An Ethical Evaluation of Surrogacy, which has Become Widespread with Reproductive Tourism

Abstract

The progress of science and its reflections on technology make new methods applicable in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the field of health. In this way, assisted reproductive techniques can be applied to couples who cannot have children due to biological deficiencies. One of these techniques is surrogacy, which is among the heterologous fertilization methods. According to the way surrogacy is practiced, it affects the reproductive perspectives of societies and compels the norms of having children. For this reason, it is not accepted legally and morally in many countries such as our country. Despite this, it is becoming widespread due to reproductive tourism to countries where the practice is legal. In this study, it is aimed to share current and important data about the surrogacy practice, which has become widespread with reproductive tourism, and to evaluate the subject in terms of biomedical ethics. In the study, it is predicted that societies that are not ethically and legally ready for surrogacy practice will inevitably encounter major problems in the future. For this reason, it is considered important to establish a legal basis for surrogacy with reproductive tourism within the framework of ethical evaluations.

Keywords

• surrogacy
• assisted reproductive techniques; ethics