THE ETHICS OF ALTRUISTIC SURROGACY

IN THE LIGHT OF JOHN STUART MILL’S

UTILITARIANISM

-----------------

An Undergraduate Research Submitted

to the Department of Humanities
Jesus Son of Mary Academy

-----------------

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements in
Practical Research I

by

Kenn Carlo A. Gutierrez

March 2017
Cavite, Philippines
 CERTIFICATION AND RECOMMENDATION
FOR ORAL EXAMINATION

This thesis entitled

THE ETHICS OF ALTRUISTIC SURROGACY

IN THE LIGHT OF JOHN STUART MILL’S
UTILITARIANISM

Prepared and submitted by Kenn Carlo A. Gutierrez, in partial fulfillment

of the requirements in Practical Research I, is hereby recommended for Oral
Examination.

Mr. Jay-Pee A. Peña

Teacher
 APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis entitled

THE ETHICS OF ALTRUISTIC SURROGACY IN THE

LIGHT OF JOHN STUART MILL’S UTILITARIANISM

prepared and submitted by Kenn Carlo A. Gutierrez has been approved

and accepted as partial fulfillment of the requirements in Practical Reseach I of
Jesus Son of Mary Academy.

Mr. Jay-Pee A. Peña

Teacher

Approved by the Tribunal at the Oral Examination with a grade of: ____

Ms. Divina G. Oliveros

Principal

Rev. Fr. Lino N. De Castro

Director
 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

The author hereby declares that the content of his submitted thesis is free from
any material already published by another author nor does it contain statements lifted
without due acknowledgement of the sources. He similarly attests that materials taken
from other sources are properly cited/quoted.

Thus, except those which have been duly acknowledged, recognized and quoted
in the text, the content of this thesis has been authentically produced by the author
himself though he may have received assistance from others on style, presentation and
language expression.

Kenn Carlo A. Gutierrez

Date: March/5/2016
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Altruistic Surrogacy1 became an issue from two groups of people: the commercial

surrogates and those who needs a surrogate but cannot afford one. Have you ever dreamed

of having a perfect baby? Have you ever thought of manipulating your child's gender? Do

you think these things are ethical? There was a case of altruistic surrogacy2; where Amanda, a

mother lives in Queensland together with her husband named Luke. Amanda and her

husband loose their hope in having a baby when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer,

which resulted in the removal of her reproductive organs, except her ovaries. That time,

altruistic surrogacy has not yet been legalized in Queensland, Australia. After months of

waiting and taking chemotherapy sessions, The Bligh Government3 announced that altruistic

surrogacy would be legalized in Queensland. Amanda gained hope in having a baby because

her sister Lisa was really interested in helping the couple in having a child. Although

surrogacy has many expensive treatments, and after attending multiple seminars and

judgment for their use of altruistic surrogacy, they were finally blessed with a baby boy.

The above-mentioned questions and the case on how the surrogate gave hope to the

intended parents led me to pursue my study on altruistic surrogacy in the light of John Stuart

Mill’s Utilitarianism4. For the better understanding of altruistic surrogacy, I will briefly

discuss what is altruism and the surrogacy and its legal issues. I will also describe how the

1 Altruistic surrogacy is when a surrogate is given no financial gain for carrying a child. Only realistic

out of pocket expenses are covered by the intended parents.

2 Emily Halverson, “Altruistic Surrogacy Case”, http://surrogacyandethics.weebly.com/altruistic-
case.html (accessed February 26, 2017)
3 The Government of the State of Queensland, Australia
4 This principle says actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote overall human happiness,

wrong as they tend to promote the reverse of happiness.

1
parents gain happiness and hope because of the surrogacy. Finally, I will present how

altruistic surrogacy became ethical.

