Surrogate Parenting: Is It Moral To Carry A Child For Another Person?

There have been a lot of heated discussions on the issue of surrogate parenting in the past. A lot of people criticize surrogate parenting saying that it is immoral for another woman to carry the child of another woman in her womb. On the other hand, there are also many people who think that surrogate parenting is something that is good. According to these people, there are many women who want to have children but their bodies cannot withstand the rigors of pregnancy and the only way that they can have children is through surrogate parenting.

Is surrogate parenting really morally wrong? Technically, surrogate parenting is not right or wrong. Note that surrogate parenting is mentioned in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible when Sarah, the wife of Abraham offered Hagar, her handmaiden, to her husband to carry his son. Hagar bore the son of Abraham on behalf of Sarah. There was really no mention at that time as to whether or not the act of Sarah in offering Hagar to her husband to bear his child was considered wrong although Sarah later drove Hagar into the wilderness out of jealousy. According to those who adhere to the idea of surrogate parenthood, what makes surrogate parenting wrong is not the act of carrying the child of another but rather the motivations behind the idea of carrying the child of another person.

Modern Time Surrogate Parenting

The advancement of science makes it possible for a woman to be the biological mother of a baby without actually carrying the child in her womb. Indeed, surrogate parenting has come a long way from the time of Sarah and Hagar. There are now a lot of surrogate mothers who offer their bodies as hosts to babies for a fee. These women can be easily found through a donor clinic or any other organization that promotes surrogacy. The average pay for women who act as surrogate mothers range from $10,000.00 - $100,000.00 depending on her health and the embryo that she will carry in her womb.

Is the act of asking for a fee to carry the embryo of another in your womb moral? A lot of people think that the idea of carrying a baby in your womb for a fee is immoral. However, since there is no law that prohibits women from becoming surrogate mothers, no one can really prevent a woman from using her body as a baby making machine.