New Life Global Surrogacy firm 'puts women at risk'

[ArabellaScott]

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

Absolutely appalling. Good to see the Observer doing some investigative reporting on it, though:

'Women recruited by an international surrogacy agency to carry babies for wealthy clients are being asked to undergo “unethical” medical procedures that increase their risk of serious complications, an investigation suggests.'

Sex-selection is offered:

'New Life branches, including those in Asia, Mexico and Ukraine, which is currently closed due to the war, also allow or have recently allowed clients to select the sex of their baby. Clients might want to do this “to balance the gender in the family”, to prevent genetic disorders linked to a particular sex and to meet “cultural and social norms”'

urgh

I don't like any surrogacy, but commercial surrogacy is vile

so good to see the Observer taking an interest

Surrogacy puts women at risk, full stop. It's a dreadful practice and needs banning ASAP.

Surrogacy prevents children from knowing their parents. It is a dreadful practice and needs banning ASAP.

to meet “cultural and social norms”

That should be chilling.

It seems clear this agency are operating (in the UK) outside of U.K. laws around commercial agencies, contracts and advertising for surrogacy including acting as a third party and recruiting surrogate mothers.

I'm trying to work out who to make a complaint to. I'd like to see a prosecution for this. Trading standards and my MP?

Any ideas?

Seems that some of what they've done is actually illegal. Police?

UK Border Agency, maybe?

www.cafcass.gov.uk/grown-ups/parents-and-carers/surrogacy/

I've reported them to trading standards but I don't feel that's the best route.
A letter to my MP next I think.

Surrogacy is simply a euphemism for human trafficking.

It stands to reason that ethical practices are not a priority for the people who profit from it.