I argue that Altruistic Surrogacy is ethical for the following reasons: first,

utilitarianism states that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote overall

happiness; wrong as they tend to promote the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended

pleasure and the absence of pain. Second, altruistic surrogacy is when a surrogate is given no

financial gain for carrying a child. Therefore, altruistic surrogacy is ethical because it

promotes happiness to the intended parents and also to the surrogate without considering if

it is commercial or altruistic kind of surrogacy.

This thesis aims to make a case for altruistic surrogacy as an ethical act within the

context of John Stuart Mill’s theory of utilitarianism. Specifically, it shall address the following

questions:

1. What is altruistic surrogacy?

2. What is utilitarianism?

3. Why altruistic surrogacy is ethical?

The study will focus on altruistic surrogacy rather than the commercial surrogacy. I

used John Stuart Mill’s Theory of Utilitarianism as my primary source. The ethics of altruistic

surrogacy will be determined through the theory of John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism. This will

offer a new perspective in understanding the ethics of altruistic surrogacy that will contribute

to the reader’s understanding of utilitarianism.

2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

I. On Altruistic Surrogacy

Banning commercial surrogacy will expose women to exploitation5, an article written by Hari G

Ramasubramanian, explains the new proposed surrogacy bill in India on the year 2016. It

says that only altruistic surrogacy is allowed and only available for Indian nationals that are

married for at least five years, and who have no child. A surrogate also needs to be married

and a child. Only a close relative, biological or not, can act as a surrogate for the infertile

couple. And lastly, homosexuals, single parents and foreigners aren’t allowed to take

surrogacy.

All surrogacy is exploitation – the world should follow Sweden’s ban6, an article written by

Kajsa Ekis Ekman, discussed how Surrogacy, altruistic or commercial, became a subject for

exploitation and abuse. From the case of “Baby M”, where Mary Beth Whitehead, a

commercial surrogate mother, was forced to give her baby to the intended parents and the

Japanese billionaire who ordered 16 babies from Thailand Clinics7. This clearly shows that

surrogacy and surrogates are being abused by rich people. Surrogacy also establishes racism

and discrimination, because on surrogacy, you can choose what race you want and what skin

color or what eye color do you want. It is also unfair for the surrogates because the intended

parents can cancel or abort the surrogacy if they see any problem or disability on the child.

5 Hari G Ramasubramanian,”Banning commercial surrogacy will expose women to exploitation”.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/banning-commercial-surrogacy-will-
expose-women-to-exploitation/articleshow/53889509.cms (accessed March 12, 2017)
6 Kajsa Ekis Ekman, “All surrogacy is exploitation – the world should follow Sweden’s Ban”.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/25/surrogacy-sweden-ban (accessed March 16,

2017)
7_______, “Thai surrogate offers clues into Japanese man with 16 babies”

http://www.thenational.ae/world/southeast-asia/thai-surrogate-offers-clues-into-japanese-man-with-16-babies
(accessed March 16, 2017)

3
They also say that if they legalize altruistic surrogacy, there is no assurance that it wouldn’t

be also abused because there is evidence that some surrogates are also paid under the table.

Another article that talks about the issues of surrogacy is The issues around

surrogacy8 written by Shalini Nair. It talks about surrogacy issues in India. “Surrogacy in India is

estimated to be a $2.3 billion industry”9. The main cause of the increasing number of surrogacy is

poverty. Poor women enter surrogacy because of the payment itself, and it opens an

opportunity to the foreigners that is seeking for a surrogate.

II. On Utilitarianism

An Introduction to Mill’s Utilitarian Ethics10 by Henry West, tells that Utilitarianism is

the ethical theory that happiness or pleasure is the basis by which an action is judged if it is

right or wrong. This journal contributes to my knowledge about Utilitarianism and helps me

to further understand what Utilitarianism is.

Study Guide: John Stuart Mill’s Ethics11 tells that Mill’s Ethical theory Utilitarianism is

hedonic12 and also a form of consequentialism13. It says that an action will only be allowed if it

produces the greater number of happiness or pleasure compare to the outcome of the said

action. The idea of Mill is clearly stated in this article, which helps me to better understand

his theory.

