Table 2.
How couples met surrogate, important characteristics, and involvement in pregnancy by location and sexual orientation.
| Parameter | UK |
United States |
Asia |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gay couple | Heterosexual couple | Gay couple | Heterosexual couple | Gay couple | Heterosexual couple | |
| Met surrogatea | ||||||
| Previously known | ||||||
| I already knew her, she is a family member | 1 (8) | 2 (8) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| I already knew her, she is a friend | 2 (17) | 8 (31) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Total | 3 (25) | 10 (39) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Previously unknown | ||||||
| Through an agency | 4 (33) | 11 (43) | 22 (96) | 33 (94) | 4 (80) | 5 (33) |
| Through a clinic | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 1 (10) | 10 (67) |
| Through a website | 3 (25) | 2 (8) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Other, please specify (e.g., met through a mutual friend) | 2 (17) | 3 (12) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Total | 9 (75) | 16 (63) | 23 (100) | 34 (97) | 5 (100) | 15 (100) |
| Important characteristicsb | ||||||
| Education | 2 (17) | 3 (11) | 5 (22) | 6 (17) | 1 (20) | 1 (7) |
| Medical history | 5 (42) | 12 (46) | 12 (52) | 23 (66) | 3 (60) | 7 (47) |
| Personality | 6 (50) | 10 (38) | 17 (74) | 21 (60) | 1 (20) | 0 (0) |
| Physical appearance | 2 (17) | 2 (77) | 4 (17) | 3 (9) | 0 (0) | 4 (27) |
| Prior experience of surrogacy | 1 (8) | 5 (19) | 4 (17) | 7 (20) | 2 (40) | 1 (7) |
| Marital status | 2 (17) | 5 (19) | 14 (61) | 14 (40) | 4 (80) | 7 (47) |
| Other | 3 (25) | 9 (35) | 4 (17) | 13 (37) | 2 (40) | 0 (0) |
| Who updated parents about the pregnancy | ||||||
| Surrogate | 9 (75) | 26 (100) | 23 (100) | 32 (91) | 1 (20) | 0 (0) |
| Clinic | 1 (8) | 3 (12) | 18 (78) | 16 (46) | 4 (80) | 14 (93) |
| Agency | 0 (0) | 1 (4) | 12 (5) | 18 (51) | 4 (80) | 2 (13) |
| No one | 1 (8) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Other (e.g., medical professionals, attending appointment) | 5 (42) | 4 (15) | 2 (9) | 4 (11) | 0 (0) | 2 (13) |
| How involved did parents feel in the pregnancy | ||||||
| Very involved | 11 (92) | 22 (85) | 19 (93) | 30 (86) | 1 (20) | 3 (20) |
| A little involved | 1 (8) | 4 (15) | 4 (17) | 5 (14) | 4 (80) | 10 (67) |
| Not involved | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (13) |
| Happy with level of involvement | ||||||
| Yes, very happy | 11 (92) | 22 (85) | 20 (87) | 32 (91) | 2 (40) | 6 (40) |
| Yes, somewhat happy | 1 (8) | 1 (4) | 3 (13) | 3 (9) | 2 (40) | 8 (53) |
| No | 0 (0) | 3 (12) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (20) | 1 (7) |
Note: Values are number (percentage).
a
Categories were collapsed to previously known vs. previously unknown to run Fisher's exact tests.
b
Percentage of those who answered yes, it was important for their surrogate to have particular traits/characteristics.