Surrogacy in Ukraine

Surrogacy is the act of using a third party gestational carrier, also known as gestational surrogacy, to carry one’s baby.  This is done for numerous reasons including the absence or malformation of the womb and the inability to carry a baby safely.  In a gestational surrogacy arrangement, the surrogate has no genetic relationship to the baby.  The baby is genetically related to the intended parents or, as per surrogacy in the Ukraine, one intended parent may use an egg or sperm donor.

Gestational surrogacy is different from traditional surrogacy whereby the surrogate mother in Ukraine would also lend her genetic material (she is also the egg donor) to the surrogacy arrangement.  Surrogacy in the Ukraine is only the first type, gestational surrogacy.

There are only a few countries in the world that have a strong legal position on surrogacy, and a surrogate Ukraine journey is one of them.  Surrogacy in the Ukraine is a legal relationship between the intended parents and the surrogate mother in Ukraine.  The intended parents have sole legal rights to a baby born through surrogacy and are the ones represented on the birth certificate.  The Ukraine surrogate is never represented and cannot contest maternity.

Surrogacy in the Ukraine is only allowed for heterosexual married couples with a medical reason.  The Ministry of Health outlines approved medical indications for a surrogate mother in Ukraine.  In addition, intended parents must have a genetic link to the baby although one partner may use an egg or sperm donor if needed.  There is currently no age limit for surrogacy in the Ukraine.

Although a surrogate mother Ukraine journey is legal, it is also vital to understand the legal position of one’s home country in undergoing a foreign surrogacy arrangement and the steps for acquiring citizenship of your country.  These steps must be taken by the intended parents with their home embassy and should be understood before starting the process.   Countries like the the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Spain, Israel, Australia, China, and Japan are all possible, but the post-birth steps vary from country to country.  Intended parents should expect to be in Ukraine anywhere from 3 – 8 weeks for the exit process post-birth, but this will vary based on your home country and the time it takes them to process citizenship and your baby’s passport.  You should contact your home embassy in advance to understand what steps you need to take post-birth and the average time for your exit process.