8Shalini Nair, “The issues around surrogacy”, http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-issues-

around-surrogacy
(accessed March 16, 2017)
9 http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-issues-around-surrogacy/
10 Henry West, “An Introduction to Mill’s Utilitarian Ethics.” Cambridge University Press (2004).
11 _______, “Study Guide: John Stuart Mill’s Ethics”, http://www2.isu.edu/~baerralp/Mill.pdf

(accessed March 18, 2017)

12 Hedonic is relating to or considered in terms of pleasant (or unpleasant) sensations.
13 Consequentialism states that an action is right if it produces the best outcome among all the

possible outcomes.

4
 CHAPTER II

ALTRUISTIC SURROGACY: HISTORY, CONCEPT AND LEGAL ISSUES

The basic concept of surrogacy started from ancient or biblical times, From Sarah,

the husband of Abraham14, and Rachel, the wife of Jacob15. But, there are no authentic

records or documents survived. Informations were just collected from legends, myths and

from oral tradition that were transferred from time to time. Fast forward a few thousand

years, a similar instance of Sarah, Abraham and Hagar became famous. The issue of

surrogacy caught national and international attention during the 1980s, with the famous

Baby M case. In 1985, William Stern and Elizabeth Stern, a couple from New Jersey, made a

contract with Mary Beth Whitehead, a surrogate mother. Mary Beth Whitehead agreed to be

artificially inseminated with William’s sperm, and carry the child for the Sterns, in exchange

for $10,000. But after giving birth, Whitehead changed her mind and refused to give her

biological child. The lower state court prevailed, but in the year 1988, the New Jersey

Supreme Court reversed the decision, giving Baby M’s custody to the Sterns.16 Surrogacy

also became famous because of the rapid advancement of technology. In 1978, the first in

vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born17. And on 1999, surrogacy improved, allowing HIV-

positive man to have a child without transmitting the disease or virus to his child, with the

help of the Special Program of Assisted Reproduction (SPAR).18

14 Abraham, The Father of all nations.

15 the father of the twelve tribes of Israel and the Grandson of Abraham.
16 Clyde Haberman, “Baby M and the Question of Surrogate Motherhood”,

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/24/us/baby-m-and-the-question-of-surrogate-motherhood.html
(accessed March 18, 2017)
17 Will Mcbrian, “The history of Surrogacy: How surrogacy has evolved.”,

http://www.circlesurrogacy.com/blog/2015/06/29/history-surrogacy-surrogacy-evolved/ (accessed March

18, 2017)
18 Ibid.,

5
 There are two types of surrogacy arrangements, the commercial surrogacy and

altruistic surrogacy. I will discuss and focus on Altruistic Surrogacy because it is my topic.

Altruistic Surrogacy came from two words, Altruism, which means the belief in or practice of

disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others, and Surrogatus, which means

appointed to act in place of. Or, Surrogacy, which means a woman will conceive and will carry

a child and then give the baby to the intended parents. Therefore, Altruistic Surrogacy is

conceiving a child for the intended parents without expecting any compensation. Surrogacy

is a form of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).

There are two primary types of Surrogacy, the Traditional Surrogacy, where the

surrogate acts as egg donor and also as the actual surrogate. She will become pregnant using

a process known as intrauterine insemination (IUI)19. In IUI procedure, the doctor will transfer

the sperm that is taken from the biological father into the surrogate’s uterus20. And the

other type of surrogacy is the gestational surrogacy. In this type of surrogacy, the surrogate’s egg

cells are not used at all. Therefore, the child she carries will not be biologically related to her.

In using the gestational surrogacy, the embryo is created using the gametes (sex cells) of the

intended parents, through the process of in vitro fertilization. It will take three to five days

for the embryos to develop, before transferring it to the surrogate’s uterus. After transferring

the embryos, the surrogate will carry the embryo through the pregnancy until the child was

born21.

