Surrogacy Resource thread : please post your links here

[FannyCann]

A Happy New Year to all.

I have been thinking about how I should concentrate my energies in the New Year - women are fighting many battles on so many fronts - against porn, prostitution, domestic abuse, the wonderful We Can’t Consent to this campaign, abortion rights, to maintain our spaces, our language, our sports and so much more that I haven’t mentioned.
For myself, I have been asked to join a particular campaign against surrogacy and I have decided that is where I will be devoting most of my time whilst still supporting all the other important causes in spirit at least.

The surrogacy market is a global business currently thought to be worth about $21billion with growth expected to reach about $41billion by 2026 according to India based market research firm Data Bridge. Women’s reproductive “services” are big business globally.

The Law Commission Consultation on new surrogacy law in the UK closed on 11 October 2019.
Many posters on FWR did great work researching, discussing and exploring the implications, educating and raising awareness, encouraging people to respond to the consultation so that responses weren’t simply confined to cheers of approval from “stakeholders” but real concerns and educated critique were raised.

Many of us may be wondering what happens next?

According to the Consultation paper what happens next is this: “After reviewing all responses, we will decide on our final recommendations for law reform, which we will publish in a report, accompanied by a draft bill (legislation) in 2021.”

The consultation, raising awareness and sharing the knowledge was very much the first battle. There is much to be done to follow up to prevent these harmful recommendations becoming law in the UK and to keep that global market out of the UK.

I am not able to give details but I wanted to let people know that there is work ongoing behind the scenes and small positive signs that the Law Commission are belatedly reaching out to some women’s groups who raised concerns.

Meanwhile I believe now is the time to prepare: we have a new parliament with many new MP’s who are no doubt completely unaware, now is the time to start lobbying MP’s and the government in advance if that draft legislation. I plan to hold my nose and meet with my MP, who is a staunch Catholic and who, for all his faults, I expect to take a dim view of the proposals. I will also be sending letters to key people in the government and department of health.

Since I first heard about the Consultation and proposed changes to the law just over a year ago, I have spent many hours reading, articles, legal cases, research papers, listening to podcasts, watching documentaries, reading and contributing to threads here, where so many other contributors share their knowledge and post informative links.

So I thought it might be helpful to have a resource thread, that we can refer to from time to time when looking for articles, research papers and other sources of information, links to FOIs, trying to find that thread where we saw interesting posts and so on.

I will kick off with some links to the consultation and related threads.

Please join in and add anything of interest you come across.

*The Consultation
*
Short summary

https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lawcom-prod-storage-11jsxou24uy7q/uploads/2019/06/Surrogacy-summary.pdf

The Full Consultation Document

https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lawcom-prod-storage-11jsxou24uy7q/uploads/2019/06/Surrogacy-consultation-paper.pdf

Obviously it is too late to respond now as the Consultation is closed, but for reference here is the recommended response to the summary from Nordic Model Now, which many of us used as a template or a guide to help us formulate our own responses.

https://nordicmodelnow.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/surrogacy-consultation-responses-pdf-2.pdff_

Several women’s organisations responded to the consultation with public letters:

Nordic Model Now Open letter:

https://nordicmodelnow.org/2019/10/11/open-letter-to-the-uk-and-scottish-law-commissioners-about-the-surrogacy-consultation/

WPUK submission to Law Commission consultation on surrogacy reform – Woman's Place UK

https://womansplaceuk.org/2019/10/08/wpuk-submission-to-law-commission-consultation-on-surrogacy-reform/

EVAW (End Violence Against Women) response:

https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Letter-on-Surrogacy-.pdf

NIA response:

http://www.niaendingviolence.org.uk/perch/resources/surrogacy-consultation-response-october-2019.pdf

*Links to some of the related threads on FWR:
*
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womensrights/3606313-The-Rumplestiltskin-Laww__
_

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womenss_rights/3613356-All-male-Law-Commission-discussing-surrogacy

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womensrights/3651968-The-illegitimacy-of-the-Rumplestiltskin-Surrogacy-consultationn__

_
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womenss_rights/3706683-SURROGACY-CONSULTATION-ENDS-ON-FRIDAY-11-OCTOBER-PLEASE-SUBMIT-A-RESPONSE-Edited-by-MNHQ-at-OPs-request

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womensrights/3649812-building-families-through-surrogacy-a-new-law-consultationn__

_
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womenss_rights/3698520-Did-everyone-know-that-MN-now-has-a-surrogacy-board

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/3169070-To-think-theres-a-valid-discussion-to-be-had-about-the-ethics-of-surrogacyy_

_
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womenss_rights/3708724-Famous-men-and-surrogacy

Another reason to have a baby of your own, I guess. "I've had four babies, my body is done, more would do me harm"?

