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Commercialization of Human Reproduction

COMMERCIAL SURROGACY IN AUSTRALIA AND ITS ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS

Approximately 16 per cent of total couples are infertile i.e. (1 out of every 6), at the same time same sex marriages have also increased which led to the popularity of surrogacy, a reproduction technique in which in which a woman agrees to deliver a baby for contracted party in return for money. The word surrogate basically stands for a substitute.  Although surrogacy is illegal according to Australian laws, however couples engage in commercial surrogacy by traveling to other countries. This essay revolves around different ethical issues that are involved in it.

Surrogacy has negative impacts on the body of surrogate, as once she is impregnated, she has to regularly take progesterone injections, however it has severe side effects on the body including lethargy, drowsiness, severe headaches and mood shifts. This arrangement additionally misuses women mentally and physically, most of the women who enter into surrogacy need money to fulfill their basic needs of life (Marg & Kunj, 2007).

Radin (2001) regarded surrogacy as child selling, and further depicted that since money is exchanged surrogate children become commodities which impacts their self respect. With the popularity of surrogacy a child becomes a commercial product which can be sold in the market.

 Furthermore surrogates are unaware of their legal rights and cannot run away after signing the contract, hence it is kind of slavery of women.

Surrogates often form emotional bond with the baby and are affected once the child is given to the contracted party, further a scenario was explained in which the surrogate prayed to prolong the labour pains as she was emotionally attached to the baby and wanted to stay with the baby (Marg & Kunj, 2007).

The commercial reproductions has further ethical implications as it separates gestational, genetic and social parents and divides reproduction into different steps. Couples and particularly surrogate mother faces mental stress. Child will also undergo psychological distress. At the same time child may want to know about her gestational mother, and he/she would remain confused throughout his life about his identity. Another important thing is to inform the child or not, and what if special child is born, no one would be willing to accept it, (Mukherjee, n.d.).

Meinki (1984) explained that surrogacy may change the motive behind child production, furthermore it is important to consider if surrogacy is used only by infertile couples or even by fertile couples just for the sake of convenience.

Surrogacy ignores the self esteem of both child and the mother, as her womb is considered as commodity which can be hired; hence it exploits both surrogate and the child (“using APA,” 2012). Furthermore it results in five people that can claim parental rights.

As already mentioned surrogacy considers baby as a commodity and when huge amount is being spent the contracting party often claims for a good looking, beautiful and intellectual baby.  Most of the surrogacy arrangements are done between unknown parties and hence baby is separated from the mother after delivery and it results into psychological detachment which can have further result into mental stress. This arrangement also exploits humans as the surrogate mother gives love and care to the baby but eventually the baby is taken away and she is forgotten. The contracting party also has to struggle in forming emotional bond with the baby once he is born.  The baby can also become “unwanted thing” as a result of some unanticipated event such as physical disability in the baby and the contracted parents will likely do not accept that baby. Forced surrogacy depicts some important ethical issues, as women’s body is sold and can be hired in exchange for money (“using APA,” 2012).

Similar findings are reported by Anderson (2000), children are a special gift from God and are not to be considered as commodities that can be easily sold and purchased in the market. Further this is illegal but culturally some people consider it positive.  Custody disputes can also arise in this scenario, and in case of separation which guardian will take care of the baby remains open-ended.  Because of attached financial arrangements with the surrogacy mothers are often forced by family to involve as a surrogate.  Surrogates are often treated badly by the contracting party and are not respected at all, which is basic right of any mother. The contracting parties may have all the autonomy which further considers women as commodities that can be hired.

Similarly surrogacy arrangements are regarded as “dehumanization” as when surrogate signs the contract she sells off her parental right to contracting party. This contract does not give any importance to the emotional bond that will develop between mother and the baby in nine months. Furthermore surrogates are regarded as machines with sole function of producing babies; they are considered emotionless machines as even if the emotional bond forms baby will be given to the contracting party. Many cases have been seen in which surrogate gets depressed after the baby is given away and even the baby is not comfortable with the new parents and take significant time to attach to them. Moreover here baby is regarded as a “chattel” and not a human being, which is simply given away in exchange for money, (Recht, 1988).

Surrogacy exploits women because as mentioned before most of the females from middle income class involve as surrogates to earn money, hence wealthy couples exploit these women to produce a baby for them. Both women and their reproductive organs are exploited as a result of this artificial arrangement. Burden on surrogate is twofold as she not only buts herself in risk but at the same time also abides by the requirements of the contract. However on the other side the contracting party only gives money, which again results into many ethical issues. Surrogate scarifies all the desires during this nine month period and the other party only waits for the baby to come. Another important issue is that every state including Australia gives equal rights to both parents, but under surrogacy all the rights are given to fathers and rights of mothers are simply taken away. Women are even imported from third world countries by wealthy couples to fulfill their desires; here it is clear that women are being exploited (Recht, 1988).

The major motive behind surrogates to involve is the money that can improve their living standards, hence there are indirectly forced to produce the baby and their body is in fact used as a reproducing machine (Recht, 1988).

Predicted that surrogacy may also be considered as one type of adultery, since “reproductive relations” are formed outside of marriage. In the same way if this child marries another surrogate children then they may be siblings. The most important point is that it this arrangement is unnatural, against natural process and against God’s will. He further explained that if surrogacy is too much used it will lower the self esteem of humans. As a result our next generations may consider child, and embryos as parts that can easily be exchanged. Again it is claimed that surrogacy has severe negative impacts on the child and his future. Child may think he was betrayed by his parents. Even if some couples are infertile or are unable to produce a child, there are so many homeless children that can be adopted, but in fact surrogacy has become a kind of business and makes babies commodities. Considering all arguments mentioned above still, the most negative impacts are on the mother, who is induced to become surrogate in return for money that can change her family’s life. He further explained that poor women are exploited for sure, although they have the right to do whatever they want but still selling womb is very dangerous for the women’s health and poor women should not be even given the choice to do so (Dougherty, 1992).

Bauman (2012) claimed that increase in surrogacy creates three main issues, including increase in health related issues, rise in ethical concerns and complicated family relationships. Furthermore she explained that without proper knowledge of the process people consider it as a good technology and ignore its harmful aspects. Similarly surrogacy misinterprets the meaning of parents and family, by creating confusion in children’s life. Likewise surrogacy is an “exploitative industry” which targets poor women in need of money.

At the same time she explained a case in which surrogate developed “cervical cancer” in her pregnancy. There are equal chances for twins in whom the health risks are very high for both surrogate and the child.  She further explained that emotional bonding forms and it has results on life of all the parties involved. It also has impacts on the woman’s husband and her other children who do not understand why the baby is given away to contracting party. Other children might also start thinking that they will be given away too which depress them.  It is unethical as we are buying and selling babies.

Legal issues may arise if surrogate changes her mind and does not give away the baby to the contracting party.  Likewise the most important point is that surrogacy complicates family life, children start wandering if genetic material is given by one women, another women gives birth to him and then third women raises him, then what is the true meaning of family.  In short body parts should not be used for money as it only creates ethical issues.

Hence with all the above mentioned ethical issues I am against commercialization of human reproduction, specifically surrogacy as it has serious implications on the society and meaning of life.

Proponents claim that surrogacy can help those couples who cannot produce babies themselves; however I argue that if they want to make their family, they can adopt children, as there are so many homeless children in the world. Surrogacy gives the wealthy people chance to exploit humans, because contracting party demand for good-looking intelligent child.

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