Category: Articles

High Court Pushes Deadline to Fix Surrogacy Law After Elections

Tzci Joffre | Jerusalem Post | March 12, 2021

This article provides an update on Israeli surrogacy law: the High Court had sent back the latest amendment to the government after deeming it unconstitutional for failing to include single men and same-sex couples. LGBTQ activists have been advocating for changes to the law for 11 years. Most recently the government again attempted to avoid the issue, allegedly to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, but the Court granted the government only a four-month extension to July 1, after the upcoming March 23 elections.

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Parents Are Demanding Surrogates Who Won’t Get the COVID Vaccine

Carter Sherman | Vice | March 9, 2021

Many intended parents are asking agencies to match them with surrogates who agree not to get a COVID vaccine, despite the fact that contracting COVID during pregnancy could increase the risk of severity of the illness and also lead to pre-term birth. The article discusses the importance of communicating about the vaccine prior to entering into a contract, and raises the issue of the power differential between intended parents’ requirements in a contract and a surrogate’s ability to maintain bodily autonomy.

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International Women’s Day: China Looks at Domestic Violence, Illegal Surrogacy, and Paternity Leave

Phoebe Zhang | South China Morning Post | March 8, 2021

This article shares policy topics about women that will be discussed at Two Sessions, China’s yearly parliamentary meetings held in Beijing. A member of the National People’s Congress proposed a stricter ban on surrogacy and the use of underground and overseas agencies to address the recent commercial boom, especially in light of the scandal of actress Zheng Shuang. The two political parties will also discuss the treatment of children born outside of marriage, single mothers’ lack of access to assistive reproductive technologies, and a hotline to report domestic violence.

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Police Bust Alleged Illegal Surrogacy Ring, Thai Women Allegedly Gave Birth for Overseas Buyers

Caitlin Ashworth | The Thaiger | February 7, 2021

This article highlights an illegal Thai surrogacy ring posing as a cleaning company, with 3 alleged agents and 4 alleged surrogates arrested so far. Cybercrime police discovered the ring when foreign intended parents were unable to retrieve the babies because of coronavirus travel restrictions. International surrogacy is illegal in Thailand, so the women were brought to Cambodia for embryo transfer and returned to Thailand for the duration of the pregnancy and birth. Allegedly, Thai women were lured in through social media and then paid over 500,000 baht (about 17,000 USD) each to bear children for foreign buyers. 

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Chinese Actress ‘Abandons’ Surrogate Babies in US, Sparking Huge Online Condemnation of Surrogacy

Global Times | January 20, 2021

Zheng Shuang, a popular actress in China, has been vilified by politicians and the public after her boyfriend claimed on social media that she had abandoned him and their two surrogate-born children in the U.S. This case has received a great deal of Chinese publicity due to Zheng’s high profile along with the illegality of surrogacy in China. Some experts are expressing concerns about the objectification of women through surrogacy and the thriving underground surrogacy market in China.

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GR Couple Denied Legal Rights to Biological Twins Due to ‘Outdated’ Michigan Fertility Laws

Annie Szatkowski | FOX 17 West Michigan | January 19, 2021

This article focuses on Tammy and Jordan Myers, a Michigan couple whose request for parental rights to their twin biological children born via a gestational carrier were denied by two judges. Under current state law, the couple will have to adopt the children. Michigan law prohibits all surrogacy, including arrangements without compensation. The couple hopes that the State legislature will introduce a fertility bill this year allowing intended parents of children born through surrogacy to more easily gain parental rights.

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The Legal Position of International Surrogacy in England and Italy and the Recognition of Foreign Parental Orders

Connie Atkinson, Veronica Dindo | Kingsley Napley | January 6, 2020

This blog describes the current legal situation in England, Wales, and Italy regarding international surrogacy arrangements and parental orders issued in other countries.  England and Wales recognize the surrogate as the legal mother upon birth and intended parents must apply to the English court for a parental order. Surrogacy in Italy is prohibited altogether, and parental recognition in other countries is rejected by the Italian authority, giving rise to individual legal battles.

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Portland Passes LGBTQ+ Inclusive Fertility Health Coverage for City Employees

Danny Peterson | KOIN 6 News | January 6, 2021

The Portland City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to include single and LGBTQ city employees in their fertility and family planning health benefits. Previous exclusions in coverage leading to high out-of-pocket expenses for fertility treatments, adoption, surrogacy, or fostering had disproportionate effects on marginalized communities. Elected officials expressed excitement about breaking down barriers for city employees who hope to become parents.

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Lack of Regulation and COVID-19 Leaves Ukrainian Surrogate Mothers and Babies in Limbo

Kate Baklitskaya, Magalena Chodownik | New Easter Europe | December 24, 2020

This article is a comprehensive piece detailing how surrogacy practices in the already unregulated Ukraine have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The difficulties in protecting the rights of both Ukrainian surrogates and children are highlighted, along with the illegal practice of moving surrogates across the Polish border to arrange childbirth inside the EU. Human rights activists in Ukraine and Poland are calling for regulation of the surrogacy industry in both countries.

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Russia’s Civic Chamber Urges Legislative Regulation of Fertility Treatment and Surrogacy

RAPSI | December 7, 2020

According to this article, Russia’s Civic Chamber has developed recommendations on assisted reproductive technologies, based on public hearings over the summer. These proposals will fill current legislative gaps, such as protecting children born through surrogacy and licensing intermediary surrogacy agencies.

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