BACKGROUND:
Commercial surrogacy arrangements are growing worldwide, but there are no international laws or guidelines regulating this. As their prevalence increases, ethical, medical, psychosocial, and legal issues emerge that must be addressed. However, studies on the experiences of surrogate mothers in commercial surrogacy are limited.

OBJECTIVES:
This study aims to explore surrogate mothers’ experiences of commercial surrogacy.

METHODS:
The chosen design was a meta-synthesis. A PRISMA diagram illustrates the selection of articles. Seventeen articles from six different countries were ultimately analysed using latent content analysis.

RESULTS:
Three categories emerged: Alliances and Autonomy, Work and Worth, and Pressure and Resilience. Alliances and Autonomy highlighted the complexity of decision-making involved in participating in the surrogacy process, as well as the impact surrogacy had on the surrogates’ relationships with others. Work and Worth revealed the reasons for surrogacy, with money being the primary motivation for participation. It also illustrated the different aspects of surrogacy as a profession, ranging from viewing themselves solely as carriers to being micromanaged by intended parents. Pressure and Resilience depicted the stigma and emotional responses associated with a surrogacy pregnancy. Stigma was common among all surrogates, leading to coping mechanisms; therefore, access to support systems was essential.

CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings indicate that in countries lacking legal and social protections, surrogates in financial hardship face a higher risk of exploitation and marginalisation by those in positions of authority power

KEY MESSAGE:
Since reproductive autonomy is a human right, midwives and healthcare workers have a duty to safeguard and support surrogate mothers’ sexual and reproductive health. Poster session 4 (Group B)