Gauging the interests of birth mother and child : a qualitative study of Swedish social workers’ experiences of transnational gestational surrogacy
(2018) In European Journal of Social Work 21(1). p.86-99- Abstract
There are few studies on how social workers deal with cases regarding transnational surrogacy. Our study intends to contribute to filling this gap. In Sweden, surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technology method is not permitted. As a result, many prospective parents have turned abroad, mainly to India, for surrogacy. There are no laws regulating surrogacy in Sweden, and difficulties have arisen in establishing legal parenthood when the parents return with the child. This qualitative interview study with social workers found that legal uncertainty and ethical issues surrounded their handling. With no guidelines, the constructions of parenthood will continue to depend on individual social workers’ conflicting views on how to best meet... (More)
There are few studies on how social workers deal with cases regarding transnational surrogacy. Our study intends to contribute to filling this gap. In Sweden, surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technology method is not permitted. As a result, many prospective parents have turned abroad, mainly to India, for surrogacy. There are no laws regulating surrogacy in Sweden, and difficulties have arisen in establishing legal parenthood when the parents return with the child. This qualitative interview study with social workers found that legal uncertainty and ethical issues surrounded their handling. With no guidelines, the constructions of parenthood will continue to depend on individual social workers’ conflicting views on how to best meet the surrogate mother’s interest and the best interest of the child. Regulation is thus needed to better protect those involved and minimize the contingent aspects of legal handling by individual officials.
(Less)
- author
- Arvidsson, Anna ; Johnsdotter, Sara ; Emmelin, Maria LU and Essén, Birgitta LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- construction, Legal parenthood, social workers, Sweden, transnational commercial surrogacy
- in
- European Journal of Social Work
- volume
- 21
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 86 - 99
- publisher
- Routledge
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:84996538107
- wos:000417767400008
- ISSN
- 1369-1457
- DOI
- 10.1080/13691457.2016.1256869
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e98c0a9f-2c56-47ee-b54e-1367670232bb
- date added to LUP
- 2016-12-09 13:32:03
- date last changed
- 2024-09-07 04:08:06
@article{e98c0a9f-2c56-47ee-b54e-1367670232bb, abstract = {{<p>There are few studies on how social workers deal with cases regarding transnational surrogacy. Our study intends to contribute to filling this gap. In Sweden, surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technology method is not permitted. As a result, many prospective parents have turned abroad, mainly to India, for surrogacy. There are no laws regulating surrogacy in Sweden, and difficulties have arisen in establishing legal parenthood when the parents return with the child. This qualitative interview study with social workers found that legal uncertainty and ethical issues surrounded their handling. With no guidelines, the constructions of parenthood will continue to depend on individual social workers’ conflicting views on how to best meet the surrogate mother’s interest and the best interest of the child. Regulation is thus needed to better protect those involved and minimize the contingent aspects of legal handling by individual officials.</p>}}, author = {{Arvidsson, Anna and Johnsdotter, Sara and Emmelin, Maria and Essén, Birgitta}}, issn = {{1369-1457}}, keywords = {{construction; Legal parenthood; social workers; Sweden; transnational commercial surrogacy}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{86--99}}, publisher = {{Routledge}}, series = {{European Journal of Social Work}}, title = {{Gauging the interests of birth mother and child : a qualitative study of Swedish social workers’ experiences of transnational gestational surrogacy}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2016.1256869}}, doi = {{10.1080/13691457.2016.1256869}}, volume = {{21}}, year = {{2018}}, }