Is surrogacy ethical?

Amani (No)

Surrogacy is one way some of the wealthiest choose to attain a child or children. Still, the medical practice and its results are fraught with ethical dilemmas. Surrogacy is a 'rent-a-womb' industry, with transactions depending on women's reproductive capacities, and entails physical and emotional labor to deliver a 'product'—a baby. 

Surrogacy is a form of exploitation, demoting the female body to a commercial commodity that arguably parallels prostitution. It capitalizes on poor women's need for income. When interviewed, 11 out of 19 surrogate mothers mentioned money as a motive. This exploitation has even turned women in third-world countries into biological resources. Worse, surrogate-carried pregnancies are incredibly dangerous for both the birth mother and child because they are high-risk and full of complications—more so than spontaneous, natural pregnancies. 

If a pregnancy is high-risk/highly complicated, this means both the woman and developing baby are at risk. Surrogates and babies have died—all for the benefit of others. There is no medical need for surrogacy, and the medical industry should not be involved in approving unnecessary medically-risky procedures that do not benefit the patient and might even harm her and the child or lead to their death. Moreover, if the intended parents discover the baby has anomalies or defects, they could contractually force the surrogate to get an abortion. 

Finally, surrogacy disregards the science around the importance of newborns receiving skin-to-skin contact. Even animal cruelty laws forbid separating puppies from parents for at least eight weeks. Yet, in surrogacy, newborns are removed almost immediately, leading to a higher risk of depression in these birth mothers, who are often unprepared for the emotional pains of parting with the child they've carried. Surrogacy is unnatural and unnecessary, ultimately making the entire practice unethical. 

Dae (Yes)

While some might consider surrogacy—carrying a pregnancy to term for another individual or couple—controversial, it is considerably ethical. Surrogacy, first and foremost, promotes reproductive autonomy. For individuals or couples facing fertility problems, such as being unable to get or stay pregnant, surrogacy allows them to have a genetically related child. This promotes their right to have a family and make decisions about their reproductive health.

Likewise, surrogacy is based on informed consent. Surrogates and intended parents enter into a legal agreement outlining their respective rights and responsibilities, ensuring all parties involved are fully aware of the process and have consented. Surrogacy also empowers women to seize 'the control of human fertility,' as 1970s feminist writer, Shulamith Firestone, wrote. She believed 'the decision not to have children or to have them by artificial means' should become 'as legitimate as traditional childbearing.' Today, it's both technologically possible and widely accepted. 

Additionally, surrogacy provides a unique opportunity for women to use their bodies to help others, allowing women unable to have a child themselves to experience the joy of pregnancy and childbearing. Surrogacy can also provide economic benefits to women facing limited work opportunities. In America and the UK, surrogates receive decent compensation for their time and effort, which can significantly improve their financial situation. 

Surrogacy is, therefore, considerably ethical for all of the benefits it provides, as it promotes reproductive autonomy, is based on informed consent, empowers women, offers economic benefits, and is subject to legal protections. While there are certainly challenges and complexities associated with surrogacy, it is ultimately a practice that can bring joy and fulfillment to those who choose it.