The practice of using a surrogate mother to carry a couple’s potential child is a common choice for hopeful couples today. There are a few parallels between both the monetary exchange for a baby, and the monetary exchange for non-replensishable organs, in that both exchanges involve many ethical dilemmas. The contrast between the two is a very bold definition of what is essential to living, versus what is a desirable component of one’s life. On the legal end, courts are likely to weigh in favor of the maternal parents when there is a detailed contractual obligation distinguished prior to the surrogate process taking place. (Garrett 232,233)
Initially, the idea of exchanging a baby for money is a process that appears emotionless and materialistic, but when one looks at the reasoning behind the decision, it proves to be just the opposite. Many women like the one in this specific case, experience life-changing illnesses or loss that leaves them unable to bear children; this has a significant effect on women and their spouses. Females are born with the genetic make-up and desire to bear children; when that is taken from them, surrogate mothers allow them the opportunity to get a piece of that back. The process is not without an emotional rollercoaster they must ride to assume the responsibility of motherhood. Both the surrogate mother and the recipient of the baby must weigh all the risks involved before making the decision to go through with it. (Garrett 231) The risks involved with carrying the child and its toll on the surrogate’s body, as well as psych, are a few of many risks that should be considered by the surrogate. The financial and emotional strains weigh heavily upon the couple initiating the process.
Ethically, th...
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... did not desire the child from the start of the process, but later began to desire a child and unfortunately, one that is not of her genetic origin. However, the couple did have the original desire and genetic elements that makes the baby theirs. The only ownership that I feel the surrogate has, is as the carrier or processer of the fetus. There would be more emotional stress placed on the child later with doubts of true parental ownership and emotional attachment, than if the baby was handed to the biological parents. The surrogate would be basing her reasoning from a selfish and emotional stance, rather than one of true logic. Even so, the ethical theories exist, but few that can be legally backed, as of this time. (Garrett 233)
Works Cited:
Garrett, Thomas M. Health Care Ethics: Principles and Problems. Fifth ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.
Denise Dudzinski, PhD, MTS, Helene Starks, PhD, MPH, Nicole White, MD, MA (2009) ETHICS IN MEDICINE. Retrieved from: http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/pad.html
A surrogacy is the carrying of a pregnancy for intended parents. There are two kinds of surrogacy: “Gestational”, in which the egg and sperm belong to the intended parents and is carried by the surrogate, and “traditional”, where the surrogate is inseminated with the intended father’s sperm. Regardless of the method, I believe that surrogacy cannot be morally justified. Surrogacy literally means “substitute”, or “replacement”. A surrogate is a replacement for a mother for that 9-month period of pregnancy, and therefore is reducing the role of the surrogate mother to an oversimplified and dehumanizing labor. The pregnancy process for the gestational mother can be very physically and mentally demanding, and is unique because after birthing the
Westrick, S. (2013). Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
The introduction of money to this contract is the primary reason this contract is not moral. If this is the case isn’t this a form of slavery or at the very least human trafficking? You’re essentially selling your child and letting another person dictate the outcome of this child’s life. If slavery contracts are illegal then why aren’t surrogate contracts illegal. For example say one day a debt collector comes and says you need to pay off your debt or your property will be repossessed. So you make a contract to become a surrogate mother. The contract fixes all the problems stated previously and is 100% legal. In return you get the money you need to pay off your debt and a couple gets to have a child. At this point this isn’t an adoption anymore it’s a sale of a human being. Suppose in the worst case scenario a mother doesn’t care for children at all and decides to become a surrogate mother simply for monetary gain. The mother is using her child as a means to an end. If this was the case the percent of surrogate mothers would increase. In this scenario both parties would benefit but the contract would be immoral and inappropriate for society. Money would exploit the poor and the highest bidder would be able to purchase a child. In Mrs. Whiteheads case she didn’t full understand the consequences of her actions. Money at the time was more compelling. This leads to another moral issue, which is the best interest of the child. The agency in this surrogate mother case was profit motivated. They didn’t evaluate the Sterns to see if they were suitable parents. What if they were abusive or irresponsible, it wouldn’t have matter to the agency as long as they got paid. In addition to that what becomes of the child if they grew up and found out they were sold? It could have detrimental effects on the child. The mother as well could be affect later in her life once she realizes what she has done. Everything immoral about
Davis J. Anne Diane Marsha and Aroskar A. Mila (2010). Ethical Dilemmas and Nursing Practice. Pearson
Gedge, E., & Waluchow, W. (2012). Readings in health care ethics (2nd ed.). Toronto, Ontario: Broadview Press.
