Bizarre Surrogacy Case Pinpoints Moral Morass of the Baby-Brokering Business

Catholics and bioethicists side with Church about the ‘deplorable practice.’
Surrogacy uses such techniques as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination, which the Church also deems morally unacceptable. (photo: Corona Borealis / Shutterstock)

When Pope Francis called surrogate motherhood a deplorable practice that he hoped the international community would prohibit universally, he was roundly criticized as insensitive and out of touch.

But a recent case in which 21 children, including 17 toddlers, were taken from a California couple who had them through their surrogacy business has revealed some of the practice’s inherent problems and potential for abuse, bolstering the arguments of those who believe it should be banned.

Born to various surrogate mothers using fertilized embryos from Silvia Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, the children were discovered as part of a police investigation after a 2-month-old from their home was taken to the hospital, the New York Post reported. That child had suffered a brain injury and is believed by police to have been shaken and struck by the family’s nanny, according to The Associated Press. The other children in the home also are believed to have been abused. All since have been placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services. The couple was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and neglect but were released from custody pending further investigation, NBC reported. The couple has not responded to requests for comment from multiple media outlets.

The surrogate mothers who bore the children apparently did not know they were carrying embryos from the couple who ran the surrogacy business. One of them, Kayla Elliott, now is seeking custody of the child she carried and has started an online fundraiser for legal fees.

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