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Cheaper Overseas: Surrogate Mothers

[This post was submitted last year by trip and program alumni Angie Dip in connection with the 2008 trip. This issue has been in the news again recently so I am re-running her submitted post.]

“Customer service. Technical support. Administrative and accounting processes. So many services are being outsourced to India. Let?s add another one to the list: pregnancy, or rent-a-womb.

Check out this article from ABC News regarding the cheaper service of surrogate mothers offered overseas in India.

In the United States, the cost of the services of surrogate mothers, which include the in-vitro fertilization to home health care costs from the time of pregnancy to when the baby is delivered, is about $60,000. In India, however, the price is much lower ? just about $6,000 for a successful in-vitro fertilization process.

Some women use this service because they either have medical complications that prevent them from being able to give birth, or, according to a new trend, they want to be mothers but do not want to put their careers on hold for the pregnancy.

The process seems mutually beneficial to everyone. The doctors involved gets paid for their services, the couple who wants the baby gets what they want, and the surrogate mothers get a paycheck that is equal to about ten years? worth of work to take care of their family. Although by supporting the outsourcing of pregnancy, everyone involved would be in a win-win situation, taking advantage of and exploiting the impoverished women in India is depressing to me. But, I understand that this is a great money-making opportunity for these women. Nevertheless, this ?business,? also called reproductive tourism, is thriving in India, bringing in over $400 million a year.

India is a top choice for surrogates because of its low cost, its excellent medical treatment, and its availability of surrogate mothers and English-speaking doctors. In addition, there is little regulation right now in India on this business. (Eventually, there should be stricter rules to prevent women from being abused.) The women usually sign a contract agreeing to hand over the baby to the potential parents. In the United States, on the other hand, some states may allow a surrogate to stake her claim to parental rights during a short period after giving birth.

What other outsourcing opportunities will they come up with next?

Questions to consider:

How do you feel about India outsourcing pregnancy? As a future businessperson, do you think it is okay as long as it?s a win-win situation for everyone involved? Or do you think it is unethical?

If you do not agree, think about the women who are not able to bear children because of medical complications. What if you, like Tracy Thornton from the article, were put in their position? Wouldn?t you want a service like this provided to you?

Do you think China will make a similar approach (to gain more business and compete with India)?

For more on the outsourcing of pregnancy in India, check out these related articles:

Womb for Rent: Surrogate Mothers in India

Outsourcing a Womb”

Prof. Carr addendum:

Good post.

In asking the question, “Is this ethical or unethical?”, avoid the natural reflex to shoot from the hip and pull out the easy and broad statement of “why, yes!” or “why, no!” and instead dig deeper and apply one or more of the commonly studied ethical theories that philosophers have given us to try to sort out these things — Natural Law, Utilitarianism, and Legal Positivisim.

Does an analysis under each yield the same, or different conclusions?

And re: the people discussed in the article, which theory are they using, intentionally or subconsciously, to explain, justify or feel comfortable with their decisions?

And can you think of other people, companies, politicians, governments, religious leaders, and even your classmates and professors, etc. who sometimes ‘flip-flop’ and cherry pick the ethical theory that gets them to the result they want or justify their argument and position?

One example for practice analysis:

“Iraq is a just war and noble cause because our Judeo Christian God says all people deserve liberty and a democracy” is a common natural law justification where one could say, “Of course, this activity is right (code for ethical and moral).”

A utilitarian ethicist and/or disciple would look at Iraq and says, “What? You are nuts. That activity is wrong (code for unethical and immoral) because the costs of being there far outweigh the benefits.”

A legal positivism theorist focuses on the stated law as the baseline for determining what is right (ethical and moral). He/she could go either way on this issue, depending on the law at issue and its interpretation. For example, some believe Bush et al., have violated significant American and international laws re: the Iraq thing. Others argue and interpret said laws were minor or if significant interpret them the other way and conclude said laws were not violated.

What are the weak spots of each theory?

Which theory do you use and consistently adhere to in your everyday personal and professional life? Are you ever guilty of flip flopping to get to the result you really want?

Please keep the above in mind as you analyze any issue you see in China and India that disturbs you because you have not been exposed to it in the US.

And stay tuned. More to come on the ethics issue in a subsequent post …

Professor Carr addendum: Click HERE to check out this piece that came out in the NY Times on this subject. Some interesting comments on this Times‘ blog post. See also this recent Newsweek article that highlights the risks of adoption and how said joy can turn into an (honest) parent’s worst nightmare.