SURROGATE MOTHERHOOD - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MOTHER-FETUS RELATIONSHIP

The use of reproductive technology for surrogate motherhood arrangemen ts facilitates the possibility that a child might have three mothers; a genetic, a gestational and a social mother. This possibility challen ges the traditional legal definition of mother as the woman who gives birth to the child; a definition that emphasizes the mother/fetus rela tionship. State statutes and court cases are examined to identify what changes, if any, have occurred in the legal definition of mother. Rec ognition of separation of roles is occurring, thus challenging the tra ditional legal definition of mother and the mother/fetus relationship.