I feel very sorry for her. It must be hard to try to give a gift, an amazing gift, and not feel joy from it.

Did you also hear a note of bitterness when she talked about the surrogate-born daughter for her sister being a "very special grandchild" as she was so wanted and their father's dying wish had been met...I wondered if her own children, including the imminent arrival, might not be treated in the same way.

Yes, that is a good observation.

Her own status as a sibling has been changed as she is selfless and subservient and supportive to a sister who had a "need", which I'm not belittling but, it's clearly complex, especially in an Irish family who are loving and want to help a member who has had a terrible time with cancer. The status of her own children is now "less special" than another baby she birthed.

Jesus. It'd fuck me up. Good luck to women who manage to get their head round it.

'Stop Surrogacy Now' have just done a video/podcast with 'Venus Rising':

stopsurrogacynowuk.org/public-appearances-media/

posting to remind myself to watch later!

Sharing this from another thread in relation to my earlier posts about Irish law reform of surrogacy.

www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/officials-warn-against-double-standard-on-commercial-surrogacy-1.4786522

@ArabellaScott

'Stop Surrogacy Now' have just done a video/podcast with 'Venus Rising':

stopsurrogacynowuk.org/public-appearances-media/

posting to remind myself to watch later!

Sounds interesting, will have a listen.

I'm not sure if this is helpful, as it's tangential to the UK, but if you log onto MN from outside the UK, depending on advertising algorithms, you may be targeted with surrogacy or egg donation advertising. Also if a woman travels to the US, or your daughter is attending college in the US, or if your daughter is doing a study abroad as a minor in a US high school, or if she's other places in the world on international social sites, she may be exposed to advertising targeting young women to donate her eggs. UK 18-28 year old young women can donate their eggs in the US, with these requirements:

"International Egg Donors must be able to enter the US without a visa or be from a country where the U.S. does not require a visa to enter the United States, have a valid passport or if you live aboard, be a US citizen, or green card holder.

Canadian and International donors will travel to the U.S. twice. The first trip is for the medical evaluation and the 2nd trip is for treatment and retrieval. Monitoring of your cycle will be conducted locally by a fertility clinic near your home." -fertilityheaven.com/egg-donor-requirements/

Here are the ads your daughters and other young women may encounter:

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

I listened to that podcast this morning. That woman sounded broken. And how many times could the presenters say "amazing" . They just skipped over anytime she mentioned how difficult it was and how much counselling she needed just to tell her she was " amazing" again.

I wonder how things will settle in the family, a lot of distance between NZ and Ireland but eventually travel will start again. I felt really sorry for her.

More on the Ireland/Ukraine surrogacy connection - noting costs for childcare if the commissioning parents can't travel. I think all commercial flights stopped today.

...of course there's no mention of the surrogate mothers travelling out of the country to say, Ireland, where the commissioning parents live. But they did use the word 'mother'.

"Ukraine is the most popular destination for Irish heterosexual couples wanting to have a child by way of a surrogate mother."

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/not-going-to-ukraine-may-be-impossible-for-expectant-irish-couples-using-surrogacy-1.4801319

And this in Italy/Ukraine.

"The Italian parents of the now 16-month-old girl travelled to Ukraine after she was born to a surrogate in 2020.
But for a reason still unknown, the new parents left the newborn in the nanny's care before returning to Italy.
The couple promised they would return to Ukraine as soon as possible however they never came back."

www.thesun.co.uk/news/16754517/heartless-parents-surrogate-abandoned-baby/

[quote OhHolyJesus]More on the Ireland/Ukraine surrogacy connection - noting costs for childcare if the commissioning parents can't travel. I think all commercial flights stopped today.

