title: Emotional experiences in surrogate mothers: A qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surrogacy is one of the new techniques of assisted reproduction technology in which a woman carries and bears a child for another woman. In Iran, many Shia clerics and jurists considered it permissible so there is no religious prohibition for it. In addition to the risk of physical complications for complete surrogate mothers, the possibility of psychological complications resulted from emotional attachment to a living creature in the surrogate mother as another injury requires counseling and assessment prior to acceptance by infertile couples and complete surrogate mothers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the emotional experiences of surrogate mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a qualitative, phenomenological study. We selected eight complete surrogate mothers in Isfahan. We used convenient sampling method and in-depth interview to collect the information. The data analysis was fulfilled via Colaizzi's seven-stage method. Reliability and validity study of the roots in the four-axis was done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings of these interviews were classified into two main themes and four sub themes: acquired experiences in pregnancy (feelings toward pregnancy, relationship with family, relatives and commissioning couple) and consequences of surrogacy (complications of pregnancy, religious and financial problems of surrogacy).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surrogacy pregnancy should be considered as high-risk emotional experience because many of surrogate mothers may face negative experiences. Therefore, it is recommended that surrogates should receive professional counseling prior to, during and following pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Medicine and Religion , Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahmari Tehran
authors.affiliation: Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tashi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery , Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehran
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eskandari
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery , Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Tahmineh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dadkhah Tehrani
keywords: Emotion; Experiences; Qualitative study; Surrogate mothers
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2000 Aug;15(8):1849-55
references.pmid: 10920116
references.citation: Acta Paediatr. 2005 Jun;94(6):775-7
references.pmid: 16188786
references.citation: Theor Med Bioeth. 2000;21(2):153-69
references.pmid: 10967951
references.citation: J Adv Nurs. 1996 Dec;24(6):1300-8
references.pmid: 8953368
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 1999 Mar;14(3):671-6
references.pmid: 10221693
references.citation: Hum Reprod Update. 2007 Jan-Feb;13(1):53-62
references.pmid: 16936307
references.citation: Hum Reprod Update. 2003 Sep-Oct;9(5):483-91
references.pmid: 14640380
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2005 Oct;20(10):2705-7
references.pmid: 15979996
references.citation: Contemp Nurse. 2003 Jun;14(3):292-302
references.pmid: 12868668
references.citation: J Soc Issues. 2005 Mar;61(1):21-43
references.pmid: 17073022
references.citation: CMAJ. 2007 Feb 13;176(4):483-5
references.pmid: 17296962
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2004 May;40(3):400-11
references.pmid: 15122966
references.citation: Hum Reprod. 2003 Oct;18(10):2196-204
references.pmid: 14507844