Ukrainian surrogacy clinics may see a boom in international arrangements next year, as the closure of other countries in 2016 draws attention to Ukraine’s advantages, such as a clear legal system and geographical proximity to Europe.
India, Nepal and Thailand, which over the past decade became popular destinations for international commercial surrogacy, have all tightened up their rules over the past two years. A bill introduced to India’s Parliament would ban all international surrogacy arrangements, and limit local childless couples to altruistic (rather than commercial) surrogacy. Thailand banned international commercial surrogacy after a series of high-profile controversies.
Those changes led to a surge in interest in surrogacy arrangements in Cambodia earlier this year. But that came to an abrupt halt in November, when police arrested three people involved in organizing surrogate pregnancies, including one Australian citizen. It remains unclear how the government plans to regulate commercial surrogacy, or whether it may ban the practice entirely; until then, international intended parents are likely to avoid the Southeast Asian country.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament continues to oppose surrogacy, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (an advisory body) in October rejected a proposal calling for surrogacy to be regulated throughout the continent.
All of those developments look set to benefit providers of international commercial surrogacy in Ukraine. The country’s regulations are some of the most surrogacy-friendly in the world: Under Ukrainian law, parenthood is assigned exclusively based on the DNA of the baby, meaning there is no need for a separate court procedure to recognize the intended parents’ rights to the child. Ukraine borders the European Union, and Kiev is just a few hours by air from any EU capital, making it easy for prospective parents to visit.
Surrogacy with our clinic
Among Ukrainian surrogacy providers, Ilaya’s programs stand out for our clear pricing (a single fee that includes everything “up front”, with no surprises once your program has started) and almost a decade of medical experience in the field. We also assign a personal manager to each couple who will work with you every step of the way.
Surrogacy in Ukraine is available only to married heterosexual couples. For other intended parents, or those who prefer different arrangements, we also offer a US surrogacy program based on the laws of California, one of the most surrogacy-friendly American jurisdictions.
To find out more about ilaya’s international surrogacy programs, please contact us.