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

ABC News In-depth
20 Aug 201929:56

Summary

TLDRThe 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.
  • πŸ₯ Surrogacy in Ukraine is legal for heterosexual married couples with a medical reason for infertility, but the regulations are loosely enforced.
  • πŸ’” 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.
  • πŸ›‚ Legal complexities surrounding surrogacy in Ukraine, with some agencies operating offshore to avoid local regulations, complicate matters for parents and surrogates.
  • πŸ₯ 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.
  • πŸ™ 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.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Ukraine's Surrogacy Boom

Ukraine has become a popular destination for commercial surrogacy, attracting couples worldwide seeking affordable options. Despite the joy it brings to some, there are concerns about the industry's darker side. The script introduces the topic with a focus on the ethical and health implications, including allegations of children born with disabilities being abandoned. It also touches on the economic and social backdrop of Ukraine, highlighting the poverty and ongoing war that contrast with the commercial surrogacy's prosperity.

05:01

πŸ₯ Surrogacy Clinics and Their Promises

The narrative shifts to a specific surrogacy clinic, BioTexCom, which claims a 100% success rate. It details the journey of a couple who, after years of trying to conceive, turn to surrogacy in Ukraine. The clinic's process involves using donor eggs and sperm to impregnate a surrogate. However, the surrogate develops complications, leading to the birth of a premature baby with brain damage. The parents face a challenging situation with Ukraine's inadequate public healthcare system, highlighting the lack of preparedness for such outcomes.

10:02

πŸ‘Ά The Plight of Abandoned Children

This section delves into a more harrowing case of a child, Bridget, abandoned by her American parents after being born with developmental delays. The child's story is told through the eyes of her caretaker and the local Child Protection Agency, emphasizing the legal and ethical complexities surrounding such cases. The narrative also touches on the environmental and health challenges in Ukraine, suggesting links to the high incidence of birth defects.

15:03

🀰 Exploitation and the Surrogate's Reality

The focus moves to the surrogate mothers themselves, exploring the economic desperation that drives them to participate in surrogacy. It reveals the exploitative practices of surrogacy agencies, such as pressuring women to abort fetuses to increase the chances of successful pregnancies for the remaining embryos. The story of one surrogate's traumatic experience, including forced abortions and the birth of a child with health issues, underscores the human cost of the industry.

20:03

πŸ“œ Legal and Ethical Challenges

The script discusses the legal ambiguities surrounding surrogacy in Ukraine, with agencies often operating offshore to avoid regulations. It introduces a lawyer who explains the complexities and the challenges faced by parents like Kate Smith, who sought legal recourse against a surrogacy agency. The narrative also hints at the broader implications for Ukraine's international reputation and the need for stricter laws to protect surrogate mothers and children.

25:05

🏑 The Future of Abandoned Children

The final section returns to the story of Bridget, detailing the efforts to find a permanent home and the legal battles over her future. It contrasts the love and care she receives from her Ukrainian caretaker with the indifference shown by her American parents. The segment also includes an encounter with the surrogacy agency's owner, who denies responsibility for such cases and suggests that other agencies might be impersonating his company. The narrative concludes with a call for better regulation and a more compassionate approach to surrogacy in Ukraine.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Surrogacy

Surrogacy is a process where a woman carries and gives birth to a child for another person or couple. In the context of the video, surrogacy is portrayed as a booming business in Ukraine, attracting couples from around the world due to its affordability and legal status. However, the video also reveals the darker side of this industry, including cases where babies born with health issues are left behind.

πŸ’‘Commercial Surrogacy

Commercial surrogacy refers to a form of surrogacy where the surrogate mother is financially compensated for her services. The video discusses how Ukraine has become a hub for commercial surrogacy, raising ethical questions about the commodification of childbirth and the potential exploitation of vulnerable women.

πŸ’‘Brain Damage

Brain damage refers to any injury or harm to the brain, which can result in long-term physical, cognitive, or emotional impairments. In the video, the term is used to describe the condition of a baby born through surrogacy who suffered brain damage, highlighting the medical risks and the responsibility of the surrogacy agencies and parents involved.

πŸ’‘BioTexCom

BioTexCom is a surrogacy clinic in Ukraine mentioned in the video. It is presented as one of the busiest and most prominent clinics, offering services to foreign couples. The video raises concerns about the clinic's practices, including alleged cases of neglect and abandonment of children with health issues.

πŸ’‘Abandonment

Abandonment in the context of the video refers to the act of leaving a child without the care or support that they need. It is a central issue as the video uncovers cases where children born through surrogacy are left behind in Ukraine due to health complications or other reasons, leaving them without their intended parents.

