The Case Against Surrogate Parenting

Abstract

Krimmel takes a stand against surrogate motherhood arrangements because of the many ethical issues raised by this method of reproduction. He argues that in surrogate motherhood, as in artificial insemination by donor (AID), the separation of the decision to create a child from the decision to parent it is ethically suspect. Disputes between parents caused by the birth of a handicapped infant or other unforeseen circumstances will only reinforce the idea of the child as a commodity. Krimmel concludes that legal acceptance of surrogate arrangements will increase stresses on family structure and on society's shared moral values. (KIE abstract)