According to critics, surrogacy is a complicated issue in society that expresses the following common issues:
Once Einstein said, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. The science of surrogacy can only be successful if humans and society accept it. The best way of getting benefits from it is by using it in an ethical way and without losing human values. There are many emotional, social, and ethical issues raised in the use of the surrogacy technique which will be discussed here. However, the truth is always to demonstrate a proper balance to obtain the best of technology.
Emotional issues
There is a possibility to develop an emotional attachment between the surrogate mother and the child to whom she gave birth. This emotional attachment can cause mental distress to the surrogate mother, as she can feel there is no chance to meet the child who grew up in her womb. Moreover, there is the least chance of disclosing the surrogate mother’s identity to the born children at their older age because disclosure of surrogacy may create stress between the child and the intended parents.
Ethical issues
There are several ethical issues surfaced that relate to surrogacy. Surrogacy is always a topic of argument between surrogacy supporters and protestors. Surrogacy supporters believe that this medical process gives the opportunity to infertile couples to have their own children.
However, surrogacy protestors always raise questions largely on altruistic surrogacy, and compensation of surrogate mothers. Surrogacy protestors believe commercial surrogacy encourages women to enter this industry not for helping others, but due to earn a lump sum amount of money. Ethical issues related to the compensation amount are also a concern.
The interests of the surrogate mother and concern about the rights of the child are always the prime reason for arguments against surrogacy. Following are some of the common ethical questions related to surrogacy:
- What will happen if the intended parent or surrogate mother changes their decision?
- What will happen if a miscarriage occurs in surrogacy?
- What will happen if a child is born with congenital disabilities?
- In the above-mentioned cases who will take responsibility for the child?
- Is the surrogate mother get payment in the above mention cases?
- Is there any fixed compensation amount for surrogacy?
The ethical concerns are not only restricted between the intended parents and surrogate mothers but also concerns about a child. Surrogacy protestors want to prohibit surrogacy to avoid such undesirable circumstances. Some religious opposition does also raise ethical issues. For example, the Vatican city has issued a statement rejecting surrogacy. They trusted surrogacy cannot be morally acceptable as it diverges marriage and also loses the decorum of procreating a human person.
Gay and lesbian surrogacy
Surrogacy becomes an attractive alternative method for same-gender couples like the lesbian and gay population to have a child through surrogacy. Surrogacy provides the opportunity for one of the partners to become a potential parent having a biological relationship with the child. The transgender community also opts for surrogacy to start their family. But there are courtiers who restrict surrogacy only to heterogeneous married couples whereas, many countries legally allow same-gender marriage.
Social issues
The society that raises concerns on surrogacy has pointed out several social issues against it. The primary one is to look upon the child as a resource than a human because they think it is created through a mother who is like a caretaker of the resource till it is handed to the recipients. The surrogacy process is considered as paying the caretaker for the creation of the child. This hurts the entire human values in society. Secondly, there is no backup plan in case the process goes wrong or does not yield as expected. In such a case, with whom the baby will live is not properly defined.
Another issue directs the matter to the socio-economic deliberations. It is seen in the majority of cases that the surrogate mothers are from economically weaker sections or are working. However, the recipient’s parents are financially strong and well-to-do. This raises the speculation that the mothers undergo the process to earn money in form of compensation. Many parents who used this surrogacy technique to get the child mostly hide the fact because they believe that in future the society will look down on the child as not their own.
However, the diversity and advent of the scientific outlook have narrowed down many such conservative approaches towards surrogacy and many nations have come up to accept surrogacy as a most successful alternative for a childless couple.
Ravi Sharma is a self-motivated, successful entrepreneur and has a solid experience in the fertility segment. and he is the director at ARTbaby Global (ARThealthcare). He is a pharmacy graduate with post-graduation in business administration and has 14 years of rich experience in the field of infertility segment. He loves to write about IVF, Surrogacy, and other ART (assisted reproductive technology) news, issues, and updates. He is a Pharmacy graduate (B. Pharm) and M.B.A (marketing).
His most recent success includes the successful launch of the medical tourism company, ARTbaby, which offers treatment options for infertility, egg donation, and surrogacy. He likes spending time with his family and writing about various aspects of IVF surrogacy and donating eggs.