πŸ’‘Legal System

The legal system in Ukraine is mentioned as a factor contributing to the issues within the surrogacy industry. The video suggests that the lack of robust legislation and oversight allows for unethical practices to occur, such as the abandonment of children and the exploitation of surrogate mothers.

πŸ’‘Ethical Concerns

Ethical concerns are a significant theme in the video, as it explores the moral implications of commercial surrogacy. The narrative raises questions about the rights of the surrogate mothers, the welfare of the children, and the responsibilities of the parents and agencies involved.

πŸ’‘Infertility

Infertility is the inability to conceive children after a year of unprotected sex. The video features couples who turn to surrogacy due to infertility, emphasizing the emotional and psychological impact of infertility and the desperate measures some are willing to take to become parents.

πŸ’‘War Zone

The term 'war zone' is used in the video to describe parts of Ukraine that are affected by ongoing conflict. This context is relevant as it contrasts with the image of Ukraine as a safe and affordable surrogacy destination, suggesting that the reality may be more complex and dangerous.

πŸ’‘State Hospitals

State hospitals in Ukraine are depicted in the video as underfunded and poorly equipped, particularly in the care of children with special needs. This is highlighted through the story of a baby born with brain damage who is admitted to a public children's hospital, illustrating the inadequate healthcare infrastructure.

πŸ’‘Children's Ombudsman

The Children's Ombudsman is an official role mentioned in the video, responsible for advocating for the rights and welfare of children. The video suggests that this office is concerned about the treatment of children born through surrogacy and is pushing for legislative changes to protect them.

Highlights

Ukraine has become a popular destination for commercial surrogacy.

Commercial surrogacy is legal in Ukraine for heterosexual married couples with a medical reason for infertility.

Ukraine is one of the poorest nations in Europe, with a third of the population living under the poverty line.

Some parents have had positive experiences with surrogacy in Ukraine, while others have faced heartache.

The Ukrainian surrogacy industry has a dark side, with some babies born with disabilities being abandoned.

BioTexCom is one of Ukraine's busiest surrogacy clinics, promising a 100% guarantee of a baby.

Some surrogate mothers in Ukraine are recruited from remote and impoverished areas, driven by financial need.

A surrogate mother reveals she was forced to terminate one embryo to increase the chance of a successful pregnancy.

A couple's experience with BioTexCom resulted in a baby born with brain damage, raising concerns about the clinic's practices.

The Ukrainian public health system is ill-equipped to handle complex medical cases, as seen with a baby born with brain damage.

Bridget, a child born via commercial surrogacy, was left behind by her American parents due to health issues.

Bridget's parents authorized her life support to be switched off, but she survived and was left in a children's home.

Ukrainian authorities struggle to handle the legal and ethical complexities of abandoned children born through surrogacy.

Some surrogacy agencies operate with little oversight, and there are calls for stricter regulations to protect surrogate mothers and children.

Despite the challenges, some surrogate mothers have positive experiences and are appreciative of the financial support it provides.

The Children's Ombudsman in Ukraine is pushing for legislative changes to better protect the rights of surrogate mothers and children.

The future of children like Bridget is uncertain, with limited options for adoption and potential institutionalization.

Transcripts

play00:05

in Ukraine the baby business is booming

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it's the new go-to destination for

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commercial surrogacy while it brings joy

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to some Francine you're the

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valedictorian there's heartache for

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others we uncover an ugly trade think

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they the cockroaches and confront those

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responsible how many children that you

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oversee the birth of through your

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company are born with brain damage

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[Music]

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I've been reporting on international

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commercial surrogacy for over half a

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decade and revealed horrific cases of

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babies left behind in Thailand and India

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[Music]

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both countries have since banned

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commercial surrogacy for foreigners but

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now a thriving trade has sprung up in

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Ukraine

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[Music]

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childless couples from around the world

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are travelling here because they're told

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it's safe and affordable this is the new

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motherland

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when couples come to Kiev to engage in

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surrogacy they'll get a sense of a

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bustling cosmopolitan city but in

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reality Ukraine is one of the poorest

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nations in Europe with 1/3 of the

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population living under the poverty line

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and tens of thousands of children in

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institutional care not to mention this

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is a nation at war

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[Music]

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we kind of read up and made sure we were

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nowhere near war zone we kept you know

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in touch with people who had been here

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and visited and we're having babies so

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it wasn't something that concerned us

