The Independent | September 17, 2026
High-profile cases of celebrities having children via surrogacy have generated critiques of surrogacy as “a luxury option for the rich.” Behind well-publicized cases are more complex debates about surrogacy – whether surrogates should be compensated and how much, how to properly regulate surrogacy, and how to structure contracts. Talking to surrogates themselves reveals a variety of experiences, including religious values, the high percentage of surrogates whose husbands are in the military, and the emotional effects of surrogacy.