Opinion – Julio Abramczyk: Surrogacy in times of war

The Russian military invasion of Ukraine is entering its fourth week, putting surrogate babies at risk.

Ukraine is one of the few countries in the world that allows the surrogacy program. The legislation authorizes pregnancy carried out by another woman and not by the child’s mother.

This paid surrogate maternity can use germ cells from the prospective parents or just the male or female donor.

It is not allowed to use the surrogate mother’s egg for IVF.

The baby that will develop in the surrogate womb cannot originate from this same woman.

Press reports citing Agence France-Presse report that close to 100 babies born to surrogates in Ukraine are waiting for their parents, who are foreign nationals.

Before the war, there were 34 clinics specializing in reproductive health on Ukrainian territory.

The first IVF procedure in the country was performed in 1991.

According to a statement from one of these specialist clinics (Biotexcom), “all children are safe, the nurses at the clinic are with them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is a sufficient amount of food, clothing and medicines needed. All children are well and will soon be with their parents”.