Attitude of infertile women towards Surrogacy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Fertility has long been one of the most important concerns of human beings and has been significantly considered by different cultures. The WHO estimated the infertility to affect as many as 186 million people worldwide in 2015. There are several methods used to correct infertility, including surrogacy. In this study, we examined the attitudes of infertile women towards surrogacy. Method: For each eligible study, information about the research method, study characteristics and results were extracted by one evaluator and checked by the second evaluator. Any differences were resolved through discussion and consultation with the third evaluator. Then, the data required for meta-analysis were entered into CAM.2 software and statistical analysis was performed by random effect analysis. Results; After reviewing multiple databases and evaluating the full text of the studies, six studies were included. Among the selected studies, four were conducted in Iran, one in Japan and one in Turkey. Data were collected during the years 2008 to 2014. Overall, approximately 39.7% of infertile women have a positive attitude toward using an alternative uterus. Positive attitudes about using a surrogate uterus in studies in Iran were higher than other studies in Turkey and Japan. The duration of maternal marriage and age were important factors influencing infertile women's attitudes toward assisted reproductive technologies. In the included studies, these two factors were similar in almost all studies.