Category: Articles

An American Surrogate Had His Baby. Then Coronavirus Hit.

By Emily Shugerman | The Daily Beast | August 01, 2020

A month before Sierra Martin, a surrogate in Washington State, US, was due to give birth, one of the intended parents asked if she could care for the baby if he was unable to travel due to the coronavirus. This article highlights the story of Martin, a single mother who has been caring for the baby for months, and Li, one of the two fathers in China who was denied entry to the US. Martin was concerned about bonding with the baby and having to give him away. Li is among hundreds of parents who face barriers retrieving their children from the US in the midst of the pandemic.

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Up to 1,000 Babies Born to Surrogate Mothers Stranded in Russia

By Andrew Roth | The Guardian | July 29, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has left an estimated 1,000 children stranded in Russia, born from surrogacy agreements between foreign parents and Russian surrogates. This article highlights the story of a British-Chinese couple from Shanghai desperately seek to gain access to a closed Russian border hoping to arrive in time for their daughter’s birth. The already convoluted circumstances have been further complicated by the recent Russian probe into human trafficking within their surrogacy industry. 

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Chinese Infants Born to Chicago-Area Surrogates Are Stranded in the U.S. Without Their Parents, Due to COVID-19: ‘I Am Missing This Kid Every Minute.’

By Nara Schoenberg | Chicago Tribune | July 22, 2020

Vicky Li, a former employee at a Chicago based surrogacy agency, and her husband, Jerry Wu, have volunteered to care for two children born to surrogates until the parents can fly to the US from China. Hundreds of intended parents from other countries have not been able to come to the US to pick up their children born to surrogates, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. According to the article, the babies are being cared for by an impromptu collection of surrogates, agency employees, baby nurses, family friends and relatives.

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‘Equal Parentage’ Bill Is Signed Into Law by Governor

By Katie Mulvaney | Providence Journal | July 21, 2020

On July 21, the Equal Parentage bill was passed in Rhode Island, giving same-sex couples, unmarried people, and others who have children through assisted reproduction technologies an avenue to establish legal parentage at birth. The bill eliminates the need for non-birth parents to complete “second-parent” adoptions, addresses some aspects of surrogacy arrangements, and provides guidance for children conceived through sperm donation to find information on the donor when they turn 18.

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Stateless Children and Parents Who Are Legal ‘Strangers’: The Irish Families Left in Limbo

By Peter McGuire | thejournal.ie | July 14, 2020

This article provides a brief history of the rights of parents in Ireland whose children are conceived through assisted reproduction. The author posits that legal protections for children conceived outside traditional heterosexual relationships still fall short. For example, birth certificates of children born to same-sex couples do not recognize both parents as legal guardians. In one case, an Irish couple who conceived a child with the help of a surrogate in the United States had to sign an affidavit stating that one parent is a legal stranger in order to attain an Irish passport for their newborn. Despite recommendations from the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR), the article asserts that legislation has yet to be made to make assisted reproduction more accessible for all family structures involved.

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Survey Shows Surprising Number of Surrogate Births

Swiss Info | June 28, 2020

In Switzerland, where surrogacy is banned, more couples are turning to international commercial surrogacy. In the past year, the number of children born to surrogates abroad doubled, most born in the United States, followed by Ukraine and Canada.

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Surrogacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

 By Marla Neufeld | Lexology | June 25, 2020

With worldwide travel restrictions, closed courthouses, and limited governmental staff at critical offices, attorney Marla Neufeld updates recommendations regarding surrogacy arrangements in the US in the face of COVID-19. These include re-evaluating surrogacy agreements, determining whether health insurance policies for surrogates will cover COVID-19 treatments, and setting up contingency plans when unable to reach the US or return home.

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The Stranded Babies of Kyiv and the Women who Give Birth for Money

By Oksana Grytsenko | The Guardian | June 15, 2020

This article exposes the scale and problematic nature of the surrogacy industry in Ukraine, with the COVID crisis exacerbating conditions even more. The ombudsman for children is now calling for a ban on commercial surrogacy in Ukraine for foreign couples. Without sufficient regulation and protections in place, surrogates in Ukraine are beginning to self-organize on social media, where they share advice and warnings about agencies, and expose increased mistreatment during the pandemic.

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Irish Man ‘Stranded’ in Russia with Baby Appeals for Help to Bring Her Home

By Conor Pope | The Irish Times | June 12, 2020

Oliver James, an Irish citizen living in London, traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, in April to meet his newborn baby born to a surrogate. He has spent 8 weeks trying to get travel documents to return home, but it seems the no one has yet reviewed his paperwork. Without Irish recognition of James as father of the child (established through a paternity test), his funds running low, and risk of becoming homeless, he is desperate for the Irish embassy to help them get home soon.

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The Surrogate Movie Review

By Nell Minow | Roger Ebert | June 12, 2020

“The Surrogate” is new movie from the US about Jess, a woman who agrees to be a surrogate for her best friends, Josh and Aaron. The film delves into the relationship between Jess and her friends after the fetus tests positive for Down syndrome, and the unique position Jess is put in. This review praises the film for centering real and difficult conversations related to surrogacy, abortion, and the lives of people with disabilities, and illuminating dynamics around race, gender, and sexual orientation. The trailer for the film is available here.

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