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[Music]

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Irish born Ozzie Pamela Hardy

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survived cervical cancer but the illness

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left her unable to fall pregnant she and

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her partner yon who live in Sydney

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explored surrogacy in a number of

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countries before settling on Ukraine

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finally they have a daughter

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Quinn born here in Kiev with the help of

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a local Ukrainian woman I mean we've had

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a great experience and with our agency

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with our clinic with the hospital with

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our surrogate commercial surrogacy where

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a woman is paid to carry a child for

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someone else is legal in Ukraine for

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heterosexual married couples who can

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prove there's a medical reason for their

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infertility after that the official

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regulations stop your big moment

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while there are many parents with

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positive stories like Pamela and Yann

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we've also uncovered a dark side to the

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Ukrainian surrogacy industry

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[Music]

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our investigation begins in the UK

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case and Greg Smith not their real names

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tried for 12 years to have a baby but

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Kate's diagnosis of polycystic ovary

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syndrome meant that nothing worked it

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just felt like a huge loss and a sadness

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it felt like a gap and a hole in our

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life that we couldn't feel no matter

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what we tried to do the couple

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researched the auction of commercial

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surrogacy abroad but didn't think they

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could afford it something must have come

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up on my Google feed for biotechs calm

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for a Ukrainian surrogacy clinic which

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even though it was very expensive it

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kind of felt like it was doable it could

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in the future if we did you know we

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could do that we could get it by Oh

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takes calm claims to be one of Ukraine's

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best and busiest surrogacy clinics

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touting a hundred percent guarantee

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you'll have a baby

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[Music]

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the couple used Greg sperm and a donor

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egg to impregnate a surrogate

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by rotates calm made it clear they

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didn't want Kate to contact her

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surrogate directly but the women managed

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to keep in touch secretly via social

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media

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[Music]

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I was able to just check in once every

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few weeks ΓΈresund pestering her but once

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every few weeks I'll check in and she

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would she was lovely

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that's how Kate found out her surrogate

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had developed problems around the 25th

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week of her pregnancy the clinic told

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Kate nothing just ten weeks later baby

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Michael was born a little prematurely an

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occasion Gregg rushed to give

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[Music]

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when she first held the baby Kate knew

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something was terribly wrong my first

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initial thoughts were he was just very

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floppy and very sleepy still and it kind

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of triggered something in me that

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something wasn't right for him

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[Music]

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Michael was discharged from hospital

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eight days after birth but Kate couldn't

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leave Kiev until she had a passport for

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him she repeatedly asked for a

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specialist to see her baby and after

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four weeks an appointment was finally

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made as soon as the neurologist saw him

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she said there's something wrong and he

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needs some scanning of his brain the

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scan established Michael had suffered

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brain damage and he was immediately

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admitted to a public Children's Hospital

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where Kate filmed these pictures on her

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phone disappeared I meant to sleep on

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it's obviously heavily stained and they

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want me to put my key in here but as you

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can see that's blood I didn't realize

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the healthcare was that bad in Ukraine

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because you're only shown the clinic

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which is pristine you're only shown

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private settings which are pristine but

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if you have a baby out there of a

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neurological condition there's no

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private establishment that will take you

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and so I wasn't prepared for this state

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of the state hospitals

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it would be 14 weeks before Kate could

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get her baby out of Ukraine and back to

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the UK she's still haunted by how dire

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the public health system is in Ukraine I

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think these are cockroaches

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all over the side

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[Music]

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and this is the way I meant to repair

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the bottles

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there's no kettle so Jesus and she's

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still not sure what the impact will be

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on baby Michael's development

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what happened to the Smith family is

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just one of many troubling stories I've

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heard about the commercial surrogacy

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industry here

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I'm heading southeast to zaporizhzhya to

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investigate another disturbing case the

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city is one of the largest industrial

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centers in Ukraine home to a range of

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heavy metal industries and high levels

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of pollution

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[Music]

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I'm looking for an abandoned child a

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little girl who was born via commercial

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surrogacy then left behind by the

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parents who commissioned her birth she's

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been living in this children's home

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since March this year before that she

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was in a hospital where this woman

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marina Boyko who cared for her

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[Music]

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this is Bridget she's three years old

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her American parents chose the name but

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her Ukrainian carers called her Brizzy

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son seeing in the valedictorians at this

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Gosselaar sternum which is sleep Ayana

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budget grew higher and the nickel dining

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budget cushioned sama-sama stay agenda

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potato onion ear as Victor know is that

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the jihad problem isn't in the notion as

