Few of the Asian countries like India is the ultimate outsourcing hub for various business organizations across the world. However, the latest emerging trend in outsourcing seems to be ‘babies’. Surrogacy, like adoption of children, is a means by which partners who are unable to conceive, avail the services of a woman to carry their baby in her womb with/without donating the egg, necessary for the same. This can be done by the surrogate out of altruism or commercially. While the former is done silently for another friend or member in the family, the latter involves a lot of paperwork. Commercial surrogacy has been hotly debated and continues to raise a storm.
Surrogacy: Womb on rent?
The whole process of surrogacy is often over-simplified as hiring a womb. This is not true. Conception and pregnancy have been very personal and private affairs because it involves the feelings and emotions of people. There are cases of the surrogate mothers getting attached to the baby and not being able to let him go. There are also cases of severe mental and psychological distress that have risen out of the physical trauma that surrogate mothers sometimes undergo.
Surrogacy is not justifiable
Those who oppose surrogacy, have some really strong and valid points of contention. These are listed below.
- Surrogacy is no different from prostitution
When prostitution is viewed strongly in a negative light for it involves selling the body for monetary benefits, how is surrogacy different? This is all the more glaring when it is done commercially in countries like India when the surrogate mother is being pulled into the equation only because her dire financial need.
- The option for adoption is always there
War, disease and social conditions have rendered many children as orphans. There is a huge need of caring parents and home for such children. When that is the case, why not adopt a baby? There is a moral binding on society to care for the beings that have already been bought into the world.
- Surrogacy gets exploitative
Commercial surrogacy is illegal in many countries. Even when it is legal, it is very expensive in many European and American countries. India, among the developing nations and some other third world countries have legalized surrogacy which has ballooned into an unregulated sector. The surrogate mothers in these places are not paid even a quarter of their European counterparts and very often are not treated well. There are reports of high mortality among delivering mothers.
Surrogacy is ethical
In spite of the many arguments and protests, the pro-surrogacy advocates have a few points of their own too. The foremost is the fact that it is being done legally. When the ethical questions arise, the following arguments are issued.
- Adoption is not all that easy
Though it seems like common sense to adopt from among the thousands of orphans around the world, the process is not that easy. The paperwork and various evaluations may take a few years at times. Also, those who go in for partial surrogacy have the option of presenting their own eggs and sperm which gives a genetic link to their babies.
- Fulfillment of having a family
With an increase in the marriage age and child-bearing age due to career and social reasons, more and more couples are being frustrated with the problem of infertility. Surrogacy offers such couples an opportunity to have a baby and fulfill the need for a family.
- Surrogate mothers make a conscious choice
The surrogate mothers are made aware of the risks and they take the decision based on their own choice. Well-informed choice is an individual’s freedom. Added to this is the fact that the surrogates are also paid well for their services.
