Ukraine can become top destination for surrogacy

“Are you tired of loans? Does it feel like your life is over? Come to us,” touts one of the countless advertisements for surrogate mothers posted on social networks and job search websites in Ukraine.

Since the crisis hit Ukraine’s economy and the war with Russia broke out in 2014, more Ukrainian women consider surrogacy as a solution to their financial difficulties. A surge in supply on surrogate maternity market in Ukraine has dragged down prices.

Experts predict further growth in demand for Ukrainian surrogate mothers among foreigners since Mexico, India, Nepal, and Thailand have recently banned commercial surrogacy, while Ukraine still allows it.

Money reasons

Viktoria Lebedeva, 29, raises her two little sons alone and lives with her parents in a one-bedroom apartment in Zaporizhia, a big industrial city 550 kilometers south of Kyiv. She thought that surrogacy can help her make money to get a bigger apartment.

However, in her profile on a surrogacy website, Lebedeva omitted the real motive and wrote that she wanted to help childless couples experience the happiness of parenthood.

She expects to receive $15,000 compensation and $400 monthly allowance. Without this money, she “would probably have to save for 20 years to get a new apartment,” Lebedeva told the Kyiv Post.

Prices drop

Yet it will be tough for Lebedeva to find clients for her price.

According to Olga Georgievskaya, director of a Kyiv-based surrogacy agency Mama Help, in the last two years the number of Ukrainian women willing to become surrogate mothers increased significantly which led to a drop in compensation rates. Today a surrogate mother services cost on average $12,000 – 14,000 compared to $16,000 – 18,000 in 2013.

Since the war hit the east of the country, the Mama Help agency saw an increase in applications from the areas neighboring the conflict zones, particularly from Kharkiv and Donetsk Oblasts.

“Some women are ready to accept just $9,000 – 10,000 but ask for accommodation in Kyiv,” said Georgievskaya.

Another struggling single mother of two, 26-year-old Vladyslava Vlasenko from Kharkiv complained about low remuneration offered by Ukrainian surrogacy agencies. Initially, she wanted $15,000 compensation with $350 monthly allowance, but after a few months of unsuccessful search, she lowered her expectations to $13,500.

“I have been offered $11,000 – it’s a ridiculous price. I won’t even consider surrogacy (for that price),” said Vlasenko. “I was offered $15,000 in Russia, but I can’t move there for one year and leave my kids.”

Daniel Epstein, coordinator at International Reproductive Technologies Support Agency in Ukraine, argued that purely financial motives of potential surrogate mothers in fact speak in favor of her candidacy.

“Besides a thorough medical examination, our candidates have to pass an interview and prove that they have no other pretext than income,” said Epstein.

Growth potential

While there isn’t an official statistics for the number of surrogate births in Ukraine, one of the surrogate agencies the Kyiv Post spoke to estimated that approximately 300 children are born every year from surrogate mothers. But the numbers can grow soon.

“We have seen a large increase in demand for surrogacy in Ukraine in the past year or so,” said Sam Everingham, founder of Families through Surrogacy, a Sydney-based non-profit organization which provides support to intended parents from English-speaking countries.

There are many factors for growth.

Ukraine is one of only four European countries that allow commercial surrogacy, together with Russia, Georgia, and Poland. In the U.S., only some states allow paid surrogacy, but the prices start at $80,000.

Comparing to that, Ukraine is very affordable: The foreigners looking for surrogate mothers in Ukraine pay $35,000 – 40,000 for a full surrogacy program. Apart from the surrogate mother’s compensation and allowance, the price includes all the medical services, legal support and an agency’s fee that varies from $3,000 to $5,000.

Moreover, Ukraine has recently lost several competitors on the world surrogacy market. In 2015, Mexico, India, and Thailand, formerly known as popular destinations for legal and affordable surrogacy, banned it for foreigners. In 2016, Nepal joined the ban.

That’s why many foreign couples seek low-cost surrogate mothers in Ukraine, despite its shortcomings: It allows only heterosexual couples and single women to use surrogacy, and prices are higher than in Georgia or Cambodia.

Sydney’s Everingham said that while Ukraine offers a shorter waiting period for a surrogate, a straightforward process for the baby exit, and a proximity to Europe, the main drawback is that some parents find it hard to obtain a Ukrainian visa.

According to several Ukrainian surrogacy agencies, most of their foreign clients are from Israel, Australia, UK, the U.S., and European countries.

Ukraine legalized commercial surrogacy and egg and sperm donation in 2002. No specific permission from any regulatory body is required except for a written consent form signed by all parties. The law gives a surrogate mother no parental rights over the child born.