PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsCommentSurrogacy and the COVID-19 vaccine — a UK perspective

BioNews

Surrogacy and the COVID-19 vaccine — a UK perspective

Published 21 May 2021 posted in Comment and appears in BioNews 1096

Author

Sarah Taylor-Jones

Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis

It is reported that surrogacy agencies in the USA have been so overwhelmed by requests for unvaccinated surrogates that it has now become a new matching criterion that the agencies use when placing surrogates to work with intended parents...

It is reported that surrogacy agencies in the USA have been so overwhelmed by requests for unvaccinated surrogates that it has now become a new matching criterion that the agencies use when placing surrogates to work with intended parents. 

The anxiety around the potential harm the vaccine can do to a baby in the womb has led to surrogacy contracts being amended to ensure that intended parents can make medical decisions for the surrogate, and in some cases has led to the breakdown of surrogacy teams who cannot agree on whether to vaccinate or not.

The UK surrogacy community has reacted in a much gentler manner to the COVID-19 vaccine, due in part to the vastly different way that surrogacy works here.  Surrogacy in the UK is altruistic and there are no enforceable contracts. Intended parents cannot enforce their own opinions of medical care on to their surrogate. The surrogate retains the right to always make her own medical choices.  

But how does this work practically when it is the surrogate's body, but the intended parents baby?

When looking for a surrogate the intended parents can choose not to work with a surrogate that is unvaccinated – this is called a dealbreaker. It is an issue that either party feels cannot be compromised on, and both intended parents and surrogates must discuss these dealbreakers before trying to get pregnant. Prior to trying to conceive, the agreement whether to vaccinate or not certainly takes into account both parties' opinions and can certainly result in a team deciding not to work together if their views differ.

However, when a team is already pregnant, and the surrogate is offered a vaccination, discussions can become much harder. Whilst surrogates want to include their intended parents in the decision, the surrogate has autonomy over her own body, and ultimately the decision is up to her.  

One pregnant surrogate said 'personally, I wouldn't risk it for my own baby, even if the intended parents supported it, and I wouldn't risk it for this baby either. If I was really high risk for health or work, then I'd possibly consider it.'

At SurrogacyUK if a surrogate and her intended parents disagree on whether to have the vaccination, they are provided with information and guidance from all official sources and are encouraged to speak openly about their concerns. Even if a consensus cannot be reached, this openness results in a better understanding of both parties' opinions, so at least they can be assured that everyone is acting in what they personally believe is in the best interests of the child.

Up until recently, little was known about the effects the vaccine would have on a pregnancy, and surrogates have been cautious, not knowing if their decision to vaccinate or not would cause harm.

One team stated 'although we are all very strongly pro-vaccination, and agreed to have all vaccinations offered to us, the thought of possibly harming our much-wanted baby by having the vaccination felt too risky and we all agreed that our surrogate would give birth before vaccinating. With hindsight, we may have decided differently but we made the best choice we could with the information we had'.

As the guidance has been updated it has had an impact on the decisions that teams are making and has resulted in more surrogates being reassured that having the vaccination is not harmful to either themselves or the baby. A recent study, published in Obstetrics & Gynaecology adds to the growing literature in support of the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. (See BioNews 1095.)

A current surrogate stated 'I'd have it, the guidance was updated to say pregnant women should have it when offered. I trust the science to have the flu/whooping cough jab while pregnant so would trust this too.'

In most cases, surrogates have discussed it with their intended parents at length and in direct contrast to reports from the USA, have followed the official guidance, and have overwhelmingly opted to be vaccinated.

One surrogate described how she and her intended parents came to the decision to vaccinate together. 'I'll definitely be having it as soon as I'm offered. I have done my research and so have my intended parents. One intended parent works in the field. I wouldn't take any risks for my own baby, or my intended parent's baby. It's a much bigger risk to be unvaccinated and get COVID-19, than to have the vaccine'.

The unique way that surrogacy works in the UK has certainly impacted how COVID-19 vaccinations have been handled by all parties.  

Whilst the decision whether to vaccinate or not can be emotive the intended parent's respect for a surrogate's body and choice is at the forefront of the decision-making process. Because UK surrogacy is based on trust rather than a transactional and contractual process, the willingness to see it from each other's viewpoint, ensures that even if a compromise cannot be found, it doesn't negatively impact the ongoing relationship. 

Related Articles

Image by Bill Sanderson via the Wellcome Collection, © Wellcome Trust Ltd 1990. Depicts Laocoön and his family (from Greek and Roman mythology) entwined in coils of DNA.
Image by Bill Sanderson via the Wellcome Collection, © Wellcome Trust Ltd 1990. Depicts Laocoön and his family entwined in coils of DNA (based on the figure of Laocoön from Greek and Roman mythology).
News
7 January 2022 • 2 minutes read

Unvaccinated women denied fertility treatment in Scotland

by Ruth Retassie

Some patients in Scotland have had their treatment delayed because they are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
16 July 2021 • 2 minutes read

COVID-19 vaccine and infertility google searches increase dramatically

by Purvi Shah

Google searches in the USA related to COVID-19 vaccines and infertility increased after a letter was sent to the European Medicines Agency asking it to stop emergency authorisation of mRNA vaccines was published online...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
25 June 2021 • 2 minutes read

IVF patients not negatively affected by COVID-19 mRNA vaccination

by Georgina Al-Badri

No differences were identified between IVF cycles taking place before and after the patients received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
18 June 2021 • 2 minutes read

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines do not affect sperm count

by Georgina Al-Badri

No significant differences were found in a study assessing the effect of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines on key measures of male fertility...

Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Comment
1 June 2021 • 4 minutes read

Reforming the Law on Surrogacy: Reflections on the APPG on Surrogacy Report and Law Commission's Consultation Paper

by Charlotte Park-Morton

In April, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Surrogacy launched the 'Report on Understanding of the Law and Practice of Surrogacy'...

Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Reviews
23 March 2021 • 4 minutes read

Podcast Review: Making Babies — Surrogacy — what, why, how, who, where?

by Zaina Mahmoud

In late 2020, Andrea Byrne started a podcast series inspired by her seven-year fertility journey. When she thought she couldn't carry a pregnancy herself, she and her husband seriously considered surrogacy. This potential avenue for parenthood is discussed in the fifth episode of the series...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
Comment
23 November 2020 • 6 minutes read

IVF Success: What Makes Scotland Special?

by Ana Hallgarten

The most recent event organised by PET highlighted the fantastic work that has taken place in Scotland for those in need of fertility treatment...

Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Comment
23 November 2020 • 4 minutes read

Continuing issues and debate concerning transnational commercial surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

by Dr Yuri Hibino and 2 others

Reports by donor and surrogacy conceived people propose new measures for international surrogacy...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Informed consent to non-invasive prenatal testing: findings from a qualitative study in Lebanon and in Quebec

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Recent
4 July 2022 • 4 minutes read

Widening the debate about direct-to-consumer genetic testing and donor conception

4 July 2022 • 3 minutes read

Join PET and Genomics England to celebrate the 200th birthday of Gregor Mendel

27 June 2022 • 4 minutes read

Thirty years of PET: our 'Fertility, Genomics and Embryo Research' report

27 June 2022 • 5 minutes read

Children's rights and donor conception: What next?

20 June 2022 • 4 minutes read

The problems with lifting donor anonymity earlier

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856