Surrogate Motherhood: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction. Surrogate motherhood is a social phenomenon characterized by drawing up a legal contract stating that a woman will manage the child for other people, thereby giving up her right as a mother. This can be done under a wide range of situations depending on the reason to perform this practice such as the economic or altruistic one. This can lead to practices such as reproductive tourism according to the laws established in each nation. Objectives. Analyze surrogate motherhood throughout a scientific literature review. Method. A bibliographic review has been carried out through the PubMed and SciELO databases. Results. Eleven articles are analyzed and there are various perspectives for surrogate motherhood; authors who support this practice and its legalization, authors who are against it and, finally, others that support its regularization. Conclusions. Surrogate motherhood has two sights: the ethical and the pragmatic. According to ethics, there’s a commodification of women without considering the risks and emotional aspects of being pregnant. On the other hand, from a pragmatic point of view, surrogate motherhood is a highly controversial subject that generates an international issue that is difficult to regulate. Finally, from a nurse’s point of view, it is essential to train the entire interdisciplinary team and create protocols of action in order to provide comprehensive and high-quality care.

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