THREE (SURPRISING?) RESULTS… THE PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE: EMPIRICAL RESEARCH INTO OPINIONS ON SURROGACY IN NEW ZEALAND THREE (SURPRISING?) RESULTS… Associate Professor Debra Wilson University Of Canterbury debra.wilson@canterbury.ac.nz

The surrogacy process in nz Unregulated if ‘private’, except for need to transfer parentage through adoption laws Regulated through Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2004 if want to use fertility clinic. This requires ECART approval: Fertility Clinic counselling Medical reports Legal advice Ethics Committee approval, based on Advisory Committee Guidelines Adoption

THE EMPIRICAL RESEARCH Fertility Clinics Lawyers Survey Judges Interviews Public Perceptions Survey

FINDING ONE: “WHY SHOULDN’T SURROGATES GET PAID FINDING ONE: “WHY SHOULDN’T SURROGATES GET PAID? FOR SOME WOMEN GETTING PREGNANT IS THEIR SUPERPOWER” Should Domestic Surrogacy (Ie Where Intended Parents And The Surrogate Mother All Live In New Zealand) Be Legal? (532 respondents)

54.5%: Yes, compensated 27.6%: Yes, commercial 8.9%: Unsure 6.6%: Yes, altruistic 3%: No Did these results change if respondents were filtered by age? Level of education? Ethnicity? Gender? Identification with religion? Previous experience with fertility treatment? Was there anything to learn from the Fertility Clinics, Lawyers, ECART or Judges?

FINDING TWO: GENETICS IS NOT IMPORTANT… UNTIL IT IS

WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT OF A GENETIC LINK BETWEEN INTENDED PARENTS AND CHILD… 47.2% of respondents answered NO 39.6% of respondent answered YES Which groups in society saw a genetic link as more important?

WHEN ASKED INDIRECTLY… Many will default to genetics as a way of resolving issues Question: Who should the legally recognized parents be? Question: Can parties cancel the contract/surrogacy arrangement?

“THIS IS NOT A PLAYDATE- YOU DON’T CANCEL” FINDING THREE: “BRINGING A NEW PERSON INTO THE WORLD IN SUCH A DELIBERATE FASHION SHOULD NOT BE A ‘CHANGED MY MIND’ SITUATION” “THIS IS NOT A PLAYDATE- YOU DON’T CANCEL” What if the surrogate changes her mind? Who should court grant custody to?

51.8%: Custody to Intended Parents 15.7%: Custody to Surrogate 12.8%: Joint Custody 6.7%: Other Did these results change if respondents were filtered by age? Gender? Identification with religion? Previous experience with fertility treatment? What other comments did the participants have?

(Full Published Results Coming Soon) Thank You! (Full Published Results Coming Soon)