ETHICS OF

REPRODUCTIVE
TOURISM
Reproductive tourism refers to the travelling of
citizens from their country of residence to
another country in order to receive fertility
treatment through assisted reproductive
technology (ART).
PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICAL THEORIES
 UTILITARIANISM

o Utilitarianism is based on a single principle of what is good: the

principle of utility.

o The morally correct decision or course of action is often summed

up as that which promotes “the greatest good for the greatest
number”.
 KANTIANISM

o Basic to Kant’s moral philosophy is the notion that one should

follow a general principle of moral action.

o Kant’s ethics are an ethics of duty because they emphasize not

having the right desires or feelings, but acting correctly according
to obligation.
Liberal individualism
LIBERAL INDIVIDUALISM

o Liberal individualism focuses mainly on the individual and his rights.

o For liberal individualists the human world is made up of individual

people; each with his or her own desires, interests and conception of
the good, each with the ability to choose freely his or her own way of
life.
 COMMUNITARIANISM

Communitarianism refers to a theoretical perspective that seeks to

lessen the focus on individual rights and increase the focus on
communal responsibilities.
 1.COMMODIZATION OF WOMEN
 

One of the main objections to reproductive tourism is that, in the case of

surrogacy, it is seen as exploitative because cross border reproductive
services take advantage of the vulnerabilities of poor women in less
developed countries.
  
2.ROBUSTNESS OF INFORMED CONSENT

o Its challenges typically concern the quality and clarity of

communication and the avoidance of coercion, subtle or overt.

o Given surrogate`s tendency to be poor, illiterate and possibly

susceptible to exploitation.
 3.REMUNERATION
 

A likely motivator for a RT client is reduced cost. But while

remuneration for low and middle income countries surrogate is
probably above what she would otherwise earn, it is below the global
average.
 4.EXPLOITATION OF THE POOR

When one hears of travelers from rich countries paying poor women
in a LMIC to carry their babies, it is difficult not to wonder if this is a
case of exploitation. The tension is between the libertarian view of
free choice versus the sense that choice may be economically coerced.
 CONCLUSION

Ethical questions around RT fall somewhere between the poles of

autonomy and exploitation, essentially examining the extent to
which a surrogate’s freedom of choice justifies exposing her to
risks.

As the global RT industry expands, it is incumbent upon all

parties, government and civil society included, to explore options
for mitigating the many ethical challenges with which the
phenomenon presents us.
 REFERENCES

1. Nikoletta P. Reproductive Tourism in Europe: Legal and Ethical Issues, The

cases of Sweden and Greece (Doctoral dissertation, MA Dissertation in
Human Rights and Democratization. UPPSALA, Sweden).
2. Tanderup M, Reddy S, Patel T, Nielsen BB. Reproductive Ethics in
Commercial Surrogacy: Decision-Making in IVF Clinics in New Delhi, India.
Journal of bioethical inquiry. 2015 Sep 1;12(3):491-501.
3. Deonandan R. Recent trends in reproductive tourism and international
surrogacy: ethical considerations and challenges for policy. Risk management
and healthcare policy. 2015;8:111.
4.Deonandan R, Green S, Van Beinum A. Ethical concerns for maternal
surrogacy and reproductive tourism. Journal of Medical Ethics. 2012 Oct
1:medethics-2012.

5.Marks, K. (2017). The father who abandoned Down syndrome surrogate Baby

Gammy now wants access to his funds. [online] The Independent. Available at:
URL http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/baby-gammy-
australian-father-who-abandoned-down-syndrome-surrogate-child-now-tries-to-
access-funds-10261916.html [Accessed 14 Nov. 2017].

6.  The Times of India. (2017). Australian couple abandons surrogate baby in

India - Times of India. [online] Available at:URL
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Australian-couple-abandons-surrogate-
baby-in-India/articleshow/44747623.cms [Accessed 14 Nov. 2017].
THANK YOU