...of course there's no mention of the surrogate mothers travelling out of the country to say, Ireland, where the commissioning parents live. But they did use the word 'mother'.

"Ukraine is the most popular destination for Irish heterosexual couples wanting to have a child by way of a surrogate mother."

[[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/not-going-to-ukraine-may-be-impossible-for-expectant-irish-couples-using-surrogacy-1.4801319]][/quote]
Shocking article. No thought for the women who are carrying and will give birth to the babies.

Fascinating article here from today’s The Times. I have a share token that won’t last as a resource but worth reading.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/7d5d45aa-8cf1-11ec-ab9b-59af3878ddff?shareToken=704789569810edc8231ac9c03ec6a6a7

Seven siblings ‘sold by parents at birth’ find each other through DNA

Reissa Spier’s inquiries also exposed a deeper secret — she and the other adopted children were probably sold to people desperate to become parents at a time of lax laws governing the trade of babies.

Thailand is apparently looking into lifting the ban on international commercial surrogacy and despite only recently banning the same, India is also reconsidering so I wanted to share this.

"The eighteen year old girl who’d called anti-trafficking expert Amos Tsering said had run away from the house where she’d been confined by a couple whose baby she was carrying. The girl was not formally commissioned by the couple to be a surrogate; nor was there any agreement: She had, simply put, been sold."

theprint.in/india/bhade-ki-kokh-how-traffickers-from-north-bengal-earn-lakhs-from-illegal-surrogacy/830328/?fbclid=IwAR2Y2q7B59iPkb8SD8eZxrQ2EJEukyd-VhcoUXoTgZkUYqb084U_OH-KgDo

What happened to the teenagers in Thailand is chilling.

@Delphinium20

What happened to the teenagers in Thailand is chilling.

Absolutely awful that there seems to be a u-turn in Thailand.

twitter.com/wombsnotforrent/status/1493580660325371906?s=21

Julie Bindel is covering the Thai surrogacy change and much more! Womb trafficking is quite an apt description.

thecritic.co.uk/end-womb-trafficking/

Thank god for Julie Bindel, that's all I can say. She's bang on as always.

Just updating this thread so to save recent threads on Surrogacy.

Ukraine

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4506457-21-babies-stuck-in-a-bomb-shelter-in-Ukraine?watched=1&msgid=115923326#115923326

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4486282-Surrogacy-in-Ukraine-Times-article

Georgia
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4381931-surrogacy-in-georgia-channel-4-investigation

Thailand
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4493409-surrogacy-and-child-trafficking-in-thailand

Fertility Equality
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4497831-men-can-do-anything-women-can

Other relevant threads

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4489939-CBeebies-promoting-surrogacy?msgid=115383001#115383001

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4434628-sperm-donation-a-feminist-victory

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4293769-egg-donation-selling-canada

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4284142-comparing-surrogacy-in-colorado-to-the-u-k

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4274981-surrogacy-in-the-new-statesmen

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4414494-ivf-reform-from-new-hfea-boss-what-is-a-mother

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4380578-husband-of-surrogate-mother-who-died-speaks-out

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4266878-surrogacy-can-create-orphans-a-surrogate-mother-dies

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4373138-surrogacy-promoted-at-modern-family-show-object-now-inside-report

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4357653-how-can-this-be-ok-surrogate-baby-born-from-meeting-on-facebook

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4301798-surrogacy-regret-from-a-single-man

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/feminism/4298851-surrogacy-and-affair-canadian-case

I thought this was worthy of recording. The image in the tweets shows an extract from a US surrogacy contract detailing the rights of the commissioning parents over termination and 'selective reduction' (which they say is not the same thing) and how they don't need to give a reason, they can simply cancel their order.

twitter.com/JenniferLahl/status/1513535260620836865?s=20&t=iMiBhAVJXnnhq6LTWknHIQ

Paid surrogacy is now legal in the state of New York (it wasn't, in the past). Several critics have concerns about the weak protections for the surrogate in that law (health expenses are only covered for a short time after she gives birth so might not cover damage from the birth which happens later, no limits on how many times someone can be a surrogate etc.)

It is customary in the US for the egg donor and the surrogate now to be two separate individuals so that the surrogate can't later sue for custody on the basis that she is the genetic mother of the child.