19 _____________, “What are the different types of surrogacy and what are they called?”,

http://www.modernfamilysurrogacy.com/page/different_types_of_surrogacy (accessed March 18, 2017)

20 Ibid.,
21 Ibid.,

6
 The rapid advancement of science and technology has brought a great impact and

changed the life of human beings. At the same time, it also brought problems. The study of

Biotechnology22 helped us to discover new reproduction techniques and other scientific

development or advancement like the DNA testing, etc. In the past decades, the field of

reproductive technologies has changed. In vitro fertilization, donor insemination and other

embryo transfer methods have come up that revolutionized the process of reproduction.

These reproduction techniques give hope to infertile couples who want to have a child of

their own. But several complications have arisen when these methods were combined with

surrogacy arrangements.

Some people ask, why don’t you just adopt a child? Adopting isn’t easy as you think.

Adoption is quite expensive, and adoption process takes too long, from five to ten years.

You need to undergo several processes like seminars, background checking and many more.

So for the infertile couples, adoption is not an option.

The development of the science of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has created

an option to couples who want to have a biological child. Infertiles, a few years ago, never

imagined the possibility of being on the parenthood. But these days, couples are now capable

of having a child using traditional or gestational surrogacy.

There are some criteria that needs to be considered in the legalities of surrogacy.

These questions may be considered23:

22Biotechnology is the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, especially

the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, etc.
23 ___________, “What are the legal Issues Surrounding Surrogacy?”,

http://www.modernfamilysurrogacy.com/page/legal_issues_surrounding_surrogacy (accessed March 18,

2017)

7
 Does the country or state even allow surrogacy to take place? Are surrogate contracts

allowed in the country or state? Some list of countries or states that allow surrogacy are as

follows: Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Cyprus, Greece, India, Mexico, Nepal, Poland,

Thailand, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Georgia, And some states in United States.24

Other questions are: Are there any issues with regard to advertising for a surrogate?25

How difficult or easy is it to transfer the parental rights and/or custody of the child from the

surrogate to the intended individual or couple?26

And the following questions needs to be considered when drafting a surrogacy

agreement:

Who are all of the parties to the agreement overall? What testing
procedures will be utilized? How and where will the embryo
implantation be done? How will the surrogate cooperate with the
intended parent or parents once the child is born? Who will obtain
guardianship of the child should the intended parent or parents
pass away when the child is still a minor? What fees and expenses
will be paid by the surrogate and/or the intended parent or
parents? What type of indemnification will be given to the intended
parent or parents if the surrogate should be given custody of the
child after he or she has been born?27

Consider these questions so you may have a good and solid agreement.

24 ___________, “Surrogacy By Country”, http://www.familiesthrusurrogacy.com/surrogacy-by-

country/ (accessed March 18, 2017)
25 ___________, “What are the legal Issues Surrounding Surrogacy?”,

http://www.modernfamilysurrogacy.com/page/legal_issues_surrounding_surrogacy (accessed March 18,

2017)
26 Ibid.,
27 Ibid.,

8
 CHAPTER III

UNDERSTANDING MILL’S UTILITARIANISM

This chapter focuses on the understanding of Mill’s Utilitarianism. It is important to

know first the background of John Stuart Mill. In understanding the utilitarianism, it is

important to know the consequentialism, because we need to know first the outcome of an

act if it benefits the greater number or not before we judge it if it is right or wrong. And also

the principle of utility, because it is the foundation of Mill’s Utilitarianism.

I. John Stuart Mill’s Brief Background

John Stuart Mill was called the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the

19th century. He was a British philosopher, moral and political theorist, and an economist28.

His famous works include books and essays that cover epistemology, logic, economics,

social and political philosophy, religion, ethics, System of logic, on liberty, and especially

Utilitarianism. He was the eldest son of Harriet Barrow and James Mill. His father is also a

philosopher and a supporter of Jeremy Bentham’s Utilitarianism. James Mill spent time

educating his son John Stuart Mill. John learned Greek at the age of three and Latin at the

age of eight. At his teenage years, he spent hours editing Jeremy Bentham’s manuscript.

