Lacey Wright

Brittany Stephenson
English 1010
April 23, 2016
Merely Compensation or Ethical Dilemma?
An Annotated Bibliography Exploring Compensation for Surrogates

I am researching the question: Should surrogates be compensated or is this the equivalent to purchasing
a baby? This topic is one that most are either for compensation or against it and hold strong opinions.
Through my research I found that there are different types of surrogacy and can involve up to 5 different
people which opened up more areas for questions. There were many opinions that favored compensation
as they felt surrogacy is the same as a job and should be treated as such while many felt that
compensating a woman is equal to renting her womb and is turning women into a commodity.
Ali, Lorraine, and Raina Kelley. "The Curious Lives of Surrogates." Newsweek Vol. 151, No. 14. 07 Apr.
2008: 44-50. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
Why do women chose to carry a baby for nine months just to give it away? This article discusses the rise
of surrogacy and profiles several women who chose to become a surrogate. According to the article a
great deal of Europe ban surrogacy and there are 12 states in the US that refuse to recognize surrogacy
contracts, which include New York, New Jersey, and Michigan. While not all states legalize and regulate
the practice of surrogacy there are more than a dozen that do including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,
and California. Texas, Utah, Florida and Illinois have now legalized surrogacy. Because of a greater
acceptance of the practice and advances in science the number of surrogates has increased. Another
reason that surrogacy has increased in popularity is that technology makes it safer and more successful
than it has been in the past. Many of the women explain that they chose to become a surrogate was the
sense of empowerment and self-worth, for some it started out as a way to make money, It is an act of
love but also a financial transaction that bring people together like this. Despite the reasons the women
chose to surrogate all were agreed that the grueling IVF treatments, morning sickness, bed rest, Csections and stretch marks were worth it once they saw their intended parent hold the child, or children
(multiples are common with IVF), for the first time.
The article was written in 2008 which was nearly 8 years ago, when I read about the states that allowed
surrogacy I was curious as to how that has changed. When researching this online I found that while
there are some states that were listed that surrogacy was legal I found that many of them had no law
governing surrogacy while some had a laws that made is legal but there were specific stipulations. I think
that the article makes some great points. I believe that both love and money could be huge factors in
deciding to become a surrogate. For me personally I could really imagine it being worth all the unpleasant
parts seeing the parents reaction to their child.
Pratt, Laura. "Womb Service: An Inside Look at Surrogate Motherhood." Today's Parent. June 2000: 66+. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
Laura Pratt discusses the growing trend of surrogacy in this article. The article explains that until the last 25
years people who struggle with infertility have had only two options remain childless or adopt but surrogacy is a

growing trend as women are willing to help out for a fee. In 1970 a Michigan Lawyer endorsed a patriarchal
concept that a womans role is a breeder and caregiver. By September 1987 he had brought to fruition 177
surrogate births. Meanwhile multiple agencies were surfacing in the US and the concept of a commercial
venture was taking off. Joanne Wright who has children of her own is a surrogate from Canada. The article
states that she has been a surrogate twice and is in the process of doing it again. Her first time acting as
surrogate she charged a fee of $10,000 and since then has increased her fee to $20,000. She claims that she
doesnt participate in surrogacy for the money. In 1987 a couple from Toronto used a facility in Detroit because
they could not find surrogacy support in Canada. It was through this they met Joanne. The article states that
most of the time Canadian couples seek surrogacy help in the U.S however occasionally there is a unique case
where an American couple sought help from a surrogate in Canada.
There is a lot of evidence in this article that suggests that there are surrogates who do not decide to surrogate
for altruistic reasons and are therefore in it for the money. I think that some would consider this selling a child
which poses a moral dilemma. The article caused me to ask if we are going to compensate women for their
services and that is considered exploitation shouldnt that go both ways? Was Joanne exploiting her other
surrogate families by increasing her rate just because she could?

Klimkiewicz, Joann. "Outsourcing Labor." Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT). 24 Apr. 2008: n.p. SIRS Issues
Researcher. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
Joann Klimkiewicz explains how we should consider changing attitudes toward surrogate mother
arrangements. The article begins with mention of an infamous surrogacy case regarding Baby M where the
surrogate who was also the biological mother of Baby M backed out of the contract and wanted to keep the
baby. After a two year battle for custody the father was awarded custody of Baby M and the surrogate/mother
was allowed visitation. After presenting this information Joann Klimkiewicz explains that much has changed
since that case that was more than 20 years ago and surrogacy should be looked at differently. The first reason
being that the majority of surrogacys are considered gestational, which is that the surrogate has no genetic link
to the embryo that is implanted. A quote from Chris Gallagher, a Fairfield attorney specializing in assisted
reproduction and adoption states that nobodys getting rich off of things like that and it is more of a benevolent
act. He suggests that most women who choose to surrogate come from stable backgrounds, they are married
and have children of their own.
I am not sure if agree fully with the information in this article. I do believe that much has changed in the last 20
years and surrogacy is made more of a less complicated situation legally since surrogacies are gestational and
not traditional. I dont think that the statement that nobody is getting rich off of surrogacy, I feel it is dependent
upon the situation.

