A 20-year study of UK surrogacy families has found no evidence of widespread psychological harm to children, parents, or surrogates, according to Susan Golombok, professor emerita of family research at the University of Cambridge. Professor Golombok wrote about the study's findings in April.
The legal complexities of surrogacy were recently highlighted by Hazel Davis, who gave birth to a baby for friends in January. Ms Davis and her husband are currently the legal parents and are awaiting a family court date in September to recognise the baby’s biological parents as legal parents.
Ms Davis recounted that legal challenges became apparent when the baby became extremely unwell at 11 days old. As the legal parents, she and her husband had to be available to consent to medical tests, despite the biological parents being at the baby's bedside.
Ms Davis also shared that her sister became an auntie via surrogacy after doctors advised against her carrying more children due to complications from previous births. Her niece, now five, is described as a determined child and a full part of the family, with no apparent impact from her origins.