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Gauging the interests of birth mother and child : a qualitative study of Swedish social workers’ experiences of transnational gestational surrogacy

Arvidsson, Anna ; Johnsdotter, Sara ; Emmelin, Maria LU and Essén, Birgitta LU (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.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
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
2024-04-19 14:49:08
@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}},
}