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Original poster

A horrific example of how badly wrong surrogacy can go

113 replies

everythingcrossed · 19/01/2021 18:34

The Times is reporting on a well-know Chinese actress, Zheng Shuang, who commissioned two women in the States to have babies for her and her boyfriend. When they split up, she was recorded ranting that it was unfair that she couldn't have the babies aborted or put up for adoption. (This recording has led to her losing a Prada contract which was the hook for the story.)

In the recording Zheng allegedly expressed frustration that her two surrogates in the United States could not legally abort their pregnancies in the third trimester. Her parents are said to have told her to give the children up for adoption.

The children, who were born in December 2019 and January 2020 have, according to the report, been left in the States because Zheng won't take responsibility for them.

It's an absolutely horrifying portrait of entitlement and lack of conscience. What struck me in particular was the more general observation in the piece that It is common for wealthy Chinese couples and single people to have children through surrogate mothers in other countries such as Russia and Ukraine. Several US states are also popular. Within China the issue is highly contentious, especially because the black market has led to many disputes between clients and surrogates.

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OP posts:
ArabellaScott · 19/01/2021 20:59

Appalling.

TriflePudding · 19/01/2021 20:57

AwaAnBileYerHeid

Surrogacy is the deliberate separation of baby from mother at birth, which has devastating impacts on both.

There is a reason that the threshold is so high for removing babies who may be vulnerable/at risk, because it has to be the absolute last resort because of the profound lasting impact.

PlantMam · 19/01/2021 20:49

Is Chinese nationality dependent on the mother? Because if the commissioning ‘mother’ has refused to take on the legal status of mother, then the children may well technically be American (born to American women within the US).

Depending on Chinese law, the commissioning ‘father’ (perhaps biological father) may not be able to get them Chinese citizenship based on his nationality alone?

But yes, this is another compelling illustration of how shitty surrogacy is for babies and the women tasked with carrying them.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 19/01/2021 20:45

I don't really have an opinion either way on surrogacy but have seen a lot of opinions strongly against it on MN. If it was surrogacy entirely within the UK, the surrogate doing it completely altruistically and getting paid nothing and the person who is going to be getting the baby (sorry I'm not sure of the exact terminology) then is it viewed as badly?

YouBoughtMeAWall · 19/01/2021 20:19

This just sums up surrogacy for me. This is it. This is surrogacy. It’s driven by people who think people are for sale and they can cancel their order if they change their mind. Disgusting. People who should never be around children, never mind raising them.

PatchworkElmer · 19/01/2021 20:14

Disgusting

FannyCann · 19/01/2021 20:09

Yes, for all her abhorrent behaviour, if the boyfriend is the genetic father and an equal partner to the contract then he bears equal responsibility. Indeed, it seems strange that he couldn't simply take the babies on if he wanted to. Meanwhile it is the girlfriend who is publicly vilified.

It's not clear whether she is the genetic mother. I'd lay a bet that she was never interested in going through pregnancy and childbirth for herself, especially with a career as a model, and that this was a social contract. And maybe the boyfriend was more keen to start a family than herself.

I'm not in anyway justifying her behaviour of course. The whole thing is appalling in every way and perfectly demonstrates the horrors of surrogacy and treating children as disposable consumer items. Not to mention the total disregard for the women employed to gestate the babies on order.

Oblomov20 · 19/01/2021 20:08

She Sounds vile. What a shame.

LizFlowers · 19/01/2021 19:54

Zheng Shuang is only 29! I hadn't heard of her until reading this and imagined she was a middle aged woman.

This is horrible, however her ex is named as the father so he must have some say in the fate of the babies.

Surrogacy is a dubious business at the best of times but this takes the biscuit.

NorthernIrishFeminist · 19/01/2021 19:49

Wow that’s cold

Youngatheart00 · 19/01/2021 19:48

Disgraceful, abhorrent behaviour, even more so as I am a long term infertility sufferer.

I truly hope those poor children find a loving home.

That woman should never work again.

OvaHere · 19/01/2021 19:46

That's dreadful. Those poor women and children Sad

What is the reasoning behind two babies within a month of each other with separate surrogates? That in itself is quite odd.

OhHolyJesus · 19/01/2021 19:41

Thanks OP. I saw the story on Weibo so interesting to see the Times covering it.

The boyfriend is the generic father as this other article said as his name is on the birth certificate. He says he has been 'stranded' in the US but I imagine had to stay to stop her from having the babies adopted? I'm not sure what rights she would then have if she disowned the man's maybe she wasn't the genetic mother? The article wasn't clear so thanks for the share token.

I feel awful for the babies but also the poor mothers. They were each 7 months pregnant when basically the baby their bodies were growing had their order cancelled. This will be worth watching to see how it turns out legally. It's also interesting to see coverage of this in China. Many commissioning parents for surrogate born babies in the states are from China and there is a cultural shift being attempted if you ask me.