Sofia Emily Parrott
Advantages and Disadvantages of Surrogacy
Surrogacy, according to Balen and Jacobs (1997), is the process where a surrogate mother carries a baby for a couple whose woman lacks the ability to carry one on her own or conceive. This process is performed by arrangements usually by companies that aid the intended couple by helping them pick a suitable candidate as their surrogate and handling all the documentations necessary in order for a smooth surrogate process to commence. There are three types of surrogacy (DiGeronimo, 2002). The first is gestational surrogacy where the intended mother’s egg is retrieved, fused with her husband’s sperm and then, the embryo created is implanted into a surrogate mother. Secondly, traditional surrogacy which is when the intended father’s sperm is artificially inseminated into the surrogate mother. Thirdly, donor surrogacy where an embryo is created in vitro, using one of the intended parent’s genetic material and a donor’s egg or sperm, and then transferred into the surrogate mother. Surrogacy has become an issue in many countries and between many people. This paper will explain the disadvantages and advantages of surrogacy.
According to DiGeronimo (2002), sometimes an infertile couple is left with no other choice when trying to get a baby other than surrogacy and adoption. In the case of adoption, the child that they will raise will have no genetic link to the intended couple. However, with surrogacy, the intended couple is guaranteed a child that will be partially genetically theirs. The choice that a couple makes will vary depending on the couple’s priority; whether it is to raise a child or to have a child that has a genetic link. Some couples find that since they cannot have a child that is fully genetically theirs, their next best option is to settle with being partially genetically related to the child because they find that having a genetic link