SURROGACY: BOON OR BANE?

By Achsah George Thomas

Surrogacy is when another woman carries and gives birth to a child for the couple
who wants to have a child. Surrogacy is when a woman becomes pregnant and
delivers a baby in order to give to someone who can not have a child. The history of
surrogacy can be seen in India from the ancient times, although it was legalized in
India very recently. For those who could not have a child yet want a child related to
them, surrogacy has become a boon for them. Surrogacy has its own merits and
demerits.

Begetting a child by surrogate mothers has been practiced even by

Bollywood actors bringing social respectability and trendiness to the practice.

Earlier adoption was the only option remaining for the couples who
could not have babies. But now with the introduction of surrogacy, couples are able to
have their own baby completely or partially genetically related to them. Many

individuals view surrogacy as a boon for the infertile couples, but at the same time
many are against it saying women are not to be considered as baby sellers.
There are many negative effects related to surrogacy. The most
common problem related to surrogacy is health risk. Surrogate mothers face a major
issue relating to their health by getting pregnant. Health risk can be in the form of
high blood pressure, bleeding, pre mature labor. To avoid these risks surrogate
mothers depend on medical treatment such as drugs which in turn will affect the
health of the surrogate mother.
Carrying a baby for nine months and not able to own it is the worst pain a woman can
face. The deal in surrogacy is that the surrogate mother will not have any ownership
over the baby after delivery. Giving up on the child she carried for nine months is the
toughest part in a surrogate mother.
Surrogate mothers also face problems from the intended couples of the child. The
intended couples decides what should the surrogate mother eat, they decide which are
the exercises that the surrogate mother should perform in order to beget a healthy
baby.
Although there are many negative effects, there are positive effects of
surrogacy as well. Earlier if a couple did not have a child they had only two option,
adoption or remain childless. The process of surrogacy has managed to solve the
problems faced by infertile couples. Surrogate motherhood has enabled many infertile
couples to have their own children completely or partially related to them. The dream
of parenting a child has been granted by surrogacy for infertile couples.
Commercial surrogacy is morally and legally problematic since it
constitutes the sale of a child. Commercialization of surrogacy should not be
encouraged because in short it is the selling of a child to meet personal needs.
Surrogacy should be practiced only when the couples are infertile. Many opt for
surrogacy because many fear that pregnancy might hinder their career. Thus it is in
each ones hand to decide whether surrogacy is a boon or a bane.