Surrogacy in Latin America

Surrogacy, and especially cross-border surrogacy, has become a global phenomenon and multi-billion-dollar industry. This development raises serious legal and ethical questions about exploitation and commodification of women and children, the legal status and protection of children born through surrogacy, and parental rights of intended parents. The legal reactions to surrogacy have varied greatly, ranging from prohibition or tolerance of the practice of surrogacy to a free market approach. Very few jurisdictions have introduced specific regulation for surrogacy, as they have struggled to create legal frameworks that ensure the protection of surrogates, children and intending parents alike.This book is the first comprehensive engagement with surrogacy and surrounding issues in Latin America in the English language. It examines the approaches taken in Latin American jurisdictions, bringing together experts from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay. It provides an overview of the national developments and current legal reform processes in their historical and societal contexts and puts the developments into a global perspective.