New research reveals high rates of mental illness among gestational carriers, exposing the emotional toll of surrogacy.
- Surrogates have a 43% higher risk of postpartum mental illness vs. natural conception
- Most diagnoses, including depression and anxiety, occur within the first year after birth
- Support systems are lacking—emotionally, socially, and medically—for gestational carriers
Recent research has uncovered an often-overlooked concern affecting surrogate mothers—their mental well-being. Surrogacy is not just a physical commitment; it’s an emotional journey.
Even before conception, these women must prepare themselves mentally for the reality of handing over the baby they’ve nurtured within them. While they may not be the biological mother, the bond formed during pregnancy is real, and parting with the child takes immense emotional strength (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
New-Onset Mental Illness Among Gestational Carriers
).
A new study sheds light on this hidden psychological toll, revealing a hidden mental health crisis among surrogate mothers that demands greater attention and support.
Advertisement
The Surrogacy Struggle
The study analyzed over 767,000 pregnancies, most of which were natural, some via IVF, and 758 through gestational carriers (surrogates) . The findings reveal a stark demographic pattern—surrogates were more likely to:
- Already be mothers
- Live in lower-income communities
- Have higher rates of obesity and hypertension
Mental Health Risk:
- Gestational carriers had a 43% higher risk of developing new mental illnesses compared to women with natural conception.
- Compared to IVF, surrogates also had a 29% higher risk of mental illness than women who got pregnant through IVF.
Thus, gestational carriers face a hidden mental health burden and need better emotional support before and after pregnancy.
The most common diagnoses included:
- Depression and anxiety
- Substance use disorders
- Even rare cases of psychosis
What’s most concerning is that the majority of these diagnoses surfaced within the first year postpartum, a time when support systems tend to fade and surrogates may find themselves emotionally isolated.
Advertisement
Emotions Doesn’t Follow Contracts
Carrying a baby itself has an impact on your emotions, health, and social well-being. Even though the arrangement was made with care and consent, the experience can have long-term emotional consequences on the surrogate mothers.
Whether the woman wants to have the baby or not, her body prepares itself for motherhood. Post-delivery, hormonal changes, combined with the emotional aspects of giving up the baby she carried, may cause an intense feeling of emptiness.
Their emotional needs often tend to be neglected. Friends and family may be unsure how to offer support, and society usually focuses on the happiness of the receiving parents, forgetting the woman who made the miracle possible. In other cases, financial incentive adds additional pressure.
When emotional preparation does not align with the depth of the…
Disclaimer
We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We 5guruayurveda.com want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It’s possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.
Website Upgradation is going on. For any glitch kindly connect at 5guruayurveda.com
