Gestational carriers, also known as surrogates, experience an elevated risk of severe maternal morbidity and adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to women who conceive naturally or through in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to new research presented today at the ESHRE 40 th Annual Meeting in Amsterdam. The population-based study analyzed 937,938 singleton births in Ontario, Canada between 2012 and 2021, comparing outcomes among unassisted conceptions, IVF conceptions and gestational carriers. The findings uncovered marked variations in outcomes across the different conception methods.
Gestational carriers faced a severe maternal morbidity rate of 7.1%, notably higher than the rates observed in unassisted conceptions (2.4%) and IVF conceptions (4.
6%). Specifically, gestational carriers experienced elevated rates of postpartum hemorrhages and hypertensive disorders, both serious complications during pregnancy. Among gestational carriers, rates of postpartum hemorrhages were 13.
9%, compared to 5.7% in unassisted conceptions and 10.5% in IVF conceptions.
Similarly, hypertensive disorders, the most common medical problem encountered during pregnancy [2], affected gestational carriers at a rate of 13.9%, compared to 6.6% in unassisted conceptions and 11.
6% in IVF conceptions. There are several potential mechanisms that might explain the increased risk of severe maternal morbidity among gestational carriers. These include differences in baseline health or sociodemographic charac.
