A new law under consideration in California states that gay men are entitled to have access to a surrogate.
A revision to the California law SB-729 would allow the government to force insurance agencies to cover surrogacy for same-sex couples. (RELATED: A Baby Has Three Genetic Parents)
The amendment, which was first proposed in February, would classify same-sex couples as infertile. Currently, the law does not cover in-vitro fertilization, but the proposed revision would include in-vitro fertilization and surrogacy.
Health and Ethical Concerns in Surrogacy
If the bill passes it will be a huge financial win for California’s infertility industry, since one-third of American surrogacy agencies are located in California, and half of these openly cater to gay clients.
However, expanding insurance coverage to include surrogacy for homosexual couples could increase health issues in both the women who chose to become surrogates and their babies.
Surrogacy carries an increased risk of low birth weight, preterm labor, and placental abruption, in which the placenta separates from the uterus during pregnancy. Women who experience the latter could suffer from vaginal bleeding, back and stomach pain, and uterine contractions.
The practice of surrogacy also raises ethical concerns regarding the method used to transfer a zygote inside the surrogate’s body. The process of in-vitro fertilization could include the abortion of a fertilized egg.
Proponents of surrogacy argue that it is justifiable because it satisfies the requirements of consent-based morality: So long as a mother agrees to “rent out” her uterus, the practice of surrogacy is of no concern.
Consent should not be the only moral consideration regarding surrogacy.
Often women who consent to becoming surrogates are working class and earn less than $60,000 a year.
Would as many working-class women agree to become surrogates if they faced fewer financial burdens?
Children Born of Surrogacy Struggle
Surrogacy advocates also do not account for the emotional havoc the process has on surrogate mothers.
One study concluded that “surrogacy pregnancy should be considered as high-risk emotional experience because many … surrogate mothers may face negative experiences,” and, “therefore, it is recommended that surrogates should receive professional counseling prior to, during and following pregnancy.”
Children born of a surrogate mother are more likely to suffer from adjustment issues as a result of not being raised by their birth mother.
Furthermore, one study found that children raised in same-sex marriages are 4.5 times more likely to face mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, after accounting for parents’ educational level, income, and race.
For California legislators, however, gay couples take priority over the well-being of surrogate women and children.
It is clear that this bill prioritizes one thing: the desires of childless homosexual couples.
Emma Verrigni is a rising sophomore at Hillsdale College studying history and journalism. A member of The American Spectator’s 2023 intern class, Emma enjoys reading philosophy and the news.
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