John Stuart Mill married Harriet Taylor29. His wife died years later because of severe lung

congestion. Mill died because of erysipelas30 in 1873 and was buried alongside to his wife.

28 http://www.biography.com/people/john-stuart-mill-9408210
29 Harriet Taylor was already married when she met Mill but after his first husband died, he married
John Stuart Mill.
30 Erysipelas is an acute infection typically with a skin rash, usually on any of the legs and toes, face,

arms, and fingers.

9
II. Mill’s Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that the production of greater happiness and

reduction of unhappiness must be the criterion for judging whether an act is right or

wrong31. Therefore, Mill just focuses on the outcomes of every action and not on rights or

ethical sentiments32. Utilitarianism is one of the major ethical philosophies33. The Classic

Utilitarians are John Stuart Mill, and Jeremy Bentham, a friend of John’s Father. Jeremy

Bentham is the father of modern utilitarianism. John Stuart Mill was influenced by

Bentham’s writings about utilitarianism so he revised it.

John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism is the most widely red presentation of utilitarian

ethics. It is frequently included in introductory courses on ethics or moral philosophy in

colleges and universities. It has been a subject of several disputes and argumentations

regarding its proper interpretation.34 The present work is considered as a contribution to

those argumentations and interpretations.

The chapters of Mill’s utilitarianism were interpreted using Mill’s other writings. Mill

also gives attention to moral theories. Chapter 1 gives a short biography for those unfamiliar

with Mill’s classic works of that genre of literature and his other works have great

contributions to philosophy of science, economics and political theory, and he discusses his

reasons for writing his essay and his objective for his work. Mill started his discussion of

theories and principles. He draws an analogy between science and the study of morality. He

31 Henry West, “An Introduction to Mill’s Utilitarian Ethics.”, Cambridge University Press (2004), p.
1.
32 __________, “John Stuart Mill: Ethics”, http://www.iep.utm.edu/mill-eth/#H2 (accessed March
19, 2017)
33 West, op. cit., p. 1.
34 West, op. cit., p. 2.

10
insist that science is done by moving from the first principle to the general theory, whereas

its order is reversed in morality.35

On Chapter 2, Mill attempts to respond on misinterpretations about utilitarianism

and depict the theory. Mill noticed that many people misinterpret utilitarianism by

understanding that utility is an opposition to pleasure. But actually, utility is defined as a

pleasure itself, and pleasure is the absence of pain, and utility is also known as the greatest

happiness principle, and it tells that “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote

happiness, wrong as they tend to promote the reverse of happiness, by happiness is intended

pleasure and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure.”36

Therefore, utility and pleasure are interconnected. After responding to the criticisms or

objections that utilitarianism promote base pleasures, He spent the rest of chapter 2 in

responding and presenting to other criticisms of utilitarianism.37

On the 3rd chapter of Mill’s utilitarianism, Mill discussed the sanctions or

punishments the principle of utility might give if they don’t follow it, because if the principle

of utility don’t have punishments, people don’t have any reason to respect it.38 Mill says that

these problems will remain on utilitarianism until education influences people to see the

general good as a deeply rooted moral good. Mill stated that utilitarianism has an ability to

35_______, “Utilitarianism Summary and analysis of chapter I”,

http://www.gradesaver.com/utilitarianism/study-guide/summary-chapter-i (accessed March 19, 2017)

36 _______, “Chapter 2: What Utilitarianism is (Part 1)”,

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section2.rhtml (accessed March 19, 2017)

37 ______, “Chapter 2: What Utilitarianism is (Part 2)”,

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section3.rhtml (accessed March 19, 2017)

38 ______, “Chapter 3: Of the Ultimate Sanction of the Principle of Utility.”,

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section4.rhtml (accessed March 19, 2017)

11
impose all the sanctions that other moral systems can. These sanctions has no limitations,

any punishment can be imposed.39

On the 4th Chapter of Mill’s utilitarianism, Mill started by telling that it is impossible

to prove any first principles by just reasoning. This chapter aims to explore what is needed

for utilitarianism in order for it to be believed.40 In order to show that happiness is the only

criterion for morality, people needs to show that they only desire happiness and nothing else.

