Sunday, December 30, 2007

The Latest in Outsourcing

India is busting out all over.

When I heard a report on surrogate mothers in India on Marketplace, I didn't think it was that big a deal. But I guess I was wrong.

There are, apparently, over 50 pregnant women in Anand, and 40 babies have been delivered since Dr. Nanya Patel started the program connecting women to infertile couples.

As much as I feel the world is overpopulated, and as much as I would encourage adoption, some people just want a product of their own loins. If they can't get that, surrogacy is the next best thing (the surrogate is impregnated via in vitro fertilization using the egg and sperm of the infertile couple).The Indian women get more money than they could ever have imagined, the couple gets a baby. Couples in the US, Britain, Taiwan, etc. are jumping on this baby bandwagon.

Yes, the bioethical issues of surrogacy are intriguing, but I think this is a good thing. It seems like the Indian women are happy, and that they know what they're getting into. Dr. Patel's facility takes care of them while they're pregnant, and it has been a very successful enterprise so far.

That's the issue. "Enterprise." It's hard for us to accept the fact that people can buy babies. That women can choose to use their wombs as money-making machines.

Get over it! Babies cost money any way you slice it, whether it's a simple, normal pregnancy, adoption, surrogacy, or some combination of those. At least this way, the money is going to families in need.

1 comment:

Adam Elend said...

Interesting one - great issue. Agree with you on the face of it, but think this has big potential for abuse.