Birmingham Live | June 1, 2026
The Foreign Office in the UK warned UK tourists to thoroughly review its guidance about international surrogacy before traveling to Cyprus, especially because of differences in regulatory control between the Republic of Cyprus and the north of Cyprus. Surrogacy in the north of Cyprus is unregulated and brings legal complications, which the British High Commission cannot address.
OC Media | May 28, 2026
A documentary called “9-Month Contract” follows the experience of Zhana, a single mother in the country of Georgia who becomes a surrogate. The film shows how surrogacy is overlooked but also stigmatized in Georgia, even as the industry grows – and increasingly relies on surrogates from Central Asian and African countries.
The New Yorker | May 11, 2026
The 21 children born via different surrogates for a Los Angeles couple have been placed in foster care. The court case regarding the parents’ alleged cruelty toward the children continues. The couple has since had 6 more children via surrogates in several states, all of whom have also been placed in foster care. The number of children involved in the case and their placement in the child welfare system raises questions about limited surrogacy regulations in the U.S.
Times of India | May 11, 2026
The Indian state of Kerala has several laws supporting the welfare of trans people, and it recently asked the national government to clarify whether trans people were eligible for surrogacy. In response, the national government stated that unmarried or married trans people are not eligible for surrogacy services under existing statutes.
Sofia Bettiza, BBC News | 05.07.2026
Ukraine’s parliament is considering a bill that would establish stricter regulations over the country’s surrogacy industry and would effectively ban surrogacy access for foreigners, who currently make up over 90% of intended parents. The bill, which has widespread support in parliament, is a response to concerns that Ukraine’s surrogacy industry does not address issues of exploitation of surrogates –– a critique that agencies reject.
The Conversation | May 3, 2026
Australia’s Law Reform Commission is deciding whether to allow compensation for surrogates. Some countries have banned compensation given risks of exploitation. Models proposed in the article include payment comparable to other high income countries or a monthly rate standardized across the country. Determining a “fair price” is difficult since surrogacy isn’t comparable to other kinds of labor.
3News | April 28, 2026
Ghana now has statutory recognition of surrogacy, but it still lacks regulation. The current approach to governing surrogacy provides pathways for legal parentage after surrogacy arrangements, but the surrogate’s position remains underdeveloped in the law.
The Cable | April 24, 2026
Longstanding issues of human trafficking and exploitation in Nigeria make the increasing use of surrogacy without regulation risky for surrogates and children born from these arrangements. Clear policies that regulate surrogacy, and a commission to develop and enforce such policies, could help orient surrogacy toward family building and away from exploitation.
ERR | April 10, 2026
As part of a broader effort to address human trafficking, draft amendments to Estonian law would identify “exploitation for the purpose of surrogacy” as a form of human trafficking with penalties of up to 7 years of imprisonment.
Axios | March 29, 2026
Surrogacy goes more mainstream
Surrogacy is increasingly common in the U.S., although it still makes up a very small percentage of births in the U.S. overall. Ethical and legal complexities in the surrogacy process make it important to consider the experiences, rights, and needs of surrogates, intended parents, and children born via surrogacy.
Surrogacy laws are all over the map
Surrogacy laws vary widely by state in the U.S. Some states enforce surrogacy arrangements and have regulations about compensation and legal parentage, while others have no regulations at all. This article features CGS’ Surrogacy360’s map of US surrogacy regulation.
The steep cost of surrogacy
Surrogacy remains very expensive in the U.S., ranging from $100K-250K to cover compensation for the surrogate along with medical, clinic, agency, and legal fees. Insurance coverage is limited, which makes the practice inaccessible for most people.