On the last chapter of Mill’s utilitarianism, Mill says that the theory of justice is one

of the biggest obstacles for the principle of utility. Mill begins to determine whether the

justice or injustice of an action is innate and clear from the questions of utility. He pins

down the meaning of justice, by listing the things that are commonly classified as just or

unjust. First, it is regarded as unjust to deprive someone of his legal rights, but this concept

has exceptions. E.g. a person may have legal rights that he shouldn’t have, his rights may be

the provision of a bad law. Although people conflict on whether bad laws can be justly

disobeyed, all people agree that laws can be unjust. Therefore, law is not the ultimate

criterion of justice.41

Utilitarianism states that actions are right in proportion if they tend to promote

overall human happiness, wrong as they tend to promote the reverse of happiness. By

happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain. Therefore, we can judge an action

whether it is right or wrong by the number of people who are happy or who benefits the

most. Utilitarianism also is a kind of consequentialism, we also need to examine first the

39 ______, “Chapter 3: Of the Ultimate Sanction of the Principle of Utility.”,

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section4.rhtml (accessed March 19, 2017)
40 _______, “Chapter 4: Of what sort of proof the principle of utility is susceptible”,

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section5.rhtml (accessed March 19, 2017)

41 _______, “Chapter 5: Of the Connection between Justice and Utility (Part 1)”,

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section6.rhtml (accessed March 19, 2017)

12
outcome of an act and compare it to other outcomes before we judge it whether it is right or

wrong.

13
 CHAPTER IV

ALTRUISTIC SURROGACY: AN ETHICAL ACT

In this chapter, I will explain the reasons why altruistic surrogacy became ethical

using Mill’s Utilitarianism and disregard other ethical theories.

“Utilitarianism is a universal teleological system. It calls for the greatest good for the

greatest number. In other words, whatever is beneficial to the greatest number of people is

considered to be good, whilst whatever is beneficial to the least number of people is

considered to least good.”42

In this study, I argued that altruistic surrogacy is ethical. I will cite some reasons why

I consider it as an ethical act. As what I’ve stated on my argument, altruistic surrogacy is

ethical because it promotes greater happiness for a greater number, even without considering

if it is altruistic or commercial kind of surrogacy. In altruistic case, the surrogate is happily

rewarded with joy because she helped a couple without being compensated. And for the

intended parents, they are happier because they finally have a child, and they don’t spent

more money because it is altruistic.

Even in commercial surrogacy, it is also considered ethical. The surrogate is happily

rewarded with a payment, and the intended parents are also happy because they finally have

a child, even though they spent more money. Even in the case of Baby M, it is also ethical,

seeing both William and Elizabeth Stern happy, versus Mary Beth Whitehead solitary

unhappy.

42Emily Halverson, “Utilitarianism”, http://surrogacyandethics.weebly.com/utilitarianism.html

(accessed March 19, 2017)

14
 Here is an example case of altruistic surrogacy and I will explain on how it became

ethical. Altruistic surrogacy is the only kind of surrogacy permitted in Australia. In the Case

of Diane43, a 40 years old altruistic surrogate, she offered to help a couple whom she had

been friends for 30 years. And then she agreed to carry their child. But the arrangement

ended with legal action, a confrontation between the mother and the surrogate, a struggle in

the delivery room and ugly postings on Facebook. Diane, a mother of three from South-

West Melbourne, said she entered the agreement in 2010 and the first IVF cycle was in 2011.

