PHYLLIS CHESLER - Sacred Bond. Motherhood Under Siege. Surrogacy, Adoption and Custody. The Legacy of Baby M.

London England, Virago, 1990. 1st Uk Paperback Edition, Binding: Softcover, Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall 1853811289 Paperback In 1985, Mary Beth Whitehead signed a contract agreeing to give birth to a baby for William and Elizabeth Stern in return for a payment of $10,000. After 'Baby M' was born, Mary Beth changed her mind. She wanted to keep the baby. Her decsision led to a court battle which made headlines across the world. Phyllis Chesler analyses the impact of the legal, psychological and ethical problems this landmark case threw into such sharp relief. What makes a mother - or father - a fit parent, and who decides? Does the standard surrogate-mother contract constitute baby-selling? Should it be abolished? Who can determine a child's best interests? Is the blood-tie significant for a child and a parent? Does surrogacy exploit women? With the striking lucidity which has become her trademark, Phyllis Chesler tackles the issues raised by the Baby M case, issues at the forefront of contemporary ethical debate.