I detest the idea that people think they have fertility rights.

No-one has the right to pass their genes on, because the existence of such rights would by necessity mean that other people would be forced to participate in the process, which is especially atrocious when it is access to the female reproductive system that is demanded.

Pregnancy is risky, and such demands would probably cause poor women (especially in poor countries) to become a breeder class for wealthy individuals living in affluent countries.

This is an excellent bit of journalistic investigation into an international surrogacy agency with offices in the UK. They appear to be breaking UK law around advertising and acting as a commercial third party to commission surrogate mothers. I'd like to see them prosecuted, and weighing up who to make complaints to when I have a bit more time after Christmas. Might start with trading standards.

They also advised that babies born in Ukraine that were not up to standard could be left in orphanages.

www.theguardian.com/society/2022/dec/18/global-surrogacy-agency-accused-of-putting-women-at-risk-with-unethical-medical-procedures

Screenshots of part of the article. Any suggestions re pursuing prosecution welcome.

I'm updating this thread with recent news articles on surrogacy around the world:

There is never a shortage of stories from surrogate mothers saying how amazing surrogacy is, or articles from celebrities sharing baby feet images on Instagram, but this was interesting...

Grim reading on simultaneous surrogacy - getting numerous women pregnant hedging your bets...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64421478
"As Shanna remembers it, Catherine began without even saying hello: "Listen, I wanted to tell you before you see it in the news. I was using another surrogate and she has just given birth."

Denmark wants to regulate 'non-commercial incubation'. (I makes me worry when they put words like non-commercial incubation together with 'ethics').
"The Ethics Council in Denmark pleads for a relaxation of the law on surrogacy in the country. It recommends changing the law so there is room for health organisations to be involved in non-commercial incubation....Non-commercial surrogacy is legal in Denmark, but commercial surrogacy is not. However, surrogate mothers are not allowed to receive fertility treatment. Therefore, in practice, it is hard for surrogacy to really take place." Maybe that was the point?
cne.news/artikel/2453-danish-ethics-council-advises-liberalisation-surrogacy

Ireland recently legalised international surrogacy and this woman in Canada is having a baby for a couple in Ireland. If long term friendship and trust is meant to be at the route or 'altruistic' surrogacy for the child, then I wonder how this child will have a relationship with their mother, given the circumstances and the distance.
sunpeaksnews.com/meghan-koladka-gestational-surrogate-story/
More on the Ireland legislation here www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/12/13/new-international-surrogacy-rules-will-provide-certainty-to-many-families-in-ireland/

Another example of this is this man who crowdfunded for his premature triplets care and for money to take them 'home' to Ireland from their mother in Kenya.
www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/dad-ecstatic-baby-triplets-home-28404930

(As Kenya doesn't recognise same sex relationships you will notice this article refer to 'his partner', but not a word on the mother. I understand his sister was brought in to help physically get three premature newborns on and off the plane.
www.thesun.ie/fabulous/9671615/babies-surrogacy-kenya-money-alarm)

Finally on Ireland, it's interesting that domestic surrogacy isn't allowed. From the brilliant Brenda Power.
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brenda-power-womb-rental-gets-the-ok-just-not-on-irish-soil-s90sx03xk

Colombian Medical College tendered an apology after it endorsed a controversial paper by a Norway-based academic named Anna Smajdor, who called for using brain-dead women as surrogate mothers...
“Women are not utensils to be thrown away after use, women have human rights, even if some people forget this,” Colombian member of Congress Jennifer Pedraza reacted strongly to the development.
www.opindia.com/2023/02/columbian-medical-college-endorses-brain-dead-women-surrogate-mothers-apologises/

This story has done the rounds on the Daily Mail (www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11705261/Should-brain-dead-women-kept-alive-used-SURROGATES.html) and Twitter, because of it's shocking natures, but here is a blog on it, looking deeper into why it is so very wrong to even suggest such a thing. twitter.com/WombsNotForRent/status/1622683540323282945?s=20&t=ZzdI9BU8UbvwsoEG8g6aPg

Scotland will hear from surrogate born children and it appears that phase one of the report is available here childrensvoices.le.ac.uk/?page_id=313#prelim-report

