The concept of having children for other people is not a new idea, in fact, it happens in the Bible. In Genesis 16, Abraham and Sarah have a child by Sarah's maidservant Hagar (NIV Genesis 16:1-4). Surrogacy in its most basic form – a woman giving birth to a child for another person in the couple – is therefore not a new concept. However, it is banned or void and unenforceable in five states. What don't people like about modern surrogacy? What is modern surrogacy? There are two types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational. Traditional surrogacy is a contractual situation in which a woman becomes pregnant, through artificial insemination, using her own egg and a man's sperm. Gestational surrogacy refers to a contractual situation in which a woman agrees to have an in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryo implanted in her uterus (Gugucheva 6). In both types, the gestational mother – a woman carrying a developing fetus in her uterus – agrees to relinquish her parental rights to the child. In traditional surrogacy, the gestational mother is also the biological mother of the child, while in surrogacy, the gametes of the intended parents or donors are used. The topic and morality of surrogacy has been debated for years for many reasons, but surrogacy, both traditional and gestational, is moral. One of the most common reasons people oppose surrogacy is the idea that it treats children like property. In an article on the moral issues surrounding surrogacy, Jacqueline Laing argues that, through surrogacy, "children are treated as if they were mere commodities to which the principals are entitled" (Laing 117). She suggests that because people pay to have children brought into the world, they are seen as manufactured entities and...... middle of paper...... paid for it. If a person is infertile or a couple cannot have children, surrogacy is not the only option. Charles Dougherty asks, "Why shouldn't infertile couples turn to adoption as a solution?" Only because they desire a genetically related son or daughter – and isn’t that a morally flawed desire? Isn't it indulgent to demand a "copy" of yourself and your partner when so many other children need a loving home? " (para. 6) and Faith Merino points out in her book Adoption and Surrogacy Pregnancy that, when it comes to surrogacy, "little mention is made of the fact that more than 100,000 children in the United States are waiting for surrogacy. 'adoption' (22). Dougherty says it's selfish, and it is, in some sense, but it's also a natural desire. Merino argues that "for many people, the need to have their own child is a powerful biological motivator." (Merino 23)