CMAJ • February 13, 2007; 176 (4). doi:10.1503/cmaj.060696.
© 2007 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Review

Surrogate pregnancy: a guide for Canadian prenatal health care providers

Dan R. Reilly

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.

Correspondence to: Dr. Dan R. Reilly, 205 Queen St. E, Fergus ON N1M 1T2; fax 519 787-7421; dreilly{at}mcmaster.ca

Abstract

Providing health care for a woman with a surrogate pregnancy involves unique challenges. Although the ethical debate surrounding surrogacy continues, Canada has banned commercial, but not altruistic, surrogacy. In the event of a custody dispute between a surrogate mother and the individual(s) intending to parent the child, it is unclear how Canadian courts would rule. The prenatal health care provider must take extra care to protect the autonomy and privacy rights of the surrogate. There is limited evidence about the medical and psychological risks of surrogacy. Whether theoretical concerns about these risks are clinically relevant remains unknown. In the face of these uncertainties, the prenatal health care provider should have a low threshold for seeking obstetrical, social work, ethical and legal support.


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 The Obstetrician and GynaecologistHome page
K. Bhatia, E. A Martindale, O. Rustamov, and A. M Nysenbaum
Surrogate pregnancy: an essential guide for clinicians
Obstet Gynaecol (Lond), January 1, 2009; 11(1): 49 - 54.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]