The Center for Bioethics and Culture has submitted a response to a new surrogacy consultation in the UK, hosted by the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST). POST is a parliamentary service which exists to distribute academic research and briefings (POSTnotes) to parliamentarians. POST has launched a consultation on surrogacy and we have filed our response […] The post Surrogacy in the UK appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
“The practice of surrogacy is characterized by exploitation and violence against women and children, including girls. It reinforces patriarchal norms by commodifying and objectifying women’s bodies and exposing surrogate mothers and children to serious human rights violations.” ― Report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls A little over a year… The post Surrogacy as Modern Slavery appeared first on Human Life International .
The Center for Bioethics and Culture welcomes the July 2025 report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, which offers a sobering assessment of surrogacy. The report leaves no doubt: surrogacy is not empowerment—it is exploitation. The official report is yet to be presented to the UN general assembly in […] The post Surrogacy at the UN: A Global Call to Protect Women and Children appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
A new United Nations report is calling for the eradication of surrogacy in all its forms, arguing that the practice inherently harms both women and children. It also recommends punishing buyers, clinics and agencies. Ireland should pay attention. We have one of the most permissive surrogacy laws in Europe although it is awaiting commencement for […] The post A very strong critique of all forms of surrogacy from the UN first appeared on The Iona Institute .
A recent surrogacy discovery in Arcadia, California, is forcing the question: “Who is the mother?” Authorities removed 15 toddlers from the Arcadia home of former Chinese government official Guojun Xuan and his wife, Silvia Zhang, after discovering a two-month-old with a traumatic head injury. In total, 21 children ranging from two months to 13 years […] The post California’s Surrogacy Trade Exposed: 21 Children, One Dark Industry first appeared on California Family Council .
The Australian Law Reform Commission is soliciting submissions for their Surrogacy Reform Issues Paper. The Issues Paper introduces our inquiry and explains what we have been asked to do. It provides a brief overview of surrogacy laws in Australia. The Issues Paper also sets out some principles we may use to guide reform and lists […] The post Australian Law Reform Commission: Submission on the Review of Surrogacy Laws appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
The Center for Bioethics and Culture submitted a formal letter opposing Pennsylvania’s HB350 because it prioritizes contractual arrangements over the rights and welfare of children and women. By permitting paid surrogacy and establishing parentage by contract, HB350 dangerously commodifies children and exploits women’s reproductive labor. It also weakens critical safeguards—such as background checks and home […] The post Opposition to HB 350, “Uniform Parentage Act” – Potential Harm in Surrogacy and Parental Safeguards appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
Erika, a 35-year-old single mother of two, experienced severe health complications and emotional trauma during and after her surrogacy pregnancy, including hyperemesis, carbon monoxide poisoning, and toxic mold exposure, while being controlled and isolated by the intended parents under a strict contract. After giving birth prematurely, Erika was denied contact with the baby and felt discarded and unappreciated, highlighting the potential physical and emotional risks and ethical concerns in the surrogacy industry.
The Center for Bioethics & Culture submitted to the United Nations the following letter as a response to the call for input to the thematic report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls to the General Assembly 80th session on surrogacy and violence against women and girls. Surrogacy presents complex ethical, legal, […] The post The Human Rights Challenges of Surrogacy: A Response to the UN Office of the High Commissioner appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
First and foremost, surrogacy raises profound ethical concerns, particularly when funded by taxpayer dollars. The process often involves complex contractual agreements that can lead to the exploitation of economically vulnerable women, who may feel pressured into becoming surrogates due to financial hardship. The potential for coercion and inequality in such arrangements must not be overlooked, […] The post CBC Testimony on H.B. No. 7022: An Act Promoting Equity In Medicaid Coverage for Fertility Health Care appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
Kallie Fell and Jennifer Lahl from the Center for Bioethics & Culture Network visited Minnesota to educate legislators about the risks and ethical concerns related to the fertility and surrogacy industries. Minnesota currently has no specific laws permitting or prohibiting surrogacy, but efforts by the fertility industry to change this are being actively opposed by these advocates.
(Originally published in The Federalist) The “Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy Parentage Act,” which decriminalizes surrogate motherhood in the state of Michigan, is planned to take effect in March of this year. Michigan is the last state to decriminalize paid surrogacy, and some may say it’s about time they “catch up” to the rest of the country. One surrogacy agency recently posted that “choosing to carry a child for another family is one of the most profound gifts of love and compassion.” On the surface, surrogacy would appear this way, as what could possibly be wrong with helping couples
(Originally published in The Federalist) In December, gay father Balázs Boross published “Queering babies: (Auto)ethnographic reflections from a gay parent through surrogacy” in the journal Psychoanalysis, Culture, and Society. The essay “explores how encounters with [a surrogate baby] disrupt or confirm normative expectations about the ‘babyness’ of babies, the ‘parentness’ of parents.” Boross suggests “surrogate babies are queer creatures by default,” “given their prenatal history,” and “that queerness can serve as a window into the queerness of all babies.” Evolutionary biologist and Manhat
Marty and Melinda Rangers commissioned a surrogate pregnancy that ended in a twenty-week abortion after they alleged the surrogate violated contract terms by drinking alcohol, which they believed endangered the baby. The couple spent $300,000 on three commissioned children, with the first child aborted due to concerns over potential disabilities, highlighting issues of commodification and ableism within the fertility industry.
The CBC Network is proud to support international efforts to protect the dignity of women and babies whenever and wherever we can. Recently, we were able to support two French organizations working to educate about the “flagrant human rights violations” rampant in surrogacy. These organizations relied on the stories of surrogate mothers Gloria (featured here) […] The post Supporting International Bioethics Efforts appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
Today is a great day of celebration for those of us who have worked tirelessly to stop the exploitation of women and the sale of children through contract surrogate pregnancies. The vote was taken and the Italian government approved it. Surrogacy remains illegal in Italy and individuals or couples are who travel outside of Italy […] The post Brava Italia! Jennifer Lahl, founder The Center for Bioethics and Culture appeared first on The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network .
