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Commissioning Parents' Experiences with International Surrogacy: A Qualitative Study
Lindsay B Gezinski1, Sharvari Karandikar1, Sarah Huber1
1Lindsay B. Gezinski, PhD, is assistant professor, College of Social Work, University of Utah, 395 South 1500 East, #111, Salt Lake City, UT; e-mail: lindsay.gezinski@utah.edu. Sharvari Karandikar, PhD, is associate professor, College of Social Work, Ohio State University, Columbus. Sarah Huber, PhD, is postdoctoral research fellow, Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston. Alexis Levitt, MSW, is a graduate, College of Social Work, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
Abstract:
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of commissioning parents (CPs) who travel abroad for surrogacy, paying attention to motivations, processes, and sources of social support. The authors recruited 10 CPs and used semistructured, in-depth interviews to illicit storytelling. Data analysis revealed primary themes around CPs' experiences pre-surrogacy, during surrogacy, and post-surrogacy. International surrogacy was described as a long and arduous journey only undertaken after multiple failed attempts at "natural" conception. Prior to traveling abroad, CPs engaged in trade-off decision making, weighing their reproductive assistance options. CPs were primarily motivated to undertake international surrogacy by health complications and legal restrictions in their home country. CPs emphasized strenuous relationships in both the destination country and at home, and they worried about disclosure to family, friends, and children. The mental health and social needs of CPs were neglected throughout and should be incorporated in future interventions to address stigmatization.