Li, Shan. "Now Chinese Want U.S. Babies." Los Angeles Times. 19 Feb. 2012: A.1. SIRS Issues
Researcher. Web. 20 Apr. 2016
It is not uncommon for Americans to travel to China to adopt a child, however the tables have turned and
couples from China are now traveling to the U.S. to become parents using surrogacy. In China surrogacy
is illegal or banned. The article states that authorities of both China and America do not track the number
of couples that come to America for surrogacy however surrogacy experts and operators says there has
been an increase. Shan Li discusses the estimated cost for these couples to hire a surrogate in the US
(80,000 to 120,000) for gestational surrogates with the increase of cost based on the success and the
need for donated eggs. The amount that an egg donor receives varies based on ethnicity. Shan Li states
that Chinese couples typically want a child from an ethnic Chinese womans eggs which has caused an
inflation of cost.

It amazes me the amount of money it costs for surrogacy. I feel as though the author of this article is a
credible source for information. The ethos is reinforced by the fact that the article is published in the Los
Angeles Times. Shan Li uses several quotes from professionals at multiple infertility clinics which also
strengthens the ethos. I think that the amount of money paid out to an egg donor should be a standard
amount and not fluctuating based on ethnicity.
Parker, Kathleen. "Wombs for Rent." Washington Post. 26 May 2013: p. A.17. SIRS Issues Researcher.
Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
Not all surrogacy stories are pretty and Kathleen Parker explains in this article why she is against for
profit surrogacy. Womens reproductive rights have enjoyed a half-century or so of well-defined
proponents and opponents, but the recently flourishing fertility industry, from egg harvesting to surrogacy,
has produced fresh and surprising alliances among former foes. She states that there is a darker side to
the surrogacy business and it is preying on vulnerable women and turning them into a commodity or
oven. She reports that Kathy Sloan who is a board member for the National Organization for Women
and surrogacy opponent states that almost half of the surrogates in this country are military wives. With
this being said surrogacy brokers specifically target a specific population that would be the most likely to
be attracted to surrogacy and military wives is a great marketplace. Surrogacy is seen as the rich taking
advantage of vulnerable women for designer babies. Kathleen Parker concludes her article by stating
that while no one wishes to cause pain to people who, for whatever reason, can't

have a child on their own, there are more compelling principles and consequences
in play. Human babies are not things; their mothers are not ovens. But bartering and
selling babies-to-order sure make them seem that way. By turning the miracle of life
into a profit-driven, state-regulated industry, the stork begins to resemble a
vulture.
There are parts of this article that I could agree with and others that I am a little on the fence about. I do
agree that sometimes surrogacy could be seen as taking advantage of a woman who is not as financially
stable by turning her into a commodity. I dont however agree that this is always the case. While this
information does hold some ethos by using information from someone who is part of the National
Organization for Women I feel that the authors ethos could be discredited slightly as the article is a pointof-view piece based on more of a personal opinion.
Schulte, Brigid. "Sharing the Gift of Life." Washington Post (Washington, DC). 04 May 2008: C.1. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.
This article written in the Washington Post addresses the relationship between surrogate and contracting
parents. Jamie who is a 14 year old girl born through the use of surrogacy has a close relationship with
her surrogate mother. The article explains that from a young age the biological parents/contracting
parents of Jamie made her aware of where she came from. Jamie knows that her surrogate carried her
however she is not her mother. The article mentions that Kim (the surrogate) who has children of her own
had given birth to another child as a surrogate prior to Jamie. With the first surrogacy pregnancy she
accepted $10,000 dollars for her act of service, which she states made her feel guilty. It is explained that
Kim chose to become the surrogate for Jamies parents because she wanted to do something big for
someone and what is bigger than giving someone a childtheir child.
I like this article because it was able to show another side to surrogacy that seems to be less common.
Throughout my research I have not come across any other instances where the surrogate mother has
had a relationship with the child and family that they were surrogate for. I am not sure what stance the

author has on this issue or how lot of the information in the article was obtained and am unsure how
credible the ethos is.
Szego, Julie. "Scary, Yes, but a Womb for Rent Makes Sense." The Age. 14 Aug. 2014: p. 20. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
This article discusses commercial surrogacy in Australia and why the author feels it should be legalized.
Julie Szego begins the article by stating that we should move beyond long-standing taboos and seriously
consider legalizing commercial surrogacy in Australia. She discusses how when surrogacy advocates
bring up the debate on introducing commercial surrogacy to Australia the debate never gets beyond the
embryonic phase because people are nervous about the idea of declaring a womans womb for rent.
She suggests that we question the taboos and be open minded to the idea that if surrogacy is tightly
regulated and of limited scope that this would be the answer to the problem of the desperate people in
Australia renting wombs from poorer women in countries that are not properly regulated.
The article states that we have already determined that surrogacy is not morally an issue as long as it is
considered altruistic, however if it is a relative or close friend the intentions to help may be out of guilt or
misplaced loyalty. Once we offer the prospect of financial compensation that the intentions behind her
decision to help become dubious.
I think that Julie Szego makes some excellent points in her article as well as some that are not as simply
black and white as she makes them come across. I completely agree that people will find a way to get
what they desperately want. They will go to whatever means they need to get what they desire. I agree
that there are times when a close friend or relative agree to be a surrogate that their intentions may be
stemmed from guilt however I think there is more to it and its not as simple as that.

