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Why does surrogate motherhood raise questions about parentage and commercialization?

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Marble portrait bust of Hippocrates atop a tall rectangular base inscribed with an epigram in Greek, displayed against a black background. — Bioethics A Roman bust of Hippocrates, copied from a Greek original, c. 3rd century bce; in the collection of the Antichità di Ostia, Italy.

In the field of bioethics, surrogate motherhood presents complex challenges regarding the definition of parenthood and the moral status of human life.

Parentage and Legal Rights

Surrogate motherhood complicates traditional notions of parentage by separating the roles of the birth mother and the intended parents. In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate provides the egg, while in gestational surrogacy, an embryo created via in vitro fertilization is implanted. While the surrogate typically agrees to relinquish parental rights, these arrangements are frequently subject to legal challenges if the surrogate decides to keep the child or if disputes arise regarding the rights of the individuals involved.1

Commercialization and Ethical Concerns

The practice raises significant moral concerns regarding the commercialization of human life. When payment is involved for reproductive services, critics argue that it risks treating children as commodities rather than as human beings. Ethically, it is imperative to uphold the dignity of all individuals involved, ensuring that reproductive technologies do not reduce human life to a market transaction or exploit the socioeconomic vulnerabilities of potential surrogates.123