Damaged Babies & Broken Hearts: Ukraine's commercial surrogacy industry | Foreign Correspondent

Summary

The video script delves into the booming commercial surrogacy industry in Ukraine, portraying it as a haven for childless couples seeking affordable options. However, it also exposes the dark underbelly of this trade, where some babies born with complications are abandoned by their commissioning parents. The script follows the stories of surrogate mothers, the challenges they face, and the legal and ethical issues surrounding surrogacy. It highlights cases of children left behind due to health issues and the plight of surrogates in a country grappling with poverty and conflict.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Commercial surrogacy has shifted to Ukraine after bans in Thailand and India, making it a popular destination for childless couples worldwide.
• 🏥 Surrogacy in Ukraine is legal for heterosexual married couples with a medical reason for infertility, but the regulations are loosely enforced.
• 💔 Some parents have experienced heartache, with cases of babies born with severe health issues, such as brain damage, due to inadequate medical care.
• 🏢 The surrogacy industry in Ukraine is unregulated, leading to exploitative practices by some agencies, like Biotexcom, which promise a 100% success rate.
• 🤰 Surrogate mothers in Ukraine are often from impoverished backgrounds and are vulnerable to the financial incentives offered by surrogacy agencies.
• 🚫 There have been instances of babies being abandoned by their commissioning parents due to severe health issues, leaving them in state care or orphanages.
• 🏭 The environmental and health risks in certain regions of Ukraine, like Zaporizhzhya with its high pollution levels, may impact the health of surrogate-born children.
• 🛂 Legal complexities surrounding surrogacy in Ukraine, with some agencies operating offshore to avoid local regulations, complicate matters for parents and surrogates.
• 🏥 The state of public healthcare in Ukraine is dire, with underfunded hospitals and lack of specialist care, affecting the treatment of surrogate-born children with health issues.
• 🏡 The future of abandoned children like Bridget is uncertain, with limited options for adoption and the risk of institutionalization if not taken in by a family.
• 🙏 There are calls for stricter legislation in Ukraine to protect the rights and welfare of surrogate mothers and the children born through surrogacy arrangements.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The video script focuses on the commercial surrogacy industry in Ukraine, highlighting both the joy it brings to childless couples and the potential heartache and ethical issues it raises.

Why has Ukraine become a popular destination for commercial surrogacy?

Ukraine has become a popular destination for commercial surrogacy because it is perceived as safe and affordable compared to other countries, and it allows commercial surrogacy for heterosexual married couples who can prove medical infertility.

What are some of the challenges faced by surrogate mothers in Ukraine?

Surrogate mothers in Ukraine face challenges such as being from remote and impoverished areas, being targeted by surrogacy agencies due to their financial desperation, and potentially suffering from inadequate medical care and support.

What is the legal status of commercial surrogacy in Ukraine?

Commercial surrogacy is legal in Ukraine for heterosexual married couples who can prove there is a medical reason for their infertility. However, the official regulations are vague, and there are concerns about oversight and protection for surrogate mothers and children.

What happened to baby Michael, as mentioned in the script?

Baby Michael, born to a surrogate mother in Ukraine, suffered from brain damage and was born prematurely. His parents faced challenges in getting him appropriate medical care and eventually brought him back to the UK.

Who is Bridget, and why is her story significant in the context of the script?

Bridget is a little girl born via commercial surrogacy who was left behind by her American parents in Ukraine due to her developmental delays. Her story is significant as it highlights the potential abandonment and lack of legal clarity for children born through surrogacy in Ukraine.

What is the role of Biotexcom, the surrogacy clinic mentioned in the script?

Biotexcom is a surrogacy clinic in Ukraine that has been involved in several cases of surrogacy for foreign couples. The script raises concerns about the clinic's practices, including alleged cases of abandoning children with health issues and the clinic's legal status.

What are the concerns raised by the script about the state of public healthcare in Ukraine?

The script raises concerns about the poor state of public healthcare in Ukraine, particularly in the context of surrogacy, where children born with health issues may not receive adequate care in public hospitals.

What is the role of the Children's Ombudsman in the surrogacy industry in Ukraine?

The Children's Ombudsman in Ukraine is an official who is concerned about the practices of surrogacy agencies and is lobbying for tougher legislation to protect surrogate mothers and children, reflecting the need for better regulation in the industry.

What are the potential consequences for children like Bridget if they are not adopted in Ukraine?

If children like Bridget are not adopted, they face being transferred to other institutions at age seven with no rehabilitation, and at age eighteen, they might be sent to an old people's home, highlighting the lack of long-term support for these children.

What actions are being taken to address the issues raised in the script?

The script mentions efforts by individuals like the Children's Ombudsman to lobby for better legislation and by foreign correspondents to bring attention to individual cases, as well as parents' efforts to provide care for their children born through surrogacy.