The Surrogate Mother’s Way to Persevere During Pregnancy: A Guide to Scientific Management and Physical and Mental Balance

Challenges and Strategies for Surrogate Mothers during Pregnancy

Surrogate mothers not only need to bear physical changes during pregnancy, but also need to face the double test of psychological pressure and social expectations. How to maintain health and resilience during the 9-month-long pregnancy? This article provides a systematic solution for surrogate mothers from the three dimensions of medical standardization, psychological adjustment and life management, combined with international practical experience.

Scientific management of the body – from diet to medical monitoring

Precise Nutrition and Diet Plan

The diet of surrogate mother needs to take into account the development of the fetus and her own metabolic needs:

Phased nutritional strategy:
Early pregnancy: light diet, small meals and more frequent meals to reduce pregnancy reactions. It is recommended to consume 60g of protein (e.g. eggs, fish) and 400μg of folic acid (green leafy vegetables) per day, and avoid raw and stimulating foods.
Middle and late pregnancy: increase high quality protein to 90g per day, iron supplement 30mg/day to prevent anemia, calcium 1000mg/day to promote fetal bone development.
Special needs of surrogacy: To ensure that the fetus is “healthy and smart”, it is recommended to take an additional supplement of DHA 200mg/day (deep-sea fish or algae extract), and to obtain zinc, selenium, and other trace elements through nuts (e.g. walnuts, almonds).

Customized exercise and body maintenance

Exercise during pregnancy needs to balance safety and effectiveness:

Low-intensity aerobic exercise: brisk walking or swimming for 30 minutes, five days a week, improves circulation and reduces the risk of gestational diabetes.
Pelvic floor muscle training: Strengthen pelvic floor muscles through Kegel exercises (3 sets of 10 repetitions per day) to reduce the probability of postpartum incontinence.
Pain management: For low back pain, use a maternity pillow to support the lumbar spine; for leg cramps, massage the legs and elevate the feet to promote blood return before bedtime.

Medical monitoring and emergency response

Standardized obstetric examination process:
Early pregnancy: Confirm the location of embryo bedding through ultrasound to rule out the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Mid-pregnancy: 20-24 weeks for macro-anomaly examination to screen for fetal structural abnormalities; biweekly monitoring of fetal heart rate (120-160 beats/minute) and blood pressure (<130/85mmHg) after 26 weeks.
Early warning of complications: If persistent contractions, vaginal bleeding or pre-eclampsia symptoms (e.g. edema, headache) occur, immediate medical attention and multidisciplinary consultation should be initiated.

Mental health maintenance – from self-regulation to social support

Emotion management and stress release

The mental health of surrogate mothers directly affects fetal development, requiring the establishment of a multi-level intervention system:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identify negative thoughts by keeping an emotional diary, for example, transforming “I can’t control my body’s changes” into “I’m making a miracle of life”.
Positive Thinking Meditation and Breathing: Deep breathing exercises (inhale for 4 seconds, hold breath for 2 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds) for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, can reduce cortisol levels and relieve anxiety.
Art healing: Painting or music creation can divert attention, and mood probiotics such as Lactobacillus Swiss help regulate gut-brain axis function.

Building a support network

Family collaboration: partners should take the initiative to share household chores, focus on listening to the surrogate mother’s feelings for at least 30 minutes a day, and avoid judgmental language (e.g., “everyone else can keep going, why can’t you?”). Avoid judgmental language (e.g., “Why can’t you?”).
Community Connection: Join a support group for surrogate mothers to share experiences and gain emotional empathy. Studies have shown that group support can reduce the risk of postpartum depression by 40%.
Professional intervention: If persistent insomnia, sudden change in appetite or suicidal tendency occurs, it is necessary to seek immediate help from a psychiatrist, and physical therapy such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is used if necessary.

Optimization of living scenarios – details determine the quality of pregnancy

Living environment and daily habits

Safe space design:
Bathrooms are paved with non-slip mats and handrails are installed to prevent falls;
Bedrooms use blackout curtains and soundproof materials to ensure 7-9 hours of deep sleep per day.
Hygiene management:
Change underwear daily and use a mild lotion with a pH of 5.5 to clean the vulva and prevent urinary tract infections;
Breast care: massage nipples with lanolin cream in late pregnancy to enhance skin elasticity.

Work-socialization balance

Workplace adaptations:
Negotiate with employer to reduce physical labor and adopt alternating standing-sitting work patterns;
Utilize telecommuting tools to reduce commuting stress.
Social Boundary Setting:
Prepare standardized responses (e.g., “This is a medically and legally certified act of love”) to people who are overly concerned or question surrogacy options;
Avoid anxiety-trafficking online content and prioritize access to official scientific information from hospitals specializing in women and children.

Legal and ethical safeguards – the heart of risk avoidance

Self-protection of contract terms

Clear division of responsibility: the agreement needs to stipulate that if the health of the surrogate mother is damaged due to medical malpractice, the agency needs to bear the full cost of treatment and compensation for lost work.
Withdrawal mechanism: unconditional termination of the cooperation before 12 weeks of pregnancy, only 50% of the collected funds need to be refunded to avoid moral abduction.

Special considerations for transnational surrogacy

Documentation compliance: birth certificates need to be certified by The Hague (Apostille), and the commissioning party should consult a lawyer in their home country in advance to confirm the settlement process.
Cultural conflict prevention: choose an agency that offers multilingual support to ensure that medical instructions and emotional detachment can be accurately communicated.

Conclusion: accomplishing the transmission of life with dignity and science

A surrogate mother’s pregnancy perseverance is the combined result of medical, psychological and social support. Through the three-dimensional system of precise nutrition, emotional management, and legal protection, we can not only guard the health of mothers and babies, but also reshape the ethical standards of the surrogacy industry. Every surrogate mother should be given enough respect and resources to make this special journey a witness to the miracle of life rather than a brand of survival pressure.