Ukraine parliament considers ban on foreign access to surrogacy
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 7
Ukraine parliament considers ban on foreign access to surrogacy
10 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 7
Foreigners account for 95% of intended parents, and supporters say tighter rules are needed as wartime hardship pushes more Ukrainian women into paid surrogacy.
Backers cite exploitation, commodification and falling birthrates, while critics say clinics target poorer women and some babies, including disabled children, are later left uncollected by intended parents.
Ukraine was long seen as the world's second-largest commercial surrogacy hub after the US, and although the war disrupted the sector, experts say activity has nearly returned to pre-war levels.
With Ukraine closing its doors, what happens to the abandoned children and the women who saw surrogacy as their only hope?
Is banning surrogacy protecting women, or just shifting the global market of wombs to another desperate nation?