Introduction: Controversial Issue on Surrogacy

The breakthrough discoveries in the field of assisted reproduction have brought new lights in the society. However, some of these discoveries evoked controversial issues. One of the controversial issues that received tremendous feedback is surrogate motherhood. As many couples fail to bear any child due to infertility, various alternatives appears to realize their dream of parenthood. One of the popular alternatives is surrogate motherhood. To begin with, the word “surrogate” means substitute. Surrogate motherhood is a term referred to an arrangement in which a woman becomes pregnant for the sole purpose of having a child that another couple will raise (Hinders 2007). In other words, a surrogate mother is a woman who carries a child for someone else, usually a couple struggling with fertility issues. After the child is born, the surrogate mother surrenders it to the people who have hired her (Smith 2008). Surrogacy is considered to be a form of assisted reproduction. Artificial insemination, fertility drugs, and in vitro fertilization are also forms of assisted reproduction (Hinders 2007).
There are several types of surrogate motherhood. The traditional surrogacy involves the biological mother as the surrogate mother. When a woman is unable to get pregnant due to illnesses or ovulation disruption, but is eager to have a child, this type of surrogacy is used. This involves artificial insemination, a process of artificially injecting sperms from a woman’s partner into the woman’s uterus during ovulation in order for her to be pregnant (Baker n.d.)
On the contrary, the gestation surrogacy involves surrogate mother that is not biological related to the baby. The infertile couple will donate the needed sperms and ovum. Fertilization process will occur in a test tube and the embryo will be implanted into the surrogate mother. The surrogate mother will bear and give birth to the child. Once given birth, the role of the surrogate mother is over and the child is placed in the care of the biological parents (Hinders 2007; Smith 2008)

History of surrogacy can be traced back in the time of Holy Bible and Roman history, where the culture regarded positively about carrying a baby for an infertile couple (Search Your Love 2006). The bible book of Genesis, a story of surrogacy was recorded in chapter 16. Sarah, who was not able to bear a child, had her servant, Hagar as a surrogate mother to bear a child for Sarah and Abraham to raise (Houdmann 2008). As for commercial surrogacy, it only came about in the late 1970’s in America and was founded by a lawyer, Noel Keane, who established the first surrogacy agency.

In this era, surrogacy is rejected and even banned in some countries. Although surrogate motherhood manages to bring parenthood joy to many infertile couples, it brings about various problems and effects to the society. In this research paper, we will explore the problems, effects and solutions of surrogate motherhood.