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to what is extreme and a nice camera

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setting my poster Kakuta momenti as a me

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jealous - Ana it's really here on the

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show I'm not sure if X 0 its grant and

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not sure was Medici he would turn down

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the Queen under stone distance born at

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25 weeks and weighing just 850 grams

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they won't say exactly what's wrong with

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Bridget other than she has a range of

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developmental delays because of it and

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na na watching for an opinion might her

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shaumbra should not need each and now in

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fairness Nia Piazza an eponym item

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telephone game a good a telephone and

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video troop on agate algo anapana

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mattress nearest a variable to another

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Chile sushi no marina visits the little

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girl as often as she can on her days off

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what Anita coaches Tommy attack Picasso

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- to you Bruce even a pigeon yeah eres

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cassava yeah business na VI too many

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active leaders are yet simple due to

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erosion we did anticipate

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vitami young trees I'm sorry miss udaya

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animal will you plead that crusty Shiraz

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the head of the local Child Protection

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Agency gives me some background about

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preachers what is the mission upon the

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dome over Locarno Protection epic and

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Athena yukawa-rΓ΄ Jenna some vamoosh

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reports elenco Donetsk Oblast year

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Cibola accomplice or have them whatever

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not that none of the lobby lisnyky is

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some assumption the geology of they

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would not attendance of the bone marrow

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last and aroma is initialized each

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income documents seen by foreign

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correspondent

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surely that Bridget's twin brother died

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at birth and that she was very ill her

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parents are US citizens who commissioned

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their babies through the surrogacy

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agency bio takes calm when Bridget was

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five months old her parents sent a

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letter authorizing her life support be

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switched off it said she is in a

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vegetative state and has no chance of

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becoming a normal person doctors advise

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we stop any treatment so she can find

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peace we will not take her to America

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this baby is incurable

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Bridget survived but despite attempts by

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Ukrainian authorities to get advice

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about her future from her American

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parents it took nearly two years for a

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second letter to be sent that letter

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instructed that the baby be put up for

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adoption but it isn't binding under

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Ukrainian law leaving Bridget status

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unclear the Mohamed youngster was a

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Holly yet across me to embody Americans

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here Narayana put a lien on the wisdom a

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time to more young emotions cover the

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short version Hashanah year Ukraine Qin

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is a sueded peruvian cajon toka reduce

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nami and rabbits after query builder

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maha chili sepia hollywood scolded

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casado

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what would you say to the Americans if

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you ever had the opportunity to make

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them news night yeah scary future

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champions Kazama store was limited

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knowledge it was more snack yep animal

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Yuji Keturah establish eat eat octopus

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Valley at no ticket atoms reason

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initiative obstacle knows this young

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near Panama Janna Panama's solution

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[Music]

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I've spoken to couples coming to Ukraine

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for surrogacy and I'm also keen to hear

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from the women at the heart of this

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industry the surrogate mothers I've been

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able to get in touch with a woman who

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worked as a surrogate mother for biotech

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scone

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we're hitting five hours east of Kiev

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towards the regions of Luhansk and

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Donetsk where the 2014 war played out

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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thousands of people displaced by the

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conflict pled to border towns like this

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one Hurva mosque

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they're stuck here now unable to return

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home

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[Music]

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this is exactly the sort of Ukrainian

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town that the agencies are targeting to

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find their surrogates it's remote and

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it's poor for the women here the money

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they'd earn from carrying someone else's

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baby is very hard to resist and it's

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life-changing

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this woman was recruited here by bio

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takes calm and carried Kate Smith's baby

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Michael she wishes to remain anonymous

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because she fears recriminations from

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the surrogacy company she came here with

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her husband and baby son to escape

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bombing in the east which destroyed

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their home they had no money and no

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access to any help

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Khan also China non-abelian have

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internet potential you know it's kind of

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device it or store it at the coil

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he contacted yes besides garish

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precatory are not vigilant your storage

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at the coil actress she tells me she

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first worked for biotechs calm as the

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surrogate for a Spanish couple she was

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impregnated with free embryos but then

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forced to terminate one so that she

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would only carry twins this is to

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increase the chance of a successful

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pregnancy live birds mean more money for

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biotechs calm registered in the

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[Music]

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authorities

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five months into the pregnancy unable to

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stop the bleeding she was told she'd

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have to have an emergency caesarean and

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the babies died yes but it's a lie she

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likes me so much that I never lose a

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bunch of sheep in Alaska

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I guess cuz I look at him yet I read sir

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she eventually received the equivalent

