Gi. Meniru et Il. Craft, EXPERIENCE WITH GESTATIONAL SURROGACY AS A TREATMENT FOR STERILITY RESULTING FROM HYSTERECTOMY, Human reproduction, 12(1), 1997, pp. 51-54
A retrospective study was carried out to assess the potential of 16 hy
sterectomized women to achieve surrogate pregnancies. A total of 11 pa
tients completed 16 cycles of assisted conception treatment incorporat
ing in-vitro fertilization and gestational surrogacy, Three other wome
n failed to respond to ovulation induction while two more patients pro
duced few oocytes which also failed to fertilize, Six host mothers bec
ame pregnant thereby giving a pregnancy rate of 37.5% (6/16) per patie
nt and embryo transfer and 27.3% (6/22) per cycle of treatment commenc
ed. Two women later miscarried, three have given birth to twins and th
e remaining host has delivered a male infant, The commissioning mother
's age was closely related to occurrence and continuation of pregnancy
in the host. Hysterectomized women demonstrate varying patterns of re
sponse to assisted conception treatment but gestational surrogacy gene
rally appears to be a feasible option. especially in younger patients.