Surrogacy
Imagine having an intense desire to have a baby and yet you have infertility problems. Well, thanks to surrogacy there is no need to panic. Surrogacy refers to a situation in which a woman willingly agrees to get pregnant and give birth to a baby which she hands over to another party which is usually a couple.
Typically this woman is the genetic mother of the child (traditional surrogacy) or she could be a gestational carrier (gestational surrogacy) where she is medically implanted with an embryo.History of surrogacyIn 1978, the historic event of the first test tube baby led to the development of gestational surrogacy. The first traditional surrogacy arrangement was in 1980 in which Elizabeth Kane gave birth to a son as a traditional surrogate mother. She was paid $10000 for successful delivery of the child. The first successful pregnancy through egg donation took place in Australia in 1983 in which a woman in Monash University gave birth to a baby using donated eggs (Information-On-Surrogacy.com, “History of Surrogacy).Surrogacy is allowed in several nations. This is because these nations realize its importance. Surrogacy is allowed in India and it has become popular because of its low cost. Surrogacy was permitted in India in the year 2008 after the Manji’s case in the Supreme Court of India.
Surrogacy is also permitted in Israel. It was legalized in 1996 under the Embryo Carrying Agreements law. The surrogacy arrangements are however allowed only among Israeli citizens that have similar religions. The United Kingdom has also legalized surrogacy under the Human Fertilization and Embryology act.In the United States, surrogacy legality varies according to the state laws. Surrogacy is allowed in Arkansas and surrogacy contracts are enforceable and valid.
California also permits surrogacy agreements especially when the intended parents contribute some genetic material. The Uniform Parentage Act has been used in the state to interpret surrogacy cases. Florida allows gestational and traditional surrogacy and the law is very clear on this matter. Surrogacy is however restricted to couples that are married and who are over eighteen years. Illinois on the other hand allows gestational surrogacy and not traditional surrogacy. Under Nevada law, surrogacy is only allowed for married couples.
Surrogacy should be allowed since it provides an option for women who can not conceive due to infertility or other health related problems. It provides an opportunity for such women to become mothers. Her egg is fertilized with the biological father’s sperm and the embryo is implanted in the surrogate mother’s uterus. This is a much cheaper option as compared to the cost associated with donor sperms in sperm banks and expensive medical therapy. The surrogate mother has no biological connection to the child and upon giving birth she relinquishes the parental rights she has over the child. This prevents legal problems related to surrogacy (Surrogacy 911.com, “Pros and Cons of Surrogacy”).Surrogacy provides a quicker alternative as compared to adoption. Adoptions may take long because the couple has certain specifications for the child. These specifications can easily be met through surrogacy. This is because the intended parents choose the surrogate mother and as long as she is healthy getting a baby can take a shorter time as compared to complicated adoption processes.
The intended parents also have full parental rights over the child and hence they do not have to worry about the surrogate mother changing her mind (CFG, “The Benefits of Surrogacy”). So would you rather go through a complicated adoption process or line up in sperm banks or would rather get a surrogate mother and get a baby within a year?High success rates have also been reported in surrogacy arrangements. In the year 2002 in the United States, the number of surrogate births was 550. The number of surrogate births has increased gradually since the year 1976. The numbers of clinics that deal with surrogacy matters have also increased making it easier for parents who would want a child through surrogacy (CFG, “The Benefits of Surrogacy”).
Ladies and gentlemen, surrogacy has helped many women in this nation and throughout the world. Women who have always desired to have babies but are limited health wise now have an option of surrogacy. Do we want to deny our women the chance to be mothers? I don’t think so. Surrogacy should be allowed in all nations in order to give all women an equal chance to be mothers.
