Abstract
In vitro fertilization (IVF) has become a clinical service offered to infertile couples in most developed countries. More than 40 years have elapsed since the birth of Louise Brown, but there is still some controversy concerning certain aspects of IVF practice. One of these controversial issues concerns the practice of surrogacy. In cases of infertility due to uterine factors, when a woman is unable to carry the embryo, or when her general health makes pregnancy and delivery inadvisable, the embryo is implanted into the uterus of another woman, who will give birth as a “surrogate mother.” In this chapter, we will review various aspects of the issue of surrogacy including the medical, social, ethical, legal, and religious aspects. With regard to the legal aspect, we will focus on Israeli law and see how he chose to treat the issue of surrogacy in a unique way, in which the state is responsible for the management and supervision of the process. Regarding the social aspect, we will address the implications for all involved in the surrogacy process, including the surrogate herself, her spouse, the parents-to-be, and the newborn himself. Finally, we will discuss the different approaches of the major religions to the issue of surrogacy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
British Medical Association. Council of the British Medical Association Annual Report 1989–1990. Appendix V. London: British Medical Association; 1990.
Schenker JG, Frenkel DA. Medico-legal aspects of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer practice. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 1987;41:405–13.
Schenker JG. The surrogate mother. Harefuah. 1992;123:330–3.
Old Testament . Book of Genesis. 16:1–6.
Old Testament. Book of Genesis. 30:1–4.
Keane N, Bred D. The surrogate mother. New York: Everest House; 1981.
Corea G. The mother machine. New York: Harper and Row; 1985.
Utian WH, Sheean L, Goldfarb JM, Kiwi R. Successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer from an infertile woman to a surrogate. N Engl J Med. 1985;313:1351–2.
British Medical Association. Annual report of council. Appendix V: surrogacy report. London: British Medical Association; 1990. p. 39–48.
Warnock M. Report of the committee inquiring into human fertilization and embryology. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office; 1984.
FIGO Standing Committee for the Study of Ethical Aspects of Human Reproduction. Recommendation on surrogate motherhood. Int Gynecol Obstet. 1989;28:299.
Ethics Committee of the American Fertility Society. Surrogate gestational mothers: women who gestate a genetically unrelated embryo. Ethical Considerations of the New Reproductive Technologies. Fertil Steril. 1986;46(Suppl. l):1s–94s.
ESHRE Task Force on Ethics and Law. ESHRE task force on ethics and law 10: surrogacy. Hum Reprod. 2005;20:2705–7.
ASRM Recommendations to Practice. Using gestational carries. Fertil Steril. 2022;118:70.
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 (No. 47 of 2021) [25th December, 2021].
Yau A, Friedlander RL, Petrini A, Holt MC, White DE 2nd, Shin J, Kalantry S, Spandorfer S. Medical and mental health implications of gestational surrogacy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021;225(3):264–9.
Swanson K, Debbink M, Letourneau JM, Kuppermann M, Einerson BD. Association of multifetal gestation with obstetric and neonatal outcomes in gestational carrier pregnancies. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2021;38(3):661–7.
Committee on Practice Bulletins—Obstetrics, Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine. Practice Bulletin No. 169: Multifetal gestations: twin, triplet, and higher-order multifetal pregnancies. Obstet Gynecol. 2016;128:e131–46.
Shenfield F, Pennings G, Cohen J, et al. ESHRE task force on ethics and law 10: surrogacy. Hum Reprod. 2005;20:2705–7.
Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Practice Committee of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. Recommendations for practices utilizing gestational carriers: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2017;107(2):e3–10.
Parkinson J, Tran C, Tan T, Nelson J, Batzofin J, Serafini P. Perinatal outcome after in-vitro fertilization-surrogacy. Hum Reprod. 1999;14:671–6.
Woo I, Hindoyan R, Landay M, et al. Perinatal outcomes after natural conception versus in vitro fertilization (IVF) in gestational surrogates: a model to evaluate IVF treatment versus maternal effects. Fertil Steril. 2017;108:993–8.
Pavlovic Z, Hammer KC, Raff M, et al. Comparison of perinatal outcomes between spontaneous vs. commissioned cycles in gestational carriers for single and same-sex male intended parents. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2020;37:953–62.
Karandikar S, Gezinski LB, Carter JR, Kaloga M. Economic necessity or noble cause? A qualitative study exploring motivations for gestational surrogacy in Gujarat, India. Affilia. 2014;29:224–36.
Parker PL. Motivation of surrogate mothers: initial findings. Am Psychiatry. 1983;140:117–8.
Soderstrom-Anttila V, Wennerholm U-B, Loft A, Pinborg A, Aittomaki K, Romundstad LB, et al. Surrogacy: outcomes for surrogate mothers, children and the resulting families—a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update. 2016;22:260–76.
Jadva V, Murray C, Lycett E, MacCallum M, Golombok S. Surrogacy: the experiences of surrogate mothers. Hum Reprod. 2003;18:2196–204.
Jadva V, Imrie S, Golombok S. Surrogate mothers 10 years on: a longitudinal study of psychological well-being and relationships with the parents and child. Hum Reprod. 2015;30:373–9.
Fischer S, Gillman I. Surrogate motherhood: attachment, attitudes and social support. Psychiatry. 1991;54:13–20.
Jadva V, Imrie S. Children of surrogate mothers: psychological well-being, family relationships and experiences of surrogacy. Hum Reprod. 2014;29:90–6.
Schenker JG. Assisted reproduction: formation of laws and regulations. In: Boutaleb Y, Gzouli A, editors. New conception in reproduction. Carnforth: Parthenon Publishing; 1991. p. 149–58.
The Aloni Commission Report, 1994. (Hebrew)
Schenker JG, Eisenberg V. Surrogate pregnancies. Prenat Neonatal Med. 1996;1:29–37.
Benshushan A, Schenker JG. Legitimizing surrogacy in Israel. Hum Rep. 1997;12:1832–5.
Israeli Ministry of Health: Surrogate Committee Report 1996–2017. (Hebrew).
Schenker JG. Surrogate motherhood: international perspectives. In: Cook R, Sclater S, editors. Legitimizing surrogacy: religious perspectives. Oxford: Hart Publishing; 2003. p. 243–61.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gutman-Ido, E., Schenker, J.G. (2023). Surrogate Pregnancies: Medical, Ethical, Legal, and Religious Aspects. In: Schenker, J.G., Birkhaeuser, M.H., Genazzani, A.R., Mettler, L., Sciarra, J.J. (eds) Hot Topics in Human Reproduction. Reproductive Medicine for Clinicians, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24903-7_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24903-7_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-24902-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-24903-7
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)