The Ethics of Surrogacy in Modern Medicine
Surrogacy has become a significant option for couples unable to conceive naturally, especially with advancements in reproductive technologies. However, with its growing popularity, ethical concerns surrounding surrogacy have also intensified. While it brings hope to many, it also raises questions about exploitation, legal complications, and the commercialization of human life.
1. Understanding Surrogacy
Surrogacy is an arrangement where a woman (the surrogate) carries and delivers a baby for another individual or couple. It is broadly classified into two types: traditional surrogacy (where the surrogate uses her own egg) and gestational surrogacy (where the surrogate carries an embryo created from the intended parents’ or donors’ gametes). The latter is more commonly practiced today due to fewer emotional and legal complications.
2. The Right to Parenthood vs. The Risk of Exploitation
Supporters of surrogacy argue that every individual or couple has the right to experience parenthood. For many, surrogacy becomes the only viable option due to infertility, medical complications, or same-sex partnerships. However, ethical concerns arise when financially weaker women are used as surrogates, particularly in developing countries like India. Critics argue that it can become a form of reproductive exploitation, where women’s bodies are commercialized.
3. Emotional and Psychological Impact
The emotional implications of surrogacy on all parties—intended parents, the surrogate mother, and the child—are complex. Surrogates may form emotional attachments to the child, leading to post-delivery trauma or regret. Intended parents may also face psychological challenges in fully accepting the surrogate’s role. Furthermore, questions like “Who is the real mother?” or “Should the child know about the surrogacy?” can create identity dilemmas for the child later in life.
4. Legal and Regulatory Challenges
Surrogacy laws vary widely across countries, and even within regions. In India, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 permits only altruistic surrogacy, banning commercial surrogacy to prevent exploitation. While the intention is noble, critics argue that the law may force the practice underground, leading to unregulated and unsafe arrangements. International surrogacy contracts can also result in citizenship and parental rights issues if the surrogate or intended parents are from different countries.
5. Commercialization of Reproduction
One of the most debated ethical questions is whether the womb should be for rent. Commercial surrogacy often involves large payments, turning childbirth into a transaction. This has led to concerns that surrogacy is becoming a business, where children are treated as products and women’s reproductive capacities are monetized. It also raises class inequalities, as only the rich can afford surrogacy while the poor often become surrogates.
6. Altruistic Surrogacy: A Middle Path?
Altruistic surrogacy, where no financial gain is involved and the surrogate is usually a close relative or friend, is considered a more ethical approach. However, even in such cases, concerns about emotional pressure, family dynamics, and coercion arise. The question remains—can any surrogacy truly be free of influence or expectation?
Surrogacy stands at the intersection of science, ethics, and law. While it offers life-changing possibilities for intended parents, it must be approached with sensitivity, legal clarity, and strong ethical safeguards. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but the focus must remain on protecting the dignity, health, and rights of both the surrogate and the child. Only through balanced regulation, awareness, and compassion can modern medicine use surrogacy as a tool for hope—without crossing the line into exploitation.
