Pros and Cons of A Surrogate Motherhood
A surrogate mother means a woman who agrees to have a child for a couple who are childless because of infertility or not able of having a child due to a number of physical dilemmas. The procedure engages artificial insemination method, whereby the husband’s sperm is transferred and the surrogate mother accepts it. That is why the surrogate mother is still considered as the real mother of the child. However, in case of gestational surrogacy, the wife is fertile but not competent of giving birth due to some medical problems, it is called in-vitro fertilization technology.
The wife’s eggs and her husband’s sperm are used and the resulting embryo is transferred into the uterus of the surrogate mother. The concept of surrogate motherhood is becoming very accepted way of infertile couples to have a child of their own. Although it is an act of love, it also involves financial aid. Surrogate mothers are obviously paid for bearing a child inside their wombs. A couple who wants to hire a service of a surrogate mother must also consider the kind of personality of the surrogate mother. We all know that the genes have larger effect on the baby’s personality someday.
Another very important ground for the rise in surrogacy is the progression in medical technology. It is more secure and successful unlike other medical technologies available. However, there are some authorized and moral issues concerned with surrogacy that needs to be discussed. Legal procedure: The process for becoming a surrogate mother is not easy. There have to be convinced medical tests such as Hysteroscopy, this kind of test is done to make sure if fallopian tubes are clear or not, and physical conditions of the uterus is also take in consideration.
Before the fertilization process, the surrogate mother should know her legal rights and before signing a contract, a service and a legal adviser or lawyer is necessary to make sure that the right of the surrogate mother will not be neglected by the couple involved. Ethical issues: Surrogacy perception brings quite a lot of controversies, although things are changing with time. Some of them are: the surrogate mother may decide to take the baby without the concern of the couple involve. Surrogacy could be considered as human trafficking. Percentage of the society that accepts the concept of surrogacy.
Sometimes, guilt arise to the surrogate mother and the emotion enclosed in it arise when you least expect it. Especially, if there are papers and money issue involves in the process of surrogacy. In spite of the authorized and moral issues concerning surrogacy, still it is a new hope for childless women and family around the world which they can have through surrogate mothers. Deciding on Surrogacy makes it possible for childless couples to have a child with genes from either one or both of them. This is why couples often choose surrogacy over adoption.
Surrogacy is a viable option for couples when one is infertile, when the woman may be fertile but unhealthy to bear a child, or for gay couples. One of the disadvantages of surrogacy is the potential emotional and psychological roller-coaster rides couples go through. Furthermore, they also have to deal with trying to convince family members and close friends that this is the right thing to do. The couples may take a while to assess their situation and consider all the factors before they can make their final decision, which can take a toll on their daily lives.
Surrogacy is a very controversial subject. Some religious organizations forbid their members from participating in surrogacy, no matter how desperate they are to have a child. Whatever the reason that couples might consider surrogacy, they must carefully weigh the pros and cons before proceeding. There are different factors that people who are considering surrogacy have to go through, from the time to decide whether they would go forward with it, to choosing the surrogate mother, the procedures involved, the fees required and the overall time frame.
Each of these factors has its own pros and cons. Why is it that every time someone mentions the topic of surrogacy, giant waves of powerful emotions come washing in from both pro and con surrogacy camps? One of the reasons is that surrogacy is balancing on a very sharp ethical edge when mixing the perceived sacred process of reproduction and having children with work and money. Many people believe that these two domains should not mix. I’m neither pro nor con surrogacy. I’m just interested in exploring the philosophical and emotional dimensions of the ethics of surrogacy.
I will now present the pros and cons of surrogacy. I will not comment on them or judge them; I will just list them and then leave the opinion making of the ethics of surrogacy open. Pros Surrogacy allows a woman to give the gift of parenthood to a couple who would otherwise not have been able to experience it, either due to infertility or inability to adopt a child. In some cases, the surrogate can also obtain monetary compensation for her services. Cons Surrogacy involves a lengthy and medically invasive process for the surrogate mother.
It can also involve guilt on the part of the surrogate mother for giving up her baby; in some cases, this guilt leads to the surrogate changing her mind. Additionally, there are a myriad of legalities involved.
Having a surrogate mother
Pros:
- No physical pain of childbirth.
- No pregnant belly being in your way all the time.
- Still be able to work.
Cons:
- No experience of the full pregnancy first hand
- Constant worry about what the surrogate is doing.
As a conclusion I want to give my opinion, surrogacy is a good way for some women to help others that can not have a baby.
Before deciding to pursue surrogacy as an option for having a child, it’s wise for couples to spend some time considering both the pros and cons of the issue. Surrogate motherhood enables infertile couples to have children and fulfill their parenthood dream. Many infertile couples turn to surrogate mother rather than to adoption. The reason is because surrogate motherhood is a better form of alternative than adoption, as surrogate motherhood ensures the child is biologically related to the commissioning parents.
References
- The ethics of surrogacy: women’s reproductive labor. Journal of medical ethics, 1995; 21: 345-349 http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC1376831/pdf/jmedeth00299-0027. pdf
- Ethical Problems Surrounding Surrogate Motherhood: http://www. yale. edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2000/7/00. 07. 05. x. html
- Wisegeek. com: http://www. wisegeekhealth. com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-surrogacy. htm
