Surrogate Mothers Form Lobby Group

Three surrogate mothers from Southern California--along with one surrogate mother-to-be and a surrogate still attempting to get pregnant--announced Tuesday they are forming a national organization to ensure that women will continue to have the right to bear babies for childless couples.

At a Beverly Hills press conference, the surrogates expressed outrage over a suit filed by Mary Beth Whitehead, a New Jersey surrogate mother who is seeking custody of the child she bore for another couple. Whitehead’s attorneys have filed suit asking that surrogate parenting be made against public policy.

The new National Assn. of Surrogate Mothers will lobby for legislation securing rights for surrogate mothers, who receive about $10,000 for bearing a baby. The organization also will suggest guidelines for screening potential surrogate mothers.

The women argued that Whitehead’s situation is an exception, citing the fact that of the 300 to 500 births to surrogate mothers in this country, only three have resulted in custody disputes.