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of about $200 still desperate for money

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she put herself forward again with

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biotechs calm and this time became Kate

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Smith's surrogate again she was

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impregnated with three embryos and this

play17:55

time they terminated two hoping she

play17:58

would carry the remaining embryo to full

play18:01

term sustainability Virginia honest

play18:05

Priscilla stop

play18:07

I know it's another study and you can

play18:10

tell Dad Nevada Blanca but they have to

play18:12

still pretty much straight but we were

play18:14

dreaming until a little dr. Haskell are

play18:16

additional victims like my cousin

play18:19

[Music]

play18:21

she confirms what Kate Smith says that

play18:25

bleeding started at 25 weeks after a

play18:28

difficult pregnancy she had another

play18:30

cesarean and baby Michael was taken away

play18:33

immediately

play18:36

a generous academic bulletin simply the

play18:40

operation mania bracelet tada IRA's

play18:42

calorie burn chest oh when you voice

play18:44

probably a much talk I asked her how she

play18:46

feels about biotech scone in a toaster

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oven extra hot mama

play18:53

Sarah hottest artist Patoka tempo but I

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reckon you what premiere night of

play18:58

results just yet Nick actually da cunha

play19:02

car company mind

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[Music]

play19:06

these stories about biotechs calm come

play19:09

as no surprise to sergey Antonov a kiev

play19:13

based barrister who trained in Ukraine

play19:15

and Australia we have a very difficult

play19:19

legal system Sergey specializes in

play19:23

family law and surrogacy

play19:28

but how many would they have on the

play19:30

database Kate Smith approach team for

play19:32

legal advice about her biotechs comm

play19:35

contract but he couldn't help her

play19:37

because the company isn't registered in

play19:40

Ukraine but offshore in the Seychelles

play19:43

it's not the only surrogacy agency set

play19:46

up like this

play19:50

naga against papayas phantom enemy

play19:55

Virginia protein even in Ukraine

play19:59

Azerbaijan no Nick Nayak exciti salami

play20:03

Neos contract from a business toe

play20:05

rewards program Ukraine no doctoral

play20:09

program on energy giant crane in

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southwestern I just a physical catalyst

play20:14

problemo Yuri so crane and Prince primo

play20:17

got a yellow streak meanwhile caught up

play20:24

in her own bureaucratic nightmare

play20:26

the fate of little Brigitte is still

play20:28

uncertain and the clock is ticking

play20:32

[Music]

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if she isn't adopted she'll be

play20:37

transferred at age seven to another

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institution where there's no

play20:41

rehabilitation someone yeah

play20:44

man Jeffrey today was this random no

play20:48

Cudahy sleeping suit of course this

play20:50

immediate confirm that to mean you have

play20:52

a smooth man you would you talk of as

play20:54

much as stupid ugly right even I ever

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talk with a new young is not a good

play20:58

sound

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rooster Jim Butcher stress I'm Jim bush

play21:02

from the generate result at age eighteen

play21:08

should be sent to an old people's home

play21:10

marina Boyko is desperate to find her an

play21:14

alternative foreign correspondent has

play21:21

managed to track down Bridget's parents

play21:23

in America

play21:24

oh is this Matthew admire oh hello my

play21:32

name's Samantha Hawley

play21:33

I'm from the Australian Broadcasting

play21:36

Corporation Matthew admire and earn

play21:40

guard pagan live in California been in

play21:44

Ukraine and we've seen your daughter

play21:47

Bridget and we're doing a story on

play21:54

Bridget and how she was left in Ukraine

play21:58

by yourself

play22:01

and I'm just reading to see whether or

play22:04

not you want to be part of the program

play22:09

we have filmed with Bridget and the

play22:13

nurse that has been caring for her for

play22:15

the past three years and mr. at nya

play22:18

doesn't deny being Bridget's father so

play22:22

these are yes but he's not keen to tell

play22:32

me their side of the story or take

play22:34

responsibility for Bridget

play22:46

[Music]

play22:51

I've come to biotech scholar

play22:54

headquarters I'm surprised my request

play22:57

for an interview with the owner

play22:58

Albert tortuosity has been granted the

play23:05

company is in downtown Kiev on a huge

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purpose-built site

play23:10

it's a one-stop baby-making shop

play23:13

[Music]

