Wombs for Rent, Cheap: outscourcing childbirth

[sugarimp]

Surrogate mothers in India are a bargain for foreigners, and the women reap a bonanza. But some observers say they pay a price.
By Henry Chu, Times Staff Writer
April 19, 2006

ANAND, India - As temp jobs go, Saroj Mehli has landed what she feels is a pretty sweet deal. It's a nine-month gig, no special skills needed, and the only real labor comes

Comments

[glamwhorebunni]

I think that's beautiful.

[tonights]

I think it's terrible.

India has thousands of children that need to be adopted. Why on earth would you endanger the life of a woman just to replicate your own DNA?

Reminds me of the rich idiots who buy kidneys from people in poverty-striken areas, almost.

[sugarimp]

Where is a demand, there will almost always be a supply, unfortunately. In this case poor, poverty stricken women are willing to give up their bodies to desperate foreigners who won't pay 1st world prices.

[zhelana]

Crap! Why outsource? I'd do it for $5000 if they paid my medical expenses!

[stacycat69]

In the US, pregnancy surrogates can make upwards of 20 to 30k, plus medical expenses.

[zhelana]

Seriously? Why am I not aware of this!?

[sugarimp]

You weren't aware of this? :P

I was actually thinking about it at one point, but my dad probably would have disowned me for shaming the family name, or something.

young women please read this book;

[metahara]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid's_Tale

the labor does not just begin during delivery...it's a huge undertaking, takes it's toll on the body, can lead to death, it's the 9 month bootcamp before motherhood really begins...hormones go wild and after birth nursing helps the womans body and mind go back to normal...these women wont be nursing.

as for the parents, do they also get to monitor and impose strict healthy diets, no drinking, smoking, exposure to toxins?

i wish more people would adopt, become foster parents, take care of children already here who need parents.

Re: young women please read this book;

[metahara]

link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid's_Tale

or

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038549081X/103-1047051-7377452?v=glance&n=283155

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=handmaids+tale&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Re: young women please read this book;

[sugarimp]

Most indian women, especially the poorer ones who are mothers of young children, don't smoke or drink.

I think the biological drive to reproduce is a bit stronger than real social needs.

drive

[metahara]

as evolved humans we are capable of recognizing a drive and transcending it to "do the right thing"

strange to think of an unnatural thing like surrogacy as a way to satisfy a natural drive, but i see the connection for genetic purposes. I think it is more about ego at that point than anything nature would drive us toward...I'd like to hear from a study of just exactly who are these folks going this route. Is it the same folks in debt buying the car the Joneses have? Where are they really at?
one can get to know and even house the mother of a child one is going to adopt, one can adopt from your ancestral origin if one is stuck on a child looking like you, etc.
by why be stuck like that.

[ibid]

This reminds me of a documentary I saw about surragacy and egg donation in LA, there was one woman who was an egg donar and EVERYONE wanted her eggs because she wa blonde and blue eyed. Perosnally I find this sory of thing somewhat disturbing.

I think the biological drive to reproduce is a bit stronger than real social needs If it is a surrogate parent chances are it might not be the Mater's child but the genetrix's

[sugarimp]

Surrogate parents implies a "womb for hire". Otherwise it's just adoption, really.

[amade]

This jsut bugs me on so many levels.

There are so many children who need adopted, but "We must have a child of our own!" Argh.

People have more money than they have compassion or common sense.