Surrogacy: freedom to have a family or baby business?

The global surrogacy market is projected to grow dramatically over the coming decade, with estimates suggesting it could reach more than $129 billion by 2032. Rising infertility, delayed parenthood, the growth of same-sex parenting and advances in reproductive technology have fuelled demand. As medical science expands the possibilities of family formation, surrogacy has moved from being a backstop for desperate wannabe parents to a growing global industry. But does this give greater autonomy for women over their own bodies, or does it represent the commercialisation of parenthood itself?

Surrogacy is a particularly polarised issue, as it pulls at the heart strings of parents and those who long to be them. Supporters argue that surrogacy offers the priceless opportunity to give children to those otherwise excluded, while upholding the bodily autonomy of women, allowing them to choose what to do with their bodies and their reproduction.

But as the practice expands, so does criticism of it. Many contend that it commodifies both women and children, turning pregnancy into a service and babies into products. That concern is magnified when it is used by celebrities, who amplify the stark economic inequalities between the commissioning parents and the surrogates. Moreover, some question the reasons behind the rise in surrogacy – as women are abstaining from childbirth, due to the pain or inconvenience, and gay men increasingly expect to be able to use the bodies of women. Is there something in traditional childbirth that needs to be protected?

There are also complications as surrogacy expands, becoming a global enterprise. The war in Ukraine exposed the insecurity of the practice, as surrogates, babies and eggs were evacuated or even left behind. Moreover, there is no single model of surrogacy, with only altruistic surrogacy being permitted in the UK, where payments are limited to reasonable expenses, while commercial surrogacy has operated in the United States for decades. This leads to would-be parents increasingly travelling across borders, to find carriers and donated eggs, entering differing legal systems and economic conditions, and shaping a complex and often precarious international marketplace of reproduction.

Should surrogacy be understood as an act of generosity, a legitimate form of paid work, or an inherently exploitative practice? Is it right that children are the product of a contract before they are born? Are prospective parents free to seek surrogacy across borders, or should governments place tighter restrictions on the practice? And as reproductive technologies continue to transform what it means to become a parent, where should society draw the line?