Surrogacy

An increasingly popular childbirth option for couples who cannot easily naturally conceive is to utilize a surrogate who gestates and births the pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents. And as of late, surrogacy is also being used by some especially wealthy people, particularly in the tech industry, as a way for them to avoid pregnancy altogether. This week, June and Josh look at the history of surrogacy, the moral disagreements among the religious right about the practice, and some of the ethical and legal complications that can result.

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EPISODE ART: Cindy Bi, a venture capitalist who attempted to give birth via surrogacy. When the pregnancy resulted in a stillbirth, Bi sued her surrogate and went to the press to disparage her further.

AUDIO CLIPS:

• 1:15:47 – Epic Church promotional "About Us" video

• 1:22:49 – Ben Pilgreen, pastor of Epic Church, delivering a sermon called "What Maturity Demands"

SOURCES:

• Man into Woman: An Authentic Record of a Change of Sex (1933)

• The History of Surrogacy: A Legal Timeline

• Baby M and the Question of Surrogate Motherhood

• Surrogacy Laws: The Best States For Compensated Surrogacy

• Severe Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity Among Gestational Carriers: A Cohort Study

• Americans want biological children but prefer adoption to surrogacy

• The Difference Between Love and Surrogacy

• Gestational Surrogacy Success Rates

• Common issues with surrogacy and IVF

• Surrogates 20 years on: long-term psychological health, contact with surrogacy families, and thoughts and feelings about post-birth contact

• The Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It?

• The billionaire obsession with surrogacy

• Christianity Was “Borderline Illegal” in Silicon Valley. Now It’s the New Religion

• The Chinese Billionaires Having Dozens of U.S.-Born Babies Via Surrogate

• Artificial womb robot promises cheap surrogacy but sparks deep ethical fears

• Silicon Valley wants to help me make a superbaby. Should I let it?

• Suggestion to use brain stem dead women's bodies for surrogate pregnancies sparks huge backlash

• Regulation of Genetic Tests

• Perspectives on Surrogate Motherhood

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