SURROGACY: Womb for Rent

PolStat and Group Three

another woman carries and gives birth to a

baby for the couple or person who wants

to have a child

Surrogacy

Traditional surrogates

• Artificial insemination

• Surrogate = BIOLOGICAL mother

Gestational surrogates

• IVF

• Surrogate = “BIRTH mother”

WHY? FOR WHOM?

1. A woman, for several reasons:

- infertile, age

- medical problems with her uterus

- had a hysterectomy that removed her uterus

- conditions that make pregnancy impossible or medically risky

- Unsuccessful ART, such as IVF and AI

WHY? FOR WHOM?

2. Those who cannot adopt a child

3. Those who want to have a child of their “own”

4. Other reasons:

- single individuals

- sexual orientation (Gay)

WHO CAN BE A SURROGATE?

•Friends or family

•A surrogacy agency

Ponce, K. (2015). Womb for Rent. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IQqrN-d_jQ.

ABS-CBN News. (2015). Surrogate or adopted baby? Youtube. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv5YvmosL7I.

REFERENCES Robles, R. (2009). Womb for Hire - Part 2. Retrieved from http://www.abs-

cbnnews.com/special-report/06/19/09/womb-hire-part-2.

WebMD. (n.d.). Using a Surrogate Mother: What You Need to Know. Retrieved

from http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/using-

surrogate-mother.

PRO

SURROGACY:WHY IT IS REALLY GOOD

Summary of Points FOR Surrogacy

1. Fulfilling the Deep Seated Wish for a Family

2. Adoption is not that easy

3. Surrogate Mothers Are Conscious of Their

Choice

4. More successful than other reproductive

treatment methods

1. Fulfilling the Deep Seated

Wish for a Family

For couples who dream of having their own children,

infertility is frustrating and stressful.

Having children and fulfilling the wish for a family with the

help of a surrogate mother is therefore a possibility of living

out that dream.

2. Adoption is not that easy

Being allowed to adopt a child is difficult and

takes a long time.

The whole paperwork process along with

psychological evaluations and waiting list etc.

take many years.

3. Surrogate Mothers Are

Conscious of Their Choice!

Under normal circumstances surrogate mothers

are vey conscious of their decision to carry

someone else’s child.

They are well informed and well paid.

4. It is often more successful

than other reproductive

treatment methods.

CONS OF SURROGACY:

Why it may not be good

Summary of Points vs Surrogacy:

1. Objectification of the human female body

2. Commercialization of babies

3. Adoption is a better option

4. Issue of who is the “real” mother

I. Objectification of the human

female body

Surrogacy can be seen as women selling their bodies and

function, turning the female body as an object that is no

different as other products sold in the market.

This is because of the belief that the human female body is

“sacred” or of a higher purpose and that it should not be

put in the same level as one’s property or object.

II. Commercialization of babies

It is argued that surrogacy turns babies into products of

labor. Normally, a producer has no emotional bond with its

product for the reason that it is to be sold in a reasonable

price, and the price would compensate the cost of the

producer

The baby becomes as an object and as a means to an end,

which can be money, and hence commoditized.

III. Adoption is a better option

The world is considered to be overpopulated. There are

many children who has no parents because of war,

financial problems, and death from a disease, and that they

are in need of families to take care of them.

It can be argued that adopting these children can help

reduce the increase in our population, and also provide a

better life for these children as well.

IV. Issue on who is the “real” mother

The mainstream belief is that the mother is the one who is the genetic mother and the one who labored for the baby, which goes beyond the legal sphere.

Surrogacy can lead to having two females sharing this effort, one for providing the egg and the other to carry the child for nine months.

This leads to a confusion on parent-child relationship and the family as an institution.

Sources:

Pros and Cons of Surrogacy. (2013, December 30). Retrieved April 15, 2015, from

HealthResearchFunding.org: http://healthresearchfunding.org/pros-cons-

surrogacy/

Surrogacy. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2015, from Human Fertilisation and Embryology

Authority: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/fertility-treatment-options-surrogacy.html

The Ethics of Surrogacy: A List of the Pros and Cons of Surrogacy. (n.d.). Retrieved April

15, 2015, from Positive Parenting Ally.com: http://www.positive-parenting-ally.com/ethics-of-surrogacy.html