play23:17

in May last year Tachi offski was

play23:20

briefly placed under house arrest amid

play23:23

allegations of child trafficking

play23:26

document forgery and tax avoidance but

play23:30

to date he hasn't been brought before

play23:32

the courts we were promised a sit-down

play23:41

interview but then we're told has only

play23:44

got 10 minutes

play23:45

do you know Matthew Eternia he was a

play23:49

client of yours who left a baby behind

play23:51

ins a Parisian new tennis client a

play23:56

tavern you touch history new mamas mamas

play24:02

and pugnacious bathroom when Astor

play24:05

comically enter storage centers near bar

play24:07

we have seen documentation that he was

play24:09

your client an American client he had

play24:12

twins one died he left the second behind

play24:20

the comment affordability mas una

play24:24

empresa de la fecha top over top over

play24:28

para Grammy moon usnea below it's the

play24:31

little American scholar Americans

play24:34

currently our yesterday's cover dealer

play24:36

word poet neural co-create market or

play24:39

Bruce Willis I didn't remember any such

play24:42

client of ours and of course I

play24:45

appreciate that we have a lot of clients

play24:47

but believe me site situation we would

play24:50

have remembered at this point mr.

play24:53

tortuosity offers to do an investigation

play24:56

into the case of the admirers and little

play24:58

Bridget he claims it's probably the

play25:01

fault of another agency pretending to be

play25:04

biotechs calm how many cases have you

play25:08

overseen

play25:09

where babies have been born with brain

play25:11

damage and now we get a telling

play25:15

admission dissolving across

play25:21

Britta smoochy would publish near Moscow

play25:24

any mention to the suit

play25:28

Jasna Gora does ready today in abortion

play25:32

to researchable surrogate name amidst

play25:34

redundant Tapatio article das was

play25:37

narrowed roshaniya but Albert's concern

play25:42

for his surrogates doesn't stack up with

play25:44

the stories we've heard and his claims

play25:47

other agencies are trying to sabotage

play25:49

his company's reputation are

play25:52

unconvincing

play25:57

there is one Ukrainian official keeping

play26:01

a very close eye on surrogacy agencies

play26:03

offering their services to foreign

play26:06

couples Nicole that caliber is the

play26:10

children's Ombudsman and he's extremely

play26:12

disturbed by how many agencies behave

play26:16

what's your opinion of the surrogacy

play26:19

agencies that are operating here in

play26:21

Ukraine sir immorality business UK / no

play26:26

such swaddle where a protest should see

play26:29

fear my scholarships and awarded common

play26:32

good less your honest or oblique

play26:34

happiness Rob no common when you do

play26:37

detail you should see comments Arabic

play26:40

and then he reveals Bridget isn't the

play26:44

only child who's been abandoned no young

play26:49

man cheated Assad carpet killed city

play26:52

preliminary Dorma a la llamada

play26:57

proper Scottish oh you poor kid you Navy

play27:00

doorman he's lobbying the newly elected

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president of Ukraine to introduce

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tougher legislation to better protect

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surrogate mothers and children back in

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the UK baby Michael has celebrated his

play27:20

first birthday and Kate and Greg have

play27:22

focused on giving him the best possible

play27:25

start in life

play27:28

his doctors can't say yet how badly

play27:31

he'll be affected but so far he's doing

play27:34

really well I don't regret it because I

play27:38

just have the most beautiful baby boy

play27:39

and so I don't regret it at all and he

play27:43

is amazing and to ask perfect and every

play27:46

single way but it was a reckless

play27:48

decision to make it was a reckless

play27:51

reckless decision to make because we

play27:52

felt informed when we weren't

play27:55

especially

play28:01

for Brigitte the family love that is

play28:04

helping Michael to recover is missing

play28:06

she has just four years before the

play28:09

treatment she's receiving stops

play28:11

altogether marina Boyko is convinced the

play28:19

Bridget needs just one thing to make her

play28:22

future bright future did you see me

play28:27

katara budget a little bit and the

play28:30

summer long rambling you talked to the

play28:31

New Madrid bullsh principle does no new

play28:38

version of data would see me at the

play28:39

Wilson yes digital would see me of

play28:41

Dhruva stringing a new version angiogram

play28:42

has to be you to be disturb Anna just a

play28:44

little bit

play28:47

leash not Lavinia no Richard laminate

play28:53

some say malucia stomach receiver San

play28:55

mirada's in the same way only ribbon a

play28:57

Couture about love she motion which yang

play29:00

is knock expect butter who know it's

play29:03

just black you know a sandwich

play29:21

yes that was the wrong choice

play29:28

[Music]

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SurrogacyUkraineEthicsHuman RightsParentingHealthcareExploitationInternationalLegal IssuesDocumentary