IVF surrogacy after embryo transfer abroad. Dilemmas of pregnancy follow-up

• Published in: Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde Vol. 154; p. A1777
• Main Authors: Winkel, Esther, Roumen, Frans J M E, Dermout, Sylvia M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Dutch
• Published: Netherlands 2010
• Subjects: Adult; Embryo Transfer; Female; Fertilization in Vitro - legislation & jurisprudence; Fertilization in Vitro - psychology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Netherlands; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care - standards; Surrogate Mothers - legislation & jurisprudence; Surrogate Mothers - psychology; Netherlands
• ISSN: 0028-2162; 1876-8784

A 43-year-old female, gravida 3, para 2, who was 9 weeks pregnant, presented herself as a surrogate mother for a 33-year-old couple at our outpatient clinic in Heerlen, the Netherlands, for pregnancy follow-up. As she had not passed the selection procedure in the Netherlands (VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam), IVF using the gametes of the prospective parents and embryo transfer was performed in Belgium. We discussed the management of possible problems and complications during pregnancy and delivery. After an uneventful pregnancy and delivery a healthy boy was taken home by the donor couple. In the Netherlands, high-tech surrogate motherhood under strict non-commercial conditions has been accepted by law since 1997. Since the inclusion criteria are very strict, some couples seem to find a way to have their wish fulfilled abroad. Uniformity of the IVF surrogacy legislation in Europe is necessary to discourage this practice. When this situation occurs nevertheless, it is important that doctors involved know how to handle the (often unknown) medical, ethical, legal, emotional and psychosocial aspects associated with high-tech IVF-surrogacy.