Abstract
This paper examines how for many infertile couples, the assistance of a surrogate mother represents one last hope for becoming a genetic parent and therefore they turn to surrogate mothers, or women who bear children for couples who cannot become parents through normal pregnancy and childbirth. It looks at how with careful preparation on both sides, surrogate parenting can be a viable option for couples to conceive a child and add to their family. It also shows how many critics charge that this practice provides another opportunity for couples to exploit poor women.

From the Paper
"The rising popularity of surrogate parenting stems in part from new technology. In the Baby M case, the surrogate mother was also the biological mother, because she was artificially inseminated with the intended father's sperm. Today, however, 95 percent of these types of pregnancy involve ?gestational surrogacy,? where the intended parents sperm and egg are used to create an embryo, that is then implanted into the surrogate's uterus. Though more expensive than traditional surrogacy, this type also insures that the intended parents are genetically related to their child (Gentry)."

Tags: baby, m, pregnancy, sperm, artificila, insemination