Hosting the others’ child? Relational work and embodied responsibility in altruistic surrogate motherhood

Abstract

Studies on surrogate motherhood have mostly explored paid arrangements through the lens of a contract model, as clinical work or as a maternal identity-building project. Turning to the under-examined case of unpaid, so-called altruistic surrogate motherhood and based on an analysis of interviews with women who had been unpaid surrogate mothers in a full gestational surrogacy with a friend or relative in Canada, the United States or Australia, this article explores altruistic surrogate motherhood as relational work. It argues that this form of surrogate motherhood within close interpersonal relations can be conceptualised through the relational work involved in hosting a child for the intended parents. The article explores how relational work in this context implies an embodied, asymmetrical and far-reaching sense of responsibility that surrogate mothers describe as characteristic of their surrogacy experience. In this way, the article sheds light on feminist concerns about surrogacy as an embodied and objectifying work of women while at the same time illuminating how surrogate mothers respond to the intended parents in light of their pre-surrogacy relationship, how meanings are negotiated by them and how relationships are managed during the pregnancy.

Surrogacy relationships: a critical interpretative review

“…The vast majority of studies investigate commercial surrogacy arrangements, but some investigate altruistic surrogacy. These have either been conducted in countries such as the UK and Greece where only non-paid surrogacy is permitted, or have been specifically designed to investigate altruistic surrogacy drawing on interviews with surrogates in several countries (56). In addition, there are some examples of this in Berend's online ethnography (32)(33)(34)(35).…”

“…More or less idealist narratives of surrogacy as a mutual 'journey' undertaken by surrogates and intended parents are widespread in some contexts where relationships are more equal (32)(33)(34)(35)43,56). In Berend's US study, romantic metaphors were used, including language from dating and falling in love (e.g.…”

Analysis of gestational surrogates’ birthing experiences and relationships with intended parents during pregnancy and post‐birth

“…This may be attributed to the involvement of intermediaries in case coordination during hospital admission, and in managing surrogates’ expectations of institutional surrogacy care through preparation, support, and advocacy . Research on the birthing experience of surrogates has focused primarily on their feelings toward relinquishment, yet very little is known about how their childbirth is managed by hospitals and if they have ever experienced suboptimal perinatal care or judgment from health care practitioners because of their role as a surrogate. Recently, a United States hospital reported that their surrogacy births had tripled after implementing a comprehensive surrogate‐family‐centered‐care approach in their maternity program.…”

Relational surrogacies excluded from the French bioethics model: a euro-american perspective in the light of Marcel Mauss and Louis Dumont

“…Each one has his role, even if it means multiplying the number of people involved. [...] Whether it is a question of profound relational reworking of pre-existing ties (Belgium) or the creation of new ones (USA), the period preceding the transfer is always a phase of intensive relational work (Toledano and Zeiler, 2017). Agencies in the USA, or medical staff in Belgium, are acting as a third-party mediator in order to help the creation or the reshaping of the ties in a way that allows the protagonists to be positioned within the exchange relationship of GS.…”