"Workers or Mothers? The Business of Surrogacy in Russia." Opendemocracy.net. 15 Dec. 2015: n/a.
SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 19 Apr. 2016.
In this article, the author explains how in Russia the act of surrogacy is seen as nothing but a means for
financial stability and that the term surrogacy worker that is used in Russia rather than surrogate
mother more accurately reflects the intent of women who act as surrogate for four main reasons. The
first, that the potential surrogacy worker cannot be altruistically motivated. They must demonstrate that
their motivation is financially driven. Secondly they agree that surrogacy is a complex job that could
include putting their own health at risk (much like a conventional pregnancy) for the safety of the unborn
child. While surrogacy in Russia is legal there are regulations. All surrogacy pregnancies are gestational
only meaning the surrogate has no genetic link to the child. The third is that the surrogate worker must
agree that since there is no genetic link to the child they must reject the idea of keeping the child. The
fourth reason is that the self-identification with surrogacy work is not permanent, that once the
transaction is completed the identity of surrogate is no longer relevant.
The article shows one side to the act of surrogacy in which surrogacy is equivalent to purchasing a baby. I
agree that if these are the reasons that a woman decides to act as surrogate the term surrogate mother
needs to be rethought. While I am unsure how accurate this information is because it was an online article
published without disclosing the authors name the information presented in the article leads me to
question the morality of some surrogacy practices while contemplating the effectiveness that it may have.
In conclusion I have found through my research that the act of compensation for surrogacy is not so black
and white. There are many grey areas that cloud this topic. My research has opened up an array of new
questions. There were several sources that stated each state in the U.S has its own law regarding

surrogacy but I found that there was conflicting information in several articles about the laws in each state
I would love to know what the laws are for each state and what that means for those traveling out of state
for surrogacy.

Opinion Summary
Surrogacy has been around for many years, but for a period of time made its way into the
shadows. Over the past 30 years it has made its way into the headlines. With segments on the Today
show, Oprah and films such as Baby Mama there is no doubt that people are talking about it.
Something that is thought to be simple is contrary to some beliefs a very complex thing with multiple viewpoints. The two points of view that I will discuss are those that are for commercial or compensated
surrogacy and those that are opposed.
When I began my research I had a specific question that I wanted answered however as I dove deeper
into the sources I realized that it was more complex than I had originally anticipated. There are several
factors that come in to play. What started out as a question of should women be compensated or are we
purchasing children by providing compensation made me question more than just should or shouldnt we.
Is paying a woman to surrogate exploiting her? Is it making the woman a commodity? Or is surrogacy like
many other jobs out there? Could we argue that surrogacy is no different than being a nurse? When it
comes to making a decision I like to have a great amount of thorough information before I can decide
where I stand and I do not feel like I have enough information to decide which side of the debate I stand
on for this topic, I can see both sides and understand where each one is coming from.
Those that are for commercial surrogacy or compensation for surrogacy have produced several excellent
points that support their opinion on the matter. The author for the article on opendemocracy.net states the
act of surrogacy in Russia is seen as a business. Surrogacy is a complex job that could include putting
their personal health at risk. I can see how some would consider carrying a child that has no genetic link
to them an act of service. I think that Julie Szego makes an excellent point when she states that putting a
ban on commercial surrogacy in certain areas while it is legal in others is not doing anyone any favors.
That it is actually opening things up for the exploitation of poorer women in countries where surrogacy is
legal and not properly regulated. I can see how people would think legalizing commercial surrogacy would
eliminate the exploitation of poorer women.
Those that are against commercial surrogacy and believe that the act of surrogacy should be strictly
altruistic also have formed excellent reasons why they have the opinion they do. I can see how those like
Kathleen Parker believe that while no one wishes to cause pain to people who, for whatever reason,
can't have a child on their own, there are more compelling principles and consequences in play. Human
babies are not things; their mothers are not ovens. But bartering and selling babies-to-order sure make
them seem that way. By turning the miracle of life into a profit-driven, state-regulated industry, the stork
begins to resemble a vulture. She also talks about how surrogacy brokers target a specific population
that would have a higher interest in surrogacy and this is preying on vulnerable women and turning them
into a commodity. Some would say that this is the case others would argue that its all part of the business
and is not a moral issue.