Science Common Sense
1631 - What are the ethical and legal issues surrounding surrogate mothers?
Imagine someone you know is carrying a baby for you, but it's not your wife or mom. That person is a surrogate mother. Now, there are some big concerns that come with this:
Ethical Issues:
- Exploitation: Some people might take advantage of surrogate mothers, paying them very little or treating them unfairly.
- Baby's well-being: Who takes care of the baby if the parents don't want it or can't care for it?
- Emotional attachment: The surrogate mother might get attached to the baby, which can be hard for her and the parents.
Legal Issues:
- Contract agreements: The contracts between surrogate mothers and parents aren't always clear or fair.
- Custody battles: Sometimes, surrogate mothers and parents disagree about who should take care of the baby.
- Different laws: Laws about surrogacy vary from country to country, which can cause confusion and problems.
To make things better, many countries are creating laws and guidelines to protect surrogate mothers and the babies they carry.