Ukraine Surrogacy

Surrogacy has become an increasingly accessible fertility treatment for those who could not previously access it due to the recent advancements in reproductive medicine especially in places like Ukraine and Georgia. This includes individuals who have tried IVF and experienced recurrent pregnancy loss or suffered miscarriages after conceiving naturally. Also, it includes same-sex couples and queer couples.

What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a treatment where a woman who is referred to as a surrogate agrees to get pregnant and deliver a child for a couple or an individual who is referred to as the intended parents. Before the surrogacy proper, all the parties agree to a legally binding surrogacy agreement which stipulates the terms that will guide the surrogacy, usually stipulating serious consequences for defaulters. Surrogacy is the best option for women who are at risk of having miscarriages, have undergone hysterectomy or who due to other reasons are unable to carry a pregnancy to term.

What are the types of surrogacy?

There are two generally recognized forms of surrogacy, they include:

Traditional or altruistic surrogacy 

In this type of surrogacy, the surrogate uses her egg and the sperm of the intended parent which is administered through artificial insemination to get pregnant. This form of surrogacy creates a genetic relationship between the surrogate and the baby. It is also the only type of surrogacy that is allowed in some countries like Canada. It is not popular generally because it tends to create legal issues in custody assumption by the intended parents, especially if the surrogate changes her mind after delivery.

Gestational or commercial surrogacy 

In this type of surrogacy, the eggs that are used for fertilization are donated by the intended parent or an egg donor, it is then fertilized with the sperm of the intended parent and an embryo is formed. This embryo is grown for a few days in the lab while the surrogate is prepared. After, there is an embryo transfer into the uterus of the surrogate who then carries the baby to term and delivers. This type of surrogacy ensures that there is no genetic relationship between the surrogate and the baby. This also ensures that legal complications will not exist.

Surrogacy in Ukraine

While still a somewhat troublesome destination, many IVF clinics have restarted operations, and several surrogacy agencies are readjusting their programs. In Ukraine, one can access the European standards of medical care, affordable living costs, and about the most supportive surrogacy laws in the world. Ukraine has explicit federal laws supporting surrogacy contracts for heterosexual, married couples like that seen in Georgia. 

Egg donation is regulated by the law, and embryo donation is also allowed. This is especially important for couples in countries with very unfavourable surrogacy laws. These couples can seek overseas medical treatment through medical health travel agencies or meditour agencies. These agencies can help with the following: 

• provide surrogacy options in countries like Ukraine, 
• help advise the couple about the requirements and help acquire them, 
• advice about the legal aspects of surrogacy in the country of choice. 

How much does surrogacy cost in Ukraine?

There are several excellent IVF clinics in Kyiv, and the prices vary widely among each. The quality clinics have modern equipment that is of the standard of current Western medical protocols. Many of the medical staff have also had their training in Europe and the United States. In addition to this, some clinics offer an all-inclusive package that will also include concierge services. There is also special pricing that is offered by some clinics. Some clinics will offer guarantee programs that will perform unlimited IVF cycles and embryo transfers until the intended parents have a healthy pregnancy and birth. The costs after calculating all the parameters may range from 50-70 thousand dollars.

Who can qualify to be a surrogate in Ukraine?

The laws in Ukraine regulate the details of surrogacy, giving guidelines that protect the surrogate and ensure a healthy outcome of the process. Under these guidelines, surrogates must be:

• They must have had at least one previous pregnancy and a healthy child from it.
• Must be between 25-35 years old
• There must be a legal surrogacy agreement between the intended parents and the surrogate and it must be signed by all parties.
• They must be mentally and physically capable and give consent to becoming a surrogate.
• They may have no relation to the intended parents.
• The surrogate’s marital status is irrelevant.

Details of Legal Surrogacy in Ukraine 

All new parents must apply for citizenship or travel visas to return home with their new babies. While this may be easy to acquire in countries like the UK or the United States, some other countries have refused to issue citizenship to surrogacy babies, including Italy and Switzerland. It is important for couples that are interested in surrogacy in Ukraine should carefully examine their local family law expert to see what the process of bringing their baby home and establishing citizenship will be. The tight regulation of surrogacy in Ukraine is what makes it a stable and secure destination for couples. However, this means that there is some additional red tape to navigate to qualify. Some documents that must be provided to fulfil the legal requirements of surrogacy in Ukraine include:

• The marriage certificate of the parents with Apostille
• Passport photocopies of the father and mother
• An original letter from a doctor stating a diagnosis of infertility.

There must be a statement from the local doctor of the parents that the mother is unable to successfully carry a pregnancy herself. This is a crucial requirement of the Ukrainian bureaucracy for surrogacy. Also, the letter must explicitly state one of the following reasons why surrogacy is the recommended option:

• The recommendation of surrogacy due to multiple failed attempts (at least 4)
• Infertility issues like the absence or the deformation of the uterus or cervix or non-receptivity of the endometrium
• The impossibility of pregnancy due to a health issue that may endanger the life of the mother. The letter should state the specific health issue in this case.

The letter can carry only one of these reasons. In addition, it must be added that the best fertility intervention for the case would be surrogacy. The couple should also provide any available medical records regarding all previous fertility treatments. This requirement is not only for the clinic. It is also to satisfy the requirements of the local government which requires a doctor’s letter on the file. The clinic is charged with the enforcement of the requirement. The authorities examine each surrogacy case to make sure all documentation requirements are fulfilled.