Telegraph Insight into surrogacy drama of a mum-to-be

A COUPLE from East Lancashire are at the centre of the latest storm surrounding surrogacy. Claire Collier, 29, of Bacup, is said to be determined not to be left holding the baby she agreed to carry for a Hertfordshire couple. It is believed that Claire, who has five children of her own, has not heard from the baby's biological parents for more than a month. The surrogacy debate - which has been depicted in a storyline on Channel Four soap Brookside - is growing. Today, Chief Reporter JASON HEAVEY looks at the controversy - and the potential pitfalls.

IT IS a nightmare turned to reality. After months carrying somebody else's child, the mum-to-be learns the biological parents no longer want it.

The surrogate mother is left holding a baby she doesn't want.

The implications are immense, not least for the innocent tot caught in a web of one of the biggest ethical headaches facing the medical profession.

But how would a hospital - and in particular the midwives - deal with the birth of a "bundle of joy" that nobody wants?

Today's evidence suggests that scenario may become a reality sooner rather than later in East Lancashire.

Midwives have already received definite inquiries from surrogate mums who are carrying other couple's children.

"There have been a couple of cases where we have been approached by women who said they were carrying other people's babies," said Pauline Quinn, maternity services manager for Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust. "They have asked if we would provide special arrangements to look after them, the baby and to help the biological parents bond with the newborn child.

"It is a difficult situation because there is not enough guidance. We do need more guidance and something should be laid down in law about about what is expected.

"I feel uneasy, and so do the midwives, over who the baby would belong to. That is a huge issue, although we have talked through how we would approach the delivery of a surrogate baby.

"If we were asked to deliver a surrogate baby then we would offer the best possible care, but I would seek legal advice in case something backfired.

"I am sure surrogacy goes on a lot. How are we to know that a mother who gives birth is going to give the baby to somebody else?"

Her views were echoed by Gillian Harrison, boss of maternity services for the Burnley NHS Trust.

"Surrogacy is a minefield. It is a huge ethical dilemma," she said.

Legally, the "host" mother who gives birth is responsible for the child and her name goes on the birth certificate. The "commissioning couple" would have to adopt the baby to have any rights over it at all.

If the couple drop out, the surrogate mum cannot force them to take the child - even if it was their egg and sperm.

The child is the responsibility of the surrogate mother even though it contains the genetic make-up of its other parents.

The surrogacy debate has been thrown open into millions of living rooms by Channel Four soap Brookside, where character Jacqui Dixon has agreed to carry the child of Max and Susannah Farnham.

MPs have called for the laws surrounding surrogacy arrangements to be tightened.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson said: "I think the whole issue of surrogacy should be looked at again by the Government and I will be raising this matter with the minister involved."

Bacup mum Claire Collier and partner Tony Bradley were put in touch with Hertfordshire couple Mark Wallis and Tessa Duke through the COTS (Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy) agency, which is run by Britain's first surrogate mum Kim Cotton.

Today Kim refused to comment on the case of the Bacup couple. But she accepted that several issues surrounding surrogacy needed resolving.

"The amount of expenses a host mother receives needs to be addressed," she said.

"Everybody knows that money changes hands, but an average sum needs to be worked out.

"There is always the potential, for example, for the surrogate mother to suddenly demand more cash. We need a definition about what the money is called, whether it is expenses, payment or compensation.

"Contracts need to be enforceable and legally binding. There is a government working party examining the surrogacy issue for which I have already given evidence and it will be reporting back in a matter of weeks."

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Write to The Editor, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, High Street, Blackburn, BB1 1HT, or e-mail on:

let_editorial@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk

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