The couples are the Godparents of Diane’s Children. That’s how close they are. In the year

2000, Diane’s friend undergoes a heart transplant and it was considered too delicate for her

to have a pregnancy. The couple wasn’t allowed to adopt so they considered surrogacy, as

their final option. The couple were thinking of going overseas to find a surrogate. So Diane

suggested that she is available as a surrogate for the first time. Diane has a good heart, she

didn’t want the couple to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars. The couple took Diane’s

offer, and then the surrogacy process began. They went counseling, and police checks were

done. She undergo IVF, and the intended parents promised her that she would be supported

on her pregnancy. There were disputes, about $400 spent on maternity clothes, out-of-

pocket expenses and pram44 for the baby. After the baby was born, the intended parents

didn’t even talked to her, and haven’t thanked her for what she did. An argument started in

the maternity room when Diane’s boyfriend prepared to post on Facebook that she had

successfully delivered. The couple wanted to tell their families first. A month after, a

reimbursement of expenses of $648 arise. Diane told the couple to pay the money she spent

43 Name Changed for Legal Reasons.

44 a stroller

15
or she will give the baby to someone else who deserves it. Diane said she had recovered her

costs but there were still outstanding fees of $2500.45

The above-mentioned is still considered ethical, even though the surrogate is

unhappy because of what the couple did to her, the couple are still happy because they

finally had a child, even though they didn’t appreciate what Diane did for them.

16
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATION

I. Summary

I start my first chapter with some practical questions and an altruistic case that led

me to pursue this study. Also in this chapter, I argue that altruistic surrogacy is ethical

because it promotes happiness. I also stated the scope and limitations of my study, and its

significance. I ended this chapter by reviewing literatures that are related to Altruistic

surrogacy and Utilitarianism.

In Chapter II, I explained Altruistic Surrogacy, including its history, on where it

began, on where its concept started. I also discussed the different methods in techniques in

reproduction. It is because of the innovation and advancement of both science and

technology. And I ended this chapter by stating legal issues about surrogacy, and some tips

to consider in having a good and solid agreement of Surrogacy.

In Chapter III, I discussed John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism; I started this chapter by

stating a brief background about the philosopher John Stuart Mill. And then I explained

Mill’s Utilitarianism. I briefly discussed it chapter by chapter, From Chapter one, its general

remarks up to chapter five, the connection between Justice and Utility.

And in Chapter IV, I explained how Altruistic Surrogacy became ethical, I gave an

example case and I judged it whether it is ethical or unethical based on John Stuart Mill’s

Utilitarianism.

II. Conclusion

17
 Utilitarianism judges the morality of an action through its outcome. If the action

promotes the greater happiness for the greater number, then the action is right. But if

promotes unhappiness, it is wrong. Moreover, if the situation on an Altruistic surrogacy case

promotes happiness, then the said Altruistic surrogacy case is ethical.

After determining and analyzing an altruistic surrogacy case on who benefits the

most, I considered Altruistic Surrogacy as an ethical act because every intended parents

would be happy if they were blessed by a child, and a surrogate would also be happy because

she helped someone.

III. Recommendation

The following recommendations are offered for related research about Altruistic

Surrogacy and Utilitarianism:

 Study more about the legal issues of Altruistic Surrogacy.

 Know more reasons why surrogates enter Altruistic Surrogacy.

 Understand and analyze carefully every case in Altruistic Surrogacy.

 Deepen the understanding about Utilitarianism.

 Find other criticisms of Utilitarianism.

 Critically analyze every principle of Utilitarianism.

18
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Halverson, Emily. "Altruistic Surrogacy Case." Surrogacy and Ethics - Surrogacy. Accessed
February 26, 2017. http://surrogacyandethics.weebly.com/altruistic-case.html.

"Chapter 2: What Utilitarianism is (Part 1)." Accessed March 19, 2017.

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/utilitarianism/section2.rhtml.

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