Beier, KatharinaKatharinaBeier2018-11-072018-11-072015https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/35220Because it is often argued that surrogacy should not be treated as contractual, the question arises in which terms this practice might then be couched. In this article, I argue that a phenomenology of surrogacy centering on the notion of trust provides a description that is illuminating from the moral point of view. My thesis is that surrogacy establishes a complex and extended reproductive unit-the "surrogacy triad" consisting of the surrogate mother, the child, and the intending parents-whose constituents are bound together by mutual trustful commitments. Even though a trust-based approach does not provide an ultimate answer to whether surrogacy should be sanctioned or prohibited, it allows for at least some practical suggestions. In particular, I will argue that, under certain conditions, surrogacy is tenable within familial or other significant relationships, and I will stress the necessity of acknowledging the new relationships and moral commitments that result from this practice.journal_article10.1093/jmp/jhv02426449234000368260200002