Olga, 40, and Daniel from Hamburg decided to use the services of a surrogate mother three years ago. However, this process is illegal in Germany, and parents who have children through surrogacy must go to German courts to legally establish their parenthood.
Immigration to Georgia for Surrogacy
Olga, a German citizen who grew up in Russia, and Daniel were looking for information about the surrogacy market in Russia. However, since 2022, foreign clients have been banned from signing surrogacy contracts in Russia. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many international agencies moved to Georgia. Therefore, the couple decided to travel to Georgia.
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Georgia has become a hub for surrogacy. According to statistics, over 3,000 surrogate mothers have registered in the country in 2023, and more than 5,000 children have been born since 2012. The number of children born to surrogate mothers has significantly increased since the onset of the war in Ukraine.
Challenges for Surrogate Mothers in Georgia
Anastasia, 39, a surrogate mother from Russia working in Georgia, has been pregnant three times so far. She shares that surrogate mothers in Georgia face many challenges, including delays in payments after childbirth. Although the costs of services in Georgia average around 45,000 to 55,000 euros, which is lower compared to other countries, the legal conditions for surrogate mothers are weak.
Georgia's laws do not fully regulate the relationship between surrogate mothers and intended parents, and there are limited rights for mothers. After embryo implantation, surrogate mothers do not have the right to keep the child or terminate the pregnancy. This raises serious concerns regarding women's rights and the fate of surrogate mothers.
Olga and Daniel from Hamburg say that they faced a lot of pressure to make quick decisions during the process. They were worried that some agencies might not provide adequate information about the health of surrogate mothers transparently. These challenges highlight the need for legal reforms and better support for surrogate mothers in Georgia.
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