Against Surrogate Mothers

Part I- Background and Thesis

Surrogate Motherhood is when one woman carries to term the fertilized egg of another woman. This method is selected by wed twosomes who can not conceive a progeny in the “natural way”. (Traci 2) In some occasions the mother may be able to produce an egg, but has no womb or some other physical problem which prevents her from carrying a child. Whether or not the husband can produce a large amount of sperm is not a problem. Once the egg and sperm are combined in Petri dish fertilization is very likely to occur. The couple will then choose a surrogate mother and make an agreement in which she will carry the baby and release it to the genetic parents after the birth. There are four different kinds of surrogacy arrangements. Total Surrogacy is when the woman bears a child that has been formed from the gametes of another woman and man and implanted in her body. Partial Surrogacy occurs when the birth mother contributes the ovum and the sperm is introduced by artificial insemination. She is actually a biological mother or a father of the child. Commercial Surrogacy means a business-like transaction where a fee is charged for the incubation period. Lastly, there is a Non-Commercial Surrogacy in which there is no formal contract or any payment to the birth mother. It is usually an arrangement between close friends or family members. (Traci 20)

Surrogate arrangements are made usually through close friends or relatives of the childless couple. However, the practice of commercial surrogacy has increased greatly during the last decade. Many major cities have surrogate agencies that maintain lists of potential surrogate mothers and help match these with couples wanting to have a baby. These agencies are often run by doctors or lawyers and may be found through listings in telephone books. Commercial surrogate bureaus normally ascribe a charge of $10,000 or more to make the arrangements, which is in supplement to the surrogate mother's costs and fees. These agencies are not legal in majority countries. Most commercial surrogacies are handled through a contract between the prospective parents and the surrogate mother. The contracting couple agrees to pay the surrogate mother's expenses during the pregnancy and delivery plus a fee for the surrogate's services. The fee can vary between $10,000 and $100,000 per pregnancy. The surrogate mother also agrees to terminate her parental rights to the infant and turn it over to the contracting couple after birth.

Part II- Opposition

There are various reasons why one should discourage surrogate motherhood. Firstly because it is considered as a business deal. Secondly, there can be emotional complications. Lastly, there is no federal policy on the issue of surrogacy. (Gilbert 40)

Since this new reproductive technology has occurred there is a huge emotional flight to maintain classical views of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. Many people including doctors are using surrogate motherhood as a business deal. They are doing things one cannot fathom to satisfy those using surrogate motherhood as ...