Steinbock, Bonnie, Alex J. London, and John D. Arras. "The Principles Approach." Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine. Contemporary Readings in Bioethics. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. 36-37. Print.
The couple must research what type of arrangement they would like either traditional or gestational. Then they must decide if they want to work independently or with an agency. With an agency’s help it is less stressful and they help with the legal issues and there is insurance coverage for the surrogate. If the couple choices to work with an agency they are required to have an initial consultation that usually last for 2.5 hours learning about the options available, matching with a surrogate to meet their needs, learning about the legal process, insurance, how much everything is and basic medical information. The intended surrogate mothers are medically and psychologically screened and evaluated. The couples are then matched with a surrogate that meets their needs. The next step is to setup an appointment with each individual parties with their lawyers and draw up an contract that specifically address both parties concerns, wants, fees and
Surrogacy is becoming extremely popular as a way for people to build their families and women to have a source of income. Many people have various reasons for their opposition to it whether it be by comparing it to prostitution or disagreeing with how military wives take advantage of the Tricare insurance. Lorraine Ali states in her article “The Curious Lives of Surrogates” that one of the more popular reasons to oppose surrogacy is that it contradicts, “what we’ve always thought of as an unbreakable bond between mother and child.” However, a woman’s inability to conceive her own children does not determine the absence of a mother to child bond.
Arguments against commercial surrogacy typically revolve around the idea that surrogacy is a form of child-selling. Critics believe that commercial surrogacy violates both women’s and children’s rights. In addition, by making surrogacy contracts legally enforceable, courts will follow the contract rather than choose what is best for the child. However, in her article “Surrogate Mothering: Exploring Empowerment” Laura Pudry is not convinced by these arguments.
Jecker, N. (1990). Integrating medical ethics with normative theory: Patient advocacy and social responsibility. 11(2), 125-139.
Commercial surrogacy commodifies children because by paying the surrogate mother to give up her child, they treat the child as an object of exchange or commodity that can be bought and sold. As any business transaction, the parents give money for the exchange of an object, the child. The parents get their desired child and the mother gets the money, but what about what thee child think about this event? The parents and surrogate mother’s action were done with self-interest. It could be argued that they wanted the best for the child. However, the first priority in the intentional procreation of the child was not the welfare of the child but rather to give it up to the parents in exchange of money. Additionally, women’s labor is commodified because the surrogate mother treats her parental rights as it was a property right not as a trust. In other words, the decisions taken concerning the child are not done primarily for the benefit of the child. The act of the mother relenting her parental rights is done for a monetary price. She disposes of her parental rights, which are to be managed for the welfare of the owner, as if they were property right, which are to be handled for personal
The main thesis of the chapter is the ethical, moral, and social issues regarding assisted reproduction (IVF), multiple births, and pregnancy at an old age. The chapter opens with Nadya Suleman’s decision to have her physician implant all her in vitro embryos into her uterus, which, lead to her later giving birth to octuplets. The physician who performed the embryo implementation had broken reproductive guidelines by implying more embryos than advised, and because Nadya had had disabled children from IVF prior, it was unethical. The next case of IVF involves the birth of Louise Brown. Her mother could not have children do to health reasons, and her eggs had to be fertilized outside of her uterus with her husband’s sperm. People praised this medical breakthrough for giving unfertile women a chance to still have children, however, critics claimed that this violated natural procreation and was therefore, immoral. Today, woman can donate their eggs, have them fertilized, and give the embryos to other women. A question asked in the chapter is
McGee, Glenn and Arthur L. Caplan. "Medical Ethics." Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997: Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM.
Garrett, T. M., Baillie, H. W., & Garrett, R. M. (2010). Health care ethics: Principles and problems (5thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.