Bioethical aspects of commercial surrogacy in surrogate mothers: The conflict between the principles of justice and autonomy

Abstract

Over the last few years, gestational surrogacy has become a controversial subject in the Western societies agenda. Many people in the rich countries have taken advantage of the new possibilities of using a “rent belly” to make true their desires of paternity or maternity. However, this practice often threatens the dignity of the surrogate mother, sustained on a principle of autonomy based on a fictitious free consent taken from neoliberal bioethics, which on the other hand ignores the bioethical principle of justice.