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Two Men and a Surrogate: A Qualitative Study of Surrogacy Relationships in Canada
Author(s) -
Fantus Sophia
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
family relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1741-3729
pISSN - 0197-6664
DOI - 10.1111/fare.12450
Subject(s) - qualitative research , childbirth , psychology , interpretative phenomenological analysis , egg donation , pregnancy , developmental psychology , gender studies , social psychology , medicine , sociology , gynecology , social science , genetics , biology
Objective To retrospectively explore how gay fathers and gestational surrogates in Canada perceived their relationship at three distinct time points: prepregnancy, during pregnancy, and postbirth. Background Canada has witnessed an increased number of gay men seeking fatherhood through surrogacy. However, there is limited empirical research on the experiences and perspectives of surrogacy for gay men, both in Canada and worldwide. Method Qualitative in‐depth interviews (∼60–120 minutes) were conducted with (a) gestational surrogates implanted with one or more embryos from a donated egg and gay fathers' sperm, (b) gay men who pursued gestational surrogacy to have a biological child, and (c) single or partnered gay men and their paired surrogate. Participants who agreed to participate, who were willing to contact their third party, and whose matched party agreed resulted in a surrogate triad in which the intended parents and surrogate all participated. Interviews ( n = 21) were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Results Findings from the present study draw attention to the intricacies of surrogacy relationships and demonstrate the variability of how gay men and surrogates identify and address their procreative roles and responsibilities through pregnancy and postbirth. Conclusion Participant narratives challenge heteronormative experiences of pregnancy and childbirth, extending the two‐parent family paradigm to include families of choice and a close network of individuals and communities. Implications Allied health professionals ought to provide competent, inclusive care that actively confronts a priori biases and assumptions regarding same‐sex parent families and surrogacy.