Surrogacy is a practice where a person becomes pregnant, carries a child, and delivers the child on behalf of another couple who donated their egg and sperm to the surrogate prior to the pregnancy. So basically, there should be a legal agreement before this kind of arrangement is put in place.
The primary reason why surrogacy is used is because the couple couldn't get a child through the traditional method. There are also cogent reasons, like medical conditions, where the woman cannot have a child even though she can produce eggs. Again, in a case where a woman has undergone cesarean sections the maximum number of times and because of her health or the safety of her life, she is advised not to go again! And let's say for some reason, she was only able to get just one child alive, and she needs more, but she cannot carry another pregnancy; a surrogate can help such couples to have another child.
There are also secondary reasons why people choose surrogacy over the traditional method of giving birth. For someone who does the kind of work that her body image is important, such a person may embrace surrogacy; it's her choice. Just like most of our celebrities today, who don't want to lose their body shape over pregnancy, not that they have any health issues. Again, not everyone can handle the labor of childbearing. They think of it, and they decide that it's not for them, and surrogacy becomes an option. Two weeks ago, I was discussing with one of my casual friends at the saloon, and she told me her plan of going for surrogacy for her 3rd child. She complained about the labor pain so far and the journey of nine months of pregnancy and how it's so difficult to bear, so her decision was to search for a surrogate.
You see, different people have different reasons for choosing surrogacy over the traditional method of childbearing. Personally, I think surrogacy is very ethical.
It's as ethical as any other thing that people do in terms of childbearing as long as the surrogate mother gives consent and then everything is documented and not under duress; it's very ethical. Everyone is within their rights to do that. It's just like saying, is adoption ethical? It's not your biological child, but you adopted the child, documented it and did all the necessary things formally. So surrogacy as a method of childbearing shouldn't be abandoned in favor of traditional methods but rather allow people to make their informed decisions for their personal reasons; it's a choice, but then proper regulations and fairness should be maintained among the three parties involved.
Personally, I think surrogacy is something I can get involved in only if it's for health reasons and if I am unable to carry a pregnancy and have a child. But there are concerns! What if the surrogate mother decides to change her mind after birthing the baby? What if she gives birth and no longer wants to part with the baby? Or what if my husband later gets an emotional attachment to the surrogate mother, hahaha 😂
Overall, before a pregnancy is established, it's important that the surrogate mother and the intended parents come to an agreement and have proper documentation to avoid the anticipated risks involved. Personally, if I am going to go for surrogacy; I will prefer a relative if possible rather than a stranger. I think I prefer surrogacy to adoption if atall I have any need for that in the future.
This post is in response to the #HiveLearners community contest on the topic titled, Surrogacy.
Images were taken from canva