Hiring a Woman for Her Womb - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com
Can anything be done to insure that birth surrogacy is safe, ethical and protective of both the birth mother and the intended parents?
http://nyti.ms/XRCdoH
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Children
Is having children necessarily part of human nature? Are people who choose not to have children doing something wrong? Are people who can't have children doomed to unhappiness? Are there wrong ways to have children? Here's a story about surrogacy to comment on.
Can anything be done to insure that birth surrogacy is safe, ethical and protective of both the birth mother and the intended parents?
http://nyti.ms/XRCdoH
Can anything be done to insure that birth surrogacy is safe, ethical and protective of both the birth mother and the intended parents?
http://nyti.ms/XRCdoH
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I believe that people are naturally children oriented; however, that does not mean they have to have kids. Naturally, I would say humans have an innate desire for reproduction and passing on their genetics to their children. Some people however have no desire for any of it. And this is also normal because humans are more than their biological drives and functions. If you do not want to have kids that is your own decision and that does not make you any less of a person. We are not judged by our reproductive success so I believe it does not matter if you have kids or not
ReplyDeleteI believe that people are supposed to have children. We have certain hormones and reproductive organs that encourage and allow us to reproduce. Reproduction is how the human race is able to continue. However, I also believe that not every single person on the Earth has to have children. There are some cases where people do not wish to have children. There are circumstances in which people are not able to conceive children due to hormone problems and/or reproductive organ issues. Just because a person chooses to not have kids or cannot have kids, does not make them abnormal or any less of a person.
ReplyDeleteTonya, I like how your post was from the biological perspective. I also agreed that people are supposed to have children, but I came from a more protestant christian spiritual perspective. But your points add validity to the argument to have children. Biologically, we have organs and hormones which encourage and allow reproduction. When studying animals, we base the success of a particular group on this ability to reproduce. When this capability diminishes, we say that group is going extinct. In the same way, humans have the capability to reproduce, but we do not view ourselves as just another species of animal and so do not view our success on our ability to reproduce, so it is hard for some to make the correlation. Great post!
DeleteHuman beings, like all life on Earth, are made to reproduce and pass on their genes to their offspring. Because of this, I feel like having children is certainly a part of human nature, however some people do not feel that they could appropriately care for a child for whatever reason and that is fine too. People have a tendency to want children but I don't feel like it is a requirement of being human by any stretch. Those who cannot have children are certainly not doomed to unhappiness, there are so many options for adoption or being a foster parent. When it comes to surrogacy as an option for those who cannot have children, I think it is a good concept, but I agree with the article that it should be very monitored and regulated so that problems don't arise such as medical complications with the surrogate or custody issues in the case of traditional surrogacy. Personally, I would not use this method if I could not have kids, simply because I know there are so many children in the United States and around the world that are orphaned and in need of adoption, so I would choose that over surrogacy. However I can see where you may want that option available if you were unable to adopt, you just need to go about it in the right way and make sure all parties involved are protected legally.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe having children is part of human nature. The only way humanity can survive is through the passing on of life. But just because its a part of nature doesn't mean every single person needs or should procreate. Often times people are not able to care for a child and should not have kids if they aren't able to care for them. This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with someone if they choose not to have children or if they cannot have children. If someone is not able to have children there are many ways to be a parent. I personally would not choose surrogacy due to religious beliefs as well as the possibility of the chaos that could arise out of surrogacy. Even if there are laws present protecting the genetic parents of the child, there is always the possibility the surrogate could run away with the child or decide they can't go through with the pregnancy. For these reasons, I think it should be made easier for legitimate parents who want to adopt. Often times it takes years, and crazy amounts of money for someone to adopt. If this process could be simplified, I think this could be very helpful.
ReplyDeleteHaving children is definitely part of human nature. I agree with Meghan in the point that just because it is part of human nature it doesn't mean every one has to procreate. Quite frankly there are some people in the world that shouldn't bring children in the world because they will be unable to care for them. If someone is unable to have children it can be something that is difficult to cope with, especially if they really want to have children of their own. These parents could adopt children and step up to be great parents to children whose biological parents could take care of their children at the time they had them. It is an unbelievable process to adopt children and become a foster parent. It is something that takes great character to step up to the plate and become a foster or adoption parent. I admire the parents that take on this responsibility.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe that God has created man with an innate desire to have children. Being a believer in the literal interpretation of the creation story, I believe that when God spoke to created man and said "be fruitful and multiply" He literally put this desire as part of human nature to fulfill his ultimate plan to fill the earth with His creation. That said, after sin entered the world at the fall of man, I believe that this is where sicknesses and diseases first plagued mankind, including fertility issues. However, also being a believer in the literal interpretation of the New Testament, I believe that Jesus made the way to true happiness through salvation, thus giving hope in spite of the problems we face while going through life. Thus, one who is not able to have children does not necessarily have to be in a life of misery because there is more to live for now that we have a way to get to heaven through the person of Jesus Christ. Besides this, I have personally witnessed the emotional connection and joy that comes from adopted children. In my own family, I have several cousins that have been adopted by my relatives and it is as though they were naturally born into their families. This, in my mind, speaks to the nature of God Himself and how He adopted us as former sinners into His family. As for surrogacy, I am on the fence right now. I am not informed enough about the procedure itself to make an educated opinion. However, I do know that I am not ok with two people picking gamete donors from some stock of egg and sperm and cooking up a baby that is not related to one or both of the parents. The part I am on the fence about is if a husband and wife use their own gametes in a surrogate mother to carry their genetically related child. I cannot see how this would be morally objectionable, but I just don't know if I can square it off with my beliefs totally just yet.
ReplyDeleteProducing offspring is not just a part of human nature, but a part of nature as a whole.In nature, organisms are born, they reproduce, then they die; it's the circle of life we have always been taught.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of nature, people who choose not to have children are doing something "wrong." To me though, these people aren't doing anything wrong because it is their choice to make in the end.
I feel that people who cannot have children aren't doomed to unhappiness, unless they have always had a strong desire to have children. Even if someone cannot have children, there are always other options such as surrogacy or adoption. They may not be able to physically have kids but they can still raise them as their own.
To me, children should be born out of a relationship of love and trust. I feel that having a child in another other situation then this is not a good thing. I am not saying that any child born in these other situations is bad or should be hated.
I think having children is huge part of human nature. From a religious stand point, God created Adam and Eve to populated the Earth. I know personally I would like to children one day.
ReplyDeleteI think that some people aren't meant be parent's. Or that there are people who aren't responsible to be parents but are. That upsets me when a responsible couple isn't able to conceive children but drug addicts and other sorts of people are able to populate a small village.
I think children is a major part of human nature. Although some people may not be able to have kids or some people are not meant to be parents because they feel like they would not be able to care for it. However, there are alternate routes for those that either cannot procreate or those who do not feel able to care for a child. These people can choose to adopt or to put their child up for adoption.
ReplyDelete