What kind of psychological challenges are faced by intended parents during surrogacy?

Surrogacy is undoubtedly one of the best ways for struggling intended parents to achieve parenthood. Yet, this may be a bit complicated for both the surrogate and the intended parents. There is no denying that the surrogate goes through the stress of pregnancy and child delivery.

Yet, even the intended parents undergo the pressure of planning, managing and executing all the key aspects of the surrogacy process. In the coming sections of this blog, we will investigate the psychological challenges during surrogacy process, including real-time cases to provide a comprehensive understanding of their experiences.

How is the surrogacy process emotionally complex for the intended parents?

Surrogacy frequently comes into play after intended parents have confronted infertility, miscarriages, or other reproductive issues. Moreover, given all the emotional trauma and stress they undergo, surrogacy comes as a big ray of hope for both the intended parents.

If it’s about infertility issues, there is every chance that the intended parents have gone through much fertility treatment. Moreover, the kind of effort and money they have invested there also put loads of stress on their minds and lives.

At the same time, starting with a surrogacy program comes as a newer and more challenging journey. Not only does it demand financial planning, but it also asks the intended parents to be patient and submissive at every step. Moreover, intended parents have to deal with every procedure, from the start of the surrogacy process to the delivery of the child.  Hence, it sometimes gets emotionally complicated and highly stressful for them at times.

What kind of psychological challenges during surrogacy the intended parents may face?

Need for Control: One of the biggest noteworthy psychological challenges during surrogacy is the feeling of need for control. Intended parents mostly aren’t aware of the minutes of the surrogacy procedure.

So, when they have to miss out on the day-to-day viewpoints of the surrogacy process, they may feel left out at the start. While this takes some time to understand, they must seek the assistance of a counsellor in this regard.

Bond with the child: Intended parents may stress about the bond with their child, dreading that the need for a physical connection amid pregnancy might influence their parental connection. Also, the emotional bonding between the surrogate and the future child may bother them in some ways.

Relationship with the Surrogate: Building a strong relationship with the surrogate is significant but regularly challenging. Moreover, concerns around whether the surrogate will follow medical advice or lifestyle choices may come as an additional stress.

Legal and Ethical Concerns: Exploring the legalities of surrogacy can trigger uneasiness, particularly in purviews with complex or unfavourable laws with respect to surrogacy. On the other hand, if the intended parents are opting for surrogacy in a country with certain legal restrictions, they have to be careful about any violation of such laws.

Monetary Strain: Surrogacy comes at a cost and everyone should be comfortable with this fact. However, no matter how much planning they do, intended parents have to deal with certain unplanned costs. This along with the related aspect leads to a lot of monetary strain during the surrogacy journey.

Real-Time Examples Outlining These Challenges

Case of Sarah and Michael: In an old case, Sarah and Michael, a happy couple from Australia, experienced loads of stress amid their surrogacy journey within the United States. Their fear of the surrogate not following the agreed-upon health and wellbeing clauses caused them critical stress, outlining the challenge of trust and control in surrogacy.

Elton John and David Outfit: The celebrated couple, who had their children through surrogacy, spoke openly about their initial fears of connection issues, reflecting the concerns numerous intended parents confront with respect to holding with their child.

Legal Fight of Planning Guardians in Italy: A couple in Italy confronted a legal fight when their child, born by means of surrogacy overseas, was not recognized as their legal descendant due to Italy’s strict surrogacy laws. Also, this case highlights the potential legal and ethical obstacles that can profoundly influence intended parents.

How Intended parents can cope with such psychological challenges during surrogacy?

Counselling: Looking for support from experts specializing in fertility and surrogacy can give intended guardians adapting techniques to oversee their stress and uneasiness. Moreover, it can help them deal with all such stressful moments and phases in their surrogacy journey.

Open Communication with the Surrogate: Building up a straightforward and open line of communication with the surrogate can reduce numerous concerns and help the intended parents build trust.

Support groups and Systems: interacting with other intended parents through emotional groups can offer a sense of community and understanding to the intended parents. Moreover, this would give emotional assistance to the intended parents overall.

Association within the Pregnancy: Being included in key turning points, such as going to ultrasound arrangements or creating a birth plan alongside the surrogate, can help the intended parents feel more associated with the pregnancy.

How Surrogacy agencies and legal advisors can help in this?

Surrogacy agencies and legal advisors play a pivotal part in supporting such intended parents. That said, they can direct them through the legal complexities and offer the required support all through the journey.

On the other side, societal discernments and disgrace related to surrogacy can add to the mental burden. That said, intended parents frequently confront judgment or misunderstanding from their communities, which can lead to sentiments of separation and trouble.

Also, in spite of the challenges, numerous intended parents report a profound sense of fulfilment and bliss upon the birth of their child. Moreover, the Initial mental battles regularly pave the way to a significant appreciation for the surrogacy process and the surrogate.

Final words

The mental journey of intended parents amid surrogacy is stamped by a range of feelings, from uneasiness and fear to trust and bliss. Moreover, the psychological challenges during surrogacy they confront, such as the need for control, concerns about connection, and legal complexities, are critical but not inconceivably. Moreover, through professional support, open communication, and strong support, intended parents can explore these challenges successfully.

At the same time, the real-time cases cited in this blog emphasize the differences in experiences and the flexibility of intended parents in their interest in parenthood. Also, as society proceeds to advance in its understanding and acceptance of surrogacy, it is trusted that the mental burden on intended parents will be reduced, making their journey towards parenthood a more supportive process.