Health Risks for Surrogates During Pregnancy
New research from ICES and Queen’s University highlights that gestational carriers, also known as surrogates, may face more severe complications during pregnancy and the early postpartum period compared to those who conceive naturally or through IVF. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed 863,017 births in Ontario, Canada, from 2012 to 2021. It found that surrogates are more susceptible to hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage, and other severe health issues.
Study Details
The research compared health outcomes for three conception methods: unassisted, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and gestational carriage. The study included 846,124 natural conceptions, 16,087 IVF cases, and 806 gestational carrier cases. Researchers assessed severe maternal and neonatal morbidity, hypertensive disorders, cesarean delivery, preterm birth, and postpartum hemorrhage.
Research Limitations and Future Directions
Lead author Dr. Maria Velez, now at McGill University, noted the study’s limitations, such as the lack of data on why gestational carriage was chosen and the sources of egg and sperm donors. Future research could explore how these factors affect health outcomes. Dr. Velez emphasized the importance of counseling patients and surrogates about potential risks and following guidelines to minimize complications.
Doubts Revealed
ICES -: ICES stands for the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. It is a research institute in Canada that studies health-related data to improve healthcare.
Queen’s University -: Queen’s University is a well-known university in Canada. It is located in Kingston, Ontario, and is famous for its research and education.
Gestational carriers -: Gestational carriers, or surrogates, are women who carry and give birth to a baby for someone else. The baby is not biologically related to the surrogate.
IVF -: IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilization. It is a process where an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body, and then the embryo is placed in a woman’s uterus.
Hypertension -: Hypertension is another word for high blood pressure. It means the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is too high, which can be dangerous.
Postpartum hemorrhage -: Postpartum hemorrhage is heavy bleeding after giving birth. It can be a serious condition that needs medical attention.
Dr. Maria Velez -: Dr. Maria Velez is a researcher and the lead author of the study mentioned. She works on understanding health risks during pregnancy.
Annals of Internal Medicine -: The Annals of Internal Medicine is a medical journal where doctors and researchers publish important studies and findings about health and medicine.