British actress Lily Collins ignited heated debate online after announcing the arrival of her first child via surrogacy on Friday (January 31).

While her fans celebrated the arrival of the newest member of Collins and her husband, Charlie McDowell, critics were quick to decry the practice, with many accusing the actress of “buying a human being.”

“Welcome to the center of our world, Tove Jane McDowell. Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way,” the actress wrote on Instagram, revealing the name of the baby and the circumstances surrounding her birth. 

“We love you to the moon and back again.”

As Actress Lily Collins welcomes her first child via surrogacy, critics jumped on social media to accuse her of “buying a human being”

Image credits: Emily In Paris / lilyjcollins

The adorable photo of the baby sees her resting in a soft fleece convertible bassinet, dressed in a beige onesie with a matching cap.

The post shared alongside McDowell, intended to celebrate a new chapter in their lives after welcoming their first child. However, beneath the surface of the intimate family moment and congratulatory comments, a fierce debate was brewing over the ethics of surrogacy.

 

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A post shared by Lily Collins (@lilyjcollins)

Unless there’s legit infertility or health issues that are dangerous, then using a surrogate or gestational carrier is horrible,” one user wrote. “Being pregnant is a gift. I would have done anything to be able to carry my son.”

Image credits: charliemcdowell

For many of Collins‘ detractors, her choice of bringing a baby into the world via surrogacy was an example of exploitation and the commodification of human life by the top percent of wealthy people.

“I think the ‘Rent a Womb’ culture is gross (unless there is a medical reason). All that is just to keep looking like a beanstalk,” another argued, accusing the actress of making her choice for superficial reasons.

Charlie McDowell hit back at the criticisms by posting a comment asking them to not spew “hateful words”

Image credits: lilyjcollins

McDowell addressed the criticisms by leaving a comment under his wife’s post, thanking his supporters before asking people to not “spew hateful words into the world.”

“It’s ok to not be an expert on surrogacy. It’s ok to not know why someone might need a surrogate to have a child. It’s ok to not know the motivations of a surrogate,” he wrote.

Supporters of the practice believe it represents a compassionate and viable pathway to parenthood for those who might not otherwise experience it due to health problems.

In the case of Collins and her husband, surrogacy has been portrayed as a heartfelt option that allowed them to expand their family under private circumstances.

While there’s no public statement or verified information indicating that the couple is infertile, Collins’ fans speculated they chose surrogacy due to the actress suffering from anorexia when younger, which may have caused problems to her reproductive organs.

Image credits: freestocks / Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

“Lily has spoken openly in the past about medical issues that would prevent her from having a baby naturally. This is lovely news,” a fan wrote.

“She openly talked about suffering from anorexia when she was younger, which can have a detrimental effect on women and their reproductive organs,” another explained.

“That’s an eating disorder; nothing is stopping her from having a baby normally. Sounds like she just wants to keep her figure,” a detractor replied.

In the United States, the total cost of hiring a surrogate mother can range from as much as $150,000 to $250,000

Image credits: lilyjcollins

Most of that money, however, does not end up in the hands of the surrogate, who ends up earning from a range of $40,000 to $70,000. The rest goes to agency fees, legal expenses, medical procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), and insurance coverage.

This estimate, offered by surrogate agencies, does not consider additional expenses from travel, support services, unforeseen medical complications, or multiple IVF attempts.

Due to how expensive the procedure is, the amount of births per year via surrogacy remains fairly low. According to the Cato Institute, the number was around 4,000 annually as of 2023.

Image credits: lilyjcollins

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends surrogacy in cases where “a true medical condition precludes the mother from carrying a pregnancy or would pose a significant risk of death or harm to the woman or the fetus.”

The ASRM also provides guidelines for surrogate mothers, requiring them to be 21 years old or older, have a stable home environment and social support, and “ideally have experienced at least one straightforward pregnancy and delivery” in the past.

Netizens kept arguing about the ethics of hiring a surrogate, with one side criticizing the practice and the other congratulating the actress

Image credits: lilyjcollins

“New babies are a blessing regardless of how they came into the world. Congrats to the family. Lovely name,” one user said.

“Baby farming shouldn’t be normalized,” another replied.

“What a crass comment. You don’t even know these people,” one user countered.

“There are so many women in the public eye who want someone else to carry their children. I find it quite obscene,” a reader argued.

“Absolutely well said. It’s a form of human trafficking, and I don’t see it being any different,” another replied.

“Separated at birth.” While her supporters offered her kind words for welcoming her baby, others offered a much harsher critique

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