Rethinking Surrogacy in the Perspective of Posthumanism

Abstract

Humans are complex beings and human reproduction is as intricate as the species itself. A mother gives birth to a baby naturally from her womb. However, there are instances when the natural reproduction process stumbles because of a parent's medical condition. Because of this, the reproductive strategy adapts to help human survival as the most fitting in the world. In the 1980s, a novel reproductive technological practice was introduced to the world-at-large through the media coverage of the custody case of Baby M in the United States. Since then, the issue, ‘surrogacy’, has gained unprecedented attention in human socio-cultural and political life. In the posthuman period, the sacred and indispensable role of motherhood has become a contentious topic because of the advancement of technology for assisted reproduction (ARTs). A woman can now generate a life that grows inside the womb of another woman and is fed, nurtured and cared for by still another woman. This paper focuses on the bioethical concerns surrounding childbirth that are brought up by surrogacy, a new approach to childbearing.