twice as high as the risk for women who underwent in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Moreover, puerperal infections, preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and severe postpartum haemorrhage were the most frequent problems among surrogates. Additionally, compared to individuals who conceived naturally, surrogates bore a marginally increased risk of severe newborn morbidity, specifically preterm births.
The study further clarified the demographic distinctions between women in different pregnancy groups and surrogates. The surrogate population was found to be more likely to be obese and to have chronic hypertension, as well as to reside in lower-class areas. In comparison to those who conceived naturally, they were also often older and nonsmokers, albeit these differences differed when comparing pregnancies obtained through IVF.
The greater risk of severe maternal morbidity and preterm birth remained among gestational carriers even after controlling for these variables. To comprehend the underlying mechanisms that lead to these elevated risks, the researchers propose that additional research is required.
The greater risk of severe maternal morbidity and preterm birth remained among gestational carriers even after controlling for these variables. To comprehend the underlying mechanisms that lead to these elevated risks, the researchers propose that additional research is required.
Despite adjusting for these factors, the higher risk of severe maternal morbidity and preterm birth persisted among gestational carriers. To gain a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms that lead to these elevated risks, the researchers propose that additional research is needed.
These findings underscore the significance of providing thorough medical care and careful planning to limit difficulties during pregnancy and childbirth, particularly in light of the burgeoning global surrogacy industry.
