Addicted to Surrogacy Documentary
Director: Channel 4
Year: 2009
Country: UK
Rating: N/A
This film explores the extraordinary world of serial surrogates and asks what motivates them to continue to have babies for other people. Is it money, altruism - or something far more complex? Around 1,000 surrogate babies have been born in the UK over the past two decades. In recent years, half of them have been born to serial surrogates: women who have been surrogates more than once. Jill Hawkins, Britain's most prolific childless surrogate, has given away seven babies over the past 18 years. Is it finally time for Jill to wean herself off her need to have babies for other people, and start living her own life? Janie and Peter have been trying to have a baby through a surrogate for three years. After several bad experiences in the UK, Tammy Lynn in Kansas is now having twins for the couple, and they have travelled the 5,000 miles to be with her at the birth. In Essex, Amanda - a first-time surrogate - is having a baby boy for Stephen and Olga. With Olga and Amanda not always seeing eye-to-eye, viewers witness the complex and emotional journey that leads to having a surrogate baby. Carole Horlock, the world's most prolific surrogate, tells the story of her career-low: when she discovered that a baby she had given birth to had been accidentally conceived with her own partner. What did she decide to do about the child, and has she ever regretted that decision? (Aired Channel 4, 9 March 2009, 21:00)