The rise of 'social' surrogacy

Celebrity mom: Nicole Kidman faced some skepticism
after she and Keith Urban paid a gestational carrier
to give birth to their daughter Faith Margaret (left)

It used to be that surrogacy was considered an option exclusively for infertile couples, but it appears more and more women are doing it for less medically urgent reasons.

According to Elle Magazine, 'social surrogacy' is on the rise, with mothers choosing not to carry their baby themselves in order not to upset their work life or 'ruin' their bodies.

'I call these cases designer surrogacy,' said San Diego-based fertility doctor Lorni Arnold, whose patients have included a socialite 'who didn't want to get fat' and a runner about to do a marathon.

Dr Arnold explained that pregnancy can also be a financial hindrance to women, since it can mean a months-long pause in their career.

'Some women work right up to the moment they deliver, but others can be bedridden for several months,' she said.

That was the reason wedding photographer Mari Smith, who chose not to reveal her real name to the magazine, began considering surrogacy.

At 36, Mari had been putting off having a baby with her husband because business was finally booming, and she couldn't bear to risk wrecking it.

What's more, she was working 60 hours a week to build her brand and says she simply didn't have time for pregnancy, much less potential complications like morning sickness or being put on bed rest.

With her baby clock ticking louder and louder, she spoke with a clinical psychologist friend named Jhutty who owns a surrogacy agency called Conceptual Options.

Frustrated with all the complicated fertility math and ovulation tracking involved in trying to perfectly time her own pregnancy, Mari joked: 'I wish I could just use a surrogate.'  (more...)

The rise of 'social' surrogacy

Commentary at The Center for Bioethics and Culture:

Pregnancy, why bother?