MEDICAL ASPECTS OF SURROGATE MOTHERHOOD

Surrogacy is associated with a wide range of factors that increase maternal and perinatal risks. The use of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer technologies determines the higher frequency of multiple pregnancies that enhances the risk of cesarean section, premature birth, low body weight in newborns, etc. in case of surrogacy. Genetic differences and immunogenetic reactions increase the risk of pre-eclampsia, placental pathology, abortion, intrauterine growth retardation. Hormonal disbalance under the effect of adverse factors during surrogate pregnancy may initiate prenatal reprogramming of morphogenesis through epigenetic mechanisms. This can affect the organogenesis and predispose to susceptibility to various diseases. Psychological factors and emotional link between a surrogate mother and a fetus are associated with increased levels of hormones of stress-releasing systems, which affect the formation of neurohumoral systems of the fetus and can modulate its mental development.