In Ukraine, the Russian invasion has caused upset and misery for many people. Surrogates and the families who were supposed to receive their babies are left wondering what will happen to the surrogates and their children. When a foreign couple works with a Ukrainian woman as a surrogate, they’re often separated by distance until the baby is born. But now, there’s a chance that some of these foreign families may have to wait a lot longer than that for the wonderful additions to their families.

There’s also the risk of something happening to the surrogate and child, because they’re living in a war zone which puts their lives at risk. Unfortunately, many of the surrogates say the parents waiting for their babies aren’t concerned with the women carrying their children. Instead, they only want the baby, and the documents, so they can get their child out of Ukraine legally, and bring them home. That’s not the case for every surrogate, though, as some have formed tighter bonds with the families they will provide children for.

A big part of the problem is that most surrogacy agencies in the Ukraine didn’t make any contingency plans for a Russian invasion, because they likely didn’t think it would happen. As a result, there have been couples who have lost contact with their surrogates. They don’t know if the surrogates and babies are alright, or if they’ll be able to get out of Ukraine. Sadly, some don’t even know where they are. It’s possible that they’re trapped in a war zone, and can’t get out.

Until the situation resolves, some parents may not know the status of their surrogate or the child she’s carrying. Many surrogates can’t just leave the country, because they don’t have a safe route to get out. If they do leave, there are also different laws in other countries, which could stop them from placing the baby they are carrying to the couple they’re working with. It’s not going to be an easy road for any of them.

International clients are integral to The Surrogacy Law Center and we pride ourselves on the level of service we are able to provide them. Our international services include providing translations of standard surrogacy and egg donor contracts, assisting with the process of obtaining apostilles of birth certificates and/or parentage orders, as necessary and working closely with attorneys retained by clients in their home countries to help ensure a seamless transition home. Learn more here!