Bioethical aspects of surrogate motherhood

Surogat majčinstvo definiramo kao majčinstvo po dogovoru, često podržano pravnim sporazumom, prema kojem žena (surogat majka) pristaje roditi dijete za drugu osobu ili osobe. Postoje dva tipa surogat majčinstva, genetski i gestacijski surogat. Genetski proizlazi iz umjetne oplodnje, točnije inseminacije surogat majke spermom namjeravanog oca koja ima genetsku povezanost s fetusom dok gestacijski tip uključuje kirurški postupak poznat kao laparoskopija gdje se odstranjuje majčino jaje te postavlja u Petrijevu posudu zajedno s spermom namjeravanog oca, a kada sperma oplodi jaje razvija se embrio koji se postavlja u maternicu surogat majke. Bilo koji oblik surogatstva može biti komercijalni gdje surogat majka prima financijsku dobit od namijenjenog para ili altruistični gdje surogat majka nema nikakvu financijsku korist. Komercijalno surogatstvo je legalno u Indiji, Ukrajini i Kaliforniji, dok je nezakonito u Engleskoj, mnogim državama Sjedinjenih Država i Australiji, koja priznaje samo altruistično surogatstvo. Suprotno tome, zemlje poput Njemačke, Švedske, Norveške i Italije ne priznaju nikakve sporazume o surogatstvu. Indija je postala najpopularnijom zemljom za komercijalno surogatstvo obzirom da su tamošnje cijene najniže. Međutim, glavna bioetička načela poput autonomije, dobrotvornosti, pravde i protu-malverzacije se gube surogatskim iskustvom u Indiji. Parovi iz SAD-a vođeni činjenicom kako je surogat majčinstvo značajno jeftinije u Indiji nego u Kaliforniji samo pokazuju „materijalizaciju“ djeteta. Surogat je jedan oblik komodifikacije ženskih tijela. Oglašavaju se surogatne usluge, vrše se regrutiranje surogata i operativne agencije ostvaruju veliku zaradu. Neki znanstvenici tvrde da se tradicionalni obiteljski koncept gubi jer je brak narušen, a postoje brojni bioetičari koji smatraju kako je pitanje surogat majčinstva pravo odabira svake žene, u prvom redu surogata, a zatim i majke koja odabire takav način potpomognute oplodnje i smatraju kako ne postoje nikakve etičke zapreke da se surogat ne izvede dok god nitko na ništa nije prisiljen. Nije sasvim jasna granica koja se postavlja između komercijalnog i altruističkog surogat majčinstva. Djela recipročnog altruizma su hvale vrijedna jer služe interesima onih kojima je najpotrebnija, smanjujući tako materijalnu nejednakost. Međutim, oni postaju moralno problematični kada im je dobrotvor u odnosu na korisnika onaj tko iskorištava svoju poziciju kako bi izvukao nerecipročnu korist od korisnika.Surrogacy is defined as motherhood according to an agreement that is usually supported with a legal arrangement from which a woman (surrogate mother) agrees to give birth to a child for other persons or people. There are two types of surrogacy, genetic and gestational surrogacy. Genetic surrogacy comes from artificial fertilization, to be precise, from the insemination of the surrogate mother with the father`s sperm, which has a genetic bond with a fetus. In contrast, gestational surrogacy includes a surgical procedure known as laparoscopy, where the mother`s egg is being removed and put in a Petri dish together with the father`s sperm. When the sperm fertilizes the egg, an embryo is developed that is being put into the surrogate mother`s womb. Any kind of surrogacy can be commercialized where the surrogate mother receives financial profit from parents, or altruistic where the surrogate mother does not receive any kind of financial profit. Commercialized surrogacy is legal in India, Ukraine, and California, but illegal in England, most states of the USA, and in Australia who only accept altruistic surrogacy.On the other hand, countries like Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Italy do not accept any kind of agreement for surrogacy. India has become the most popular country for commercialized surrogacy, considering that its prices are low. However, the main bioethical principles, such as autonomy, beneficence, justice, and anti-embezzlement, have been lost because of a surrogate experience in India. Couples from the USA who have been led with the fact that surrogacy is much cheaper in India only shows how the child has been materialized. Surrogacy is one type of commodification of female bodies. Surrogate services are advertised, recruitment of a surrogate is now a common thing to do, and operational agencies make a big profit. Some scientists claim that the concept of a traditional family has been lost because marriage is disturbed. Still, some bioethical scientists believe that surrogacy is the right of every woman`s choice, in the first row of a surrogate. Then a mother chooses that kind of fertilization, and they believe that there are no ethical obstacles that surrogacy can not be done as far as no one is being forced to do anything. There is no clear boundary that can be put between commercialized and altruistic surrogacy. Works of reciprocal altruism are distinguished because they are used when most needed, reducing the material in equality. However, they have become problematic morally when the benefactor in regards to the user is the one who takes advantage of his or her position so that they could make a non-reciprocal profit from the user