I was surprised by how many countries consider surrogacy illegal. I hold an Italian and Canadian passport, and when I found out my surrogate was pregnant in Kenya, I contact the Italian embassy to find out what was needed to get my babies passport so I can take them with me. So I call, and the embassy rep said, “oh it’s easy, just come in with your baby and the mother and we will issue the baby a passport.” Not knowing that it is illegal in Italy, I said, well I can bring the babies but what if there is no mother. Unsure of what I just told her she told me that she would call me back because she had to contact Italy. 10 minutes later she calls me and says, I’m not sure what to tell you, once the babies are born come to the embassy, and hopefully we can help. Hello!! I’m halfway across the world, in a developing country with two babies and you hope that maybe you can help me!!! Then I researched and understood Countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria and all the middle eastern countries prohibit all forms of surrogacy.
In countries including the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, USA surrogacy is allowed where the surrogate mother is not paid, or only paid for reasonable expenses. Paying the mother a fee (known as commercial surrogacy) is prohibited. Commercial surrogacy is legal in some US states, and countries including India, Russia, and Ukraine. People who want to be parents may go abroad if their home country does not allow surrogacy, or if they cannot find a surrogate. However, even here, the laws may vary. For example, some Australian states have criminalized going to another country for commercial surrogacy, while others permit it.
So where do most people go for surrogacy?
Experts say that countries popular with parents for surrogacy arrangements are the US, India, Thailand, Ukraine, and Russia. Mexico, Nepal, Poland, and Georgia are also among the countries described as possibilities for surrogacy arrangements. Costs vary significantly from country to country, and also depend on the number of IVF cycles needed, and whether health insurance is required. Families Through Surrogacy, an international non-profit surrogacy organization, has estimated the approximate average costs in different countries:
US – $120,000
Canada – $100,00
India – $47,350
Thailand – $52,000
Ukraine – $49,950
Georgia – $49,950
Mexico – $45,000
Kenya – $45,000
I don’t understand why Surrogacy would be illegal in so many countries. If someone can’t have children, “naturally” why should the government care on how the child is obtained. I think that the government of Canada should help with the costs of surrogacy. I have friends that have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars just to make their dreams come true. What do you think about surrogacy?
