The Ethics of International Surrogacy

Sometimes it takes a tragedy to draw public attention to otherwise unconsidered problems.

The recent earthquakes in Nepal, and their consequences for Israelis hiring surrogate mothers there, represent such an instance.

Understandably, the initial public spotlight was focused on the evacuation of the babies, and in some cases the surrogate mothers, from Nepal. Most commentary on the issue took it as a given that surrogacy is a positive phenomenon for all parties involved, and that seeking surrogacy in Nepal is appropriate.

We Israelis are pro-natalist. We see the creation of children as both a mitzvah and a blessing. The pain of infertility resonates deeply, on both an individual and a national level. Accordingly, Israel has removed economic barriers to IVF and has consistently been at the forefront of scientific developments in reproductive technologies.

Surrogacy seems to fit well with this pro-natalist impulse. Unfortunately, though, there has been little discussion surrounding the ethical, social and legal implications of the practice, particularly when it comes to international surrogacy.

At the core of international surrogacy lie a number of ethical concerns...