"Children’s Voices in Surrogacy Law involved 25 children aged 8 to 17 who were born through surrogacy or were children of women who acted as surrogates. Data were collected through focus groups, using specially designed playing cards and artwork. The cards were used to play voting, sorting and brainstorming games to explore children’s views on the topics of parenthood, payments and knowledge of origins."
www.scottishlegal.com/articles/card-play-and-art-reveals-childrens-views-of-surrogacy-for-first-time

UK woman donates eggs to gay couple after losing her cousin.
www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/littlehampton-mum-donates-her-eggs-to-gay-couple-after-her-cousins-tragic-suicide-4007845
She said: “My family was complete and after losing my cousin I began to re-evaluate what was important in life. I had my own beautiful children, and my eggs are going to waste every month. The question became why shouldn’t they be put to good use?” Forgive me but this seems to me to be an odd response to the grief of a loved one.

Kenyan female MP says more women MPs are needed to secure laws around women's issue, but this is so women should be able to "use surrogate mothers"
www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2023-02-04-more-female-mps-needed-to-push-bill-on-surrogacy-shollei/
"Shollei expressed confidence that this time round, the Assisted Reproduction Bill will pass and women will be able to use surrogate mothers....So we need more women in Parliament because they are the only people who can push for this kind of legislation," she said."

Thailand allows surrogacy only between resident, married couples and this brief article charts the numbers.
"Altogether 621 surrogacy cases have been approved in Thailand in the seven years since surrogacy services were legalised in the country, according to Dr. Sura Visetsak, director-general of the Health Service Support Department."
www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-records-621-approved-surrogacy-cases-in-seven-years/

Blanket ban on surrogate mothers using their own eggs is considered restrictive in India: "The petition has contended these provisions directly infringe upon the right to privacy and are against the reproductive rights of women...It has been argued that the Surrogacy Act imposes a blanket ban on commercial surrogacy, which is neither desirable nor may be effective."
www.siasat.com/surrogacy-act-hold-no-woman-shall-act-as-surrogate-by-providing-her-own-gametes-sc-told-2522116/

Milk banks in India for surrogate born babies.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/gen-hosp-milk-bank-a-boon-for-babies-born-via-surrogacy/articleshow/97633790.cms
The milk is donated and not bought it seems but here is more on how women's bodies can be made useful for many.
butunherd.com/2022/01/why-are-men-drinking-breast-milk/

And in Israel "The Israeli Supreme Court declared that in future cases, no parental status should be recognized for parents of children by surrogacy without a genetic connection to the child or children."
abovethelaw.com/2023/02/nightmare-ruling-for-non-genetically-related-israeli-parents-by-surrogacy/

Finnally, a comment piece referring to BBC Correspondent and his likely joke about his second surrogate-born baby he was taking on the plan as 'hand luggage:
www.dailysignal.com/2023/02/08/biden-was-right-children-arent-baggage-he-should-tell-that-to-advocates-of-commercial-surrogacy/

His tweet can be found here twitter.com/marklowen/status/1619651897950081024?s=20&t=lqcpYBOq6dwyYl0d9_9Jjg.

It's interesting to me, the number of BBC Correspondents and News Presenters congratulating him on the birth of his surrogate born child compared to the number of quote tweets and their content to the tweet above.
twitter.com/marklowen/status/1604810988087578625?s=20&t=lqcpYBOq6dwyYl0d9_9Jjg

I forgot this, re law proposals for UK law.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/09/future-surrogacy-balance-we-should-be-wary-relaxing-rules

"Children’s Voices in Surrogacy Law involved 25 children aged 8 to 17 who were born through surrogacy or were children of women who acted as surrogates. Data were collected through focus groups, using specially designed playing cards and artwork. The cards were used to play voting, sorting and brainstorming games to explore children’s views on the topics of parenthood, payments and knowledge of origins."
www.scottishlegal.com/articles/card-play-and-art-reveals-childrens-views-of-surrogacy-for-first-time

This pisses me off. You can’t ask children what they think about this when they are far too young to really know the impact. They would get much better results if they ask adults who were born through surrogacy. People don’t generally work out how messed up they or their families are until at least their late twenties.

Kids will accept whatever their (adoptive) parents indoctrinate them with, until they can judge if it was all self-serving lies upon maturity.