The Surrogacy of Maternity in the Context of Medically Assisted Procreation: Evaluation in the Light of the Moral Doctrine of the Catholic Church

Abstract

Surrogate motherhood represents an increasing method of human reproduction. The surrogacy of maternity becomes a means to realize the desire to procreate and, using modern reproductive technologies, provides for the gestation by a woman on behalf of one or more people, who will be the parent or parents of the unborn child. This article attempts to address this issue by exploring the recommendations related to Catholic Church evaluation. It presents surrogate motherhood in the context of the application of artificial conception techniques, fundamental step in the procedure—artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization—whereby one woman carries a child for another (even the gay copy) with the intention that the child be handed over after birth.

The Catholic Church’s stand on the matter is not in favor of surrogate motherhood. The dignity of procreation requires that a human person be brought about as the fruit of the conjugal act specific to the love between spouses. Surrogate motherhood does not take into consideration the complementarity of the sexes, the reciprocal respect for the right within marriage to become a father or a mother only together with the other spouse. Furthermore, it is dehumanizing for the gestational mother and the child—disrespectful of the dignity of both. The body of the surrogate mother is used as “a commodity” and is an example of “reproductive exploitation.”