Why is Ukraine’s surrogacy industry booming under bombs?
Apr 9, 2025
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Patricia Simón, a Spanish journalist from La Marea specializing in human rights and migration, dives deep into Ukraine's booming surrogacy industry amid war. She discusses how relaxed regulations and economic disparities have turned Ukraine into the main hub for surrogacy in Europe, despite the grim realities faced by surrogate mothers. Personal stories highlight the emotional and ethical struggles these women endure, revealing the complex balance between desperation and exploitation in a conflict-ridden landscape.
Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine's surrogacy industry thrives due to lax regulations and the urgent financial needs of vulnerable women.
The surrogacy boom raises ethical concerns as desperate circumstances lead to exploitation and coercion, challenging the autonomy of surrogate mothers.
Deep dives
Surrogacy in a War Zone
Ukraine has emerged as a prominent surrogacy hub in Europe due to its lax regulations and lower costs, offering surrogacy services for around $40,000 to $70,000, significantly less than comparable services in the U.S. This industry has shown resilience even amidst the ongoing war, adapting methods such as allowing intended parents to send their genetic material through the mail and moving childbirths to safer locations like Greece and Georgia. However, the surge in demand for surrogacy has resulted in companies exploiting vulnerable women from Ukraine and neighboring countries, leading to ethical concerns regarding the commercialization of this practice during wartime. Despite the high demand, the war has created a precarious situation where many surrogate mothers are recruited under desperate circumstances, often separated from their own children and living in unsafe conditions.
The Reality for Surrogates
Many women who act as surrogates in Ukraine report significant emotional and physical challenges throughout their pregnancies, including a lack of autonomy regarding decisions about their health and pregnancies. Surrogates often find themselves isolated in shared living arrangements and subjected to strict medical protocols without full transparency or consent regarding medical decisions, creating an environment of psychological distress. Additionally, surrogacy contracts are frequently unclear and signed without adequate understanding, leaving many women without recourse if terms are not met. Despite these hardships, many women, driven by financial needs, express willingness to undergo the surrogacy process again as it provides crucial support for their families and future.
Vulnerabilities in Context of War
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has intensified existing vulnerabilities among women in the surrogacy industry, as many have lost husbands to the war or face diminished household incomes. These circumstances often pressure women to enter into surrogacy contracts to sustain their families, pushing some to act against their own best interests due to economic necessity. Human rights organizations are raising alarms about potential coercion, where wives may be compelled by their husbands to become surrogates for financial stability. This complicated intersection of war, poverty, and surrogacy raises significant ethical questions about exploitation and the commodification of motherhood in a crisis context.
Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine has not halted the surrogacy boom there. Instead, the industry has adapted, despite the war risking surrogate mothers’ physical and mental wellbeing. Why is Ukraine the main surrogacy hub in Europe – and at what cost?
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, Remas Alhawari, Kisaa Zehra, Ashish Malhotra, and our guest host, Natasha del Toro. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
