Gestational surrogacy practice and risk experiences of gestational surrogates in Thailand
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2021
Open Access
Copyright Clearance Process
- Recently Added
- In Progress
- Open Access
This item is open access.
๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ: Gestational surrogacy is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment available to help infertile or childless couples, gay couples, individuals, and people in later life to have children. Gestational surrogacy arrangements have become popular, although the treatment is controversial, particularly because of the risks to gestational surrogates, especially those involved in commercial surrogacy. The objective of this PhD thesis is to provide evidence to inform the development of surrogacy practices, policies, and regulations by investigating gestational surrogatesโ risk experiences, and advocate for practices promoting their health and safety.
๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐: The thesis comprises three exhaustive studies utilising multiple methods to answer research questions from different perspectives. Data were collected as interviews with previous Thai gestational surrogates, a review of published articles, and extractions from the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA).
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐น๐๐: The findings show that commercial surrogacy is an adaptive enterprise with business thriving in many locations, while gestational surrogates face risks involving transnational gestational surrogacy, and incentives for multiple embryo transfer (MET) and higher risk procedures such as embryo transfer from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive couples, posing risks such as multiple births or communicable disease transmission, and unsupportive pregnancies. The thesis findings advocate for single embryo transfer (SET) and altruistic surrogacy practices for gestational surrogates to promote their health and optimise ART outcomes. The findings indicated that MET in gestational surrogacy cases had a much higher multiple birth rate than SET in altruistic surrogacy practice. Additionally, SET in altruistic surrogacy practice showed cumulative live birth rates (CLBRs) up to 50% in six cycles, reflecting the successful rate of ART.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐: From a public health perspective, SET practice should be universally regulated in surrogacy practice and altruistic surrogacy should be promoted to safeguard surrogatesโ health along with maximising overall ART outcomes. Commercial surrogacy regulations, especially in Thailand, should also be (re)considered/(re)framed to protect gestational surrogates against the risks from the current business model. The health of gestational surrogates should be promoted by implementing an educational programme for potential gestational surrogates as a part of the surrogacy process to improve their understanding, and their rights in surrogacy treatment should be advocated.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: