Surrogate Parenting

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the new and emerging reproductive technologies used today to help couples with fertility issues to have children. The paper focuses specifically on surrogate parenting, discussing the legal and ethical issues that can complicate surrogacy.

From the Paper:

"The most commonly raised question is: are we not commercialization children by severing the bond between the natural mother and the child? Closely connected to this question are the feelings of the natural mother who might not want to give up the child once he is born. The legal cases in this regard have only further complicated the whole issue. The baby M case is one of the most well known cases of surrogacy parenting in the US. In 1986, Mary Beth Whitehead entered into a contract with Elizabeth and Daniel Stern to bear a child for them using husband's sperm. However when the child was born, Mary Beth refused to give up the custody which resulted in a bitter battle where many legal and ethical questions surfaced. It was decided by the court that while Sterns would keep the child, Whitehead would have visitation rights. This is not something common because it is decided prior to the birth of the child that natural mother would have no contact with him/her. This brings us to the philosophical question: Who exactly is a mother and what precisely is motherhood?"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Card, C. (1996). Against marriage and motherhood. Hypatia, 11(3), 1-23.
• Forcey, L. R. (1994). Feminist perspectives on mothering and peace. In E. N. Glenn, G. Chang, & L. R. Forcey (Eds.), Mothering: Ideology, experience, and agency (pp. 355-375). New York:
• Routledge. Leonard, V. W. (1996). Mothering as a practice. In S. Gordon, P. Benner, & N. Noddings (Eds.),
• Caregivings: Readings in knowledge, practice, ethics, and politics (pp. 124-140). Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
• Phoenix, A., Woollett, A., & Lloyd, E. (1991). Motherhood: Meanings, practices, and ideologies. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

More papers on Surrogate Parenting:

• Argumentative Essay # 92070 : "Surrogate Parenting"
• Essay # 29897 : "Surrogate Parents"
• Analytical Essay # 14617 : "Surrogate Parenting Case"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: