Surrogate motherhood: the contradicitons in terminology

The aim of this article is to give a critical overview of the main concepts used in surrogate motherhood, taking into account the influence of some terms, such as the commissioning parents, commercial surrogacy or the phrase „gift of life“, on a specific framework of interpretation of this reproductive model. Partial interest is to compare the findings with the results of foreign studies and propose alternative concepts suitable for scientific and political discourse in the Czech Republic.

Review.

Department od Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno.

Summary of texts on surrogacy motherhood, published in the years 1986-2017 in the Czech Republic, taking into account the terminology used by the surrogacy. Comparison with foreign studies.

Terminology of surrogacy has its ethical and psychosocial consequences. In some cases, the terms implicitly include the attitudes of the authors. It is preferable to use preferential terms of surrogacy, surrogate mother. The use of the notion of commissioning parents becomes unacceptable. The use of the terms of intended parents is more correct, respecting the autonomy of the persons involved. The terms „commercial surrogate motherhood“ and „gift of life“ should be further discussed. Keywords surrogacy, surrogate mother, intended parents.