A new study led by the University has found that more than 70% of surrogates in the UK believe they should only be allowed to claim expenses when they carry a child for another couple, rather than being paid a fee.<\/p>\n
The study,\u00a0the UK\u2019s largest ever survey into surrogacy, was carried out by Kent Reader in Law\u00a0Dr Kirsty Horsey<\/a>\u00a0on behalf of\u00a0Surrogacy UK<\/a>. The survey was based on answers from 510 respondents, including surrogates, partners of surrogates, intended parents, and other parties.<\/p>\n The findings come as the\u00a0Law Commission reviews the laws surrounding surrogacy.One of the issues the Commission is looking at is payments and whether surrogates and surrogacy agencies should be allowed to profit from the procedure.\u00a0At the moment it is illegal to make money from surrogacy in the UK, which has altruism as its guiding principle.<\/p>\n The survey by Dr Horsey shows that the\u00a0vast majority of surrogates back the status quo.\u00a0Of the 98 surrogates who answered the specific question on whether they should only be allowed to claim reasonable and verifiable expenses, 71% either strongly agreed or agreed.<\/p>\n She said: \u2018The survey proves that altruism remains the\u00a0overwhelmingly favoured route among UK surrogates.\u00a0We also saw that financial accessibility of surrogacy was a major concern for intended parents.\u2019<\/p>\n She added that\u00a0surrogacy is an increasingly common way for couples who struggle to have children to complete their families.\u00a0The number of Parental Orders \u2013 the mechanism that transfers legal parenthood from the surrogate to the parents \u2013 has increased from 63 in 2008\/9 to 281 in 2017\/18.<\/p>\n Another notable finding was that\u00a084 per cent of respondents believe that UK law should be changed so that legal parenthood automatically rests with the parents at the point of birth.\u00a0At present, the surrogate is the legal mother until the granting of a Parental Order months after the birth.<\/p>\n The current situation leaves\u00a0new parents in legal limbo regarding their newborn child.\u00a0Surrogacy UK\u2019s Working Group on Surrogacy Law Reform<\/a>\u00a0has been campaigning for\u00a0this aspect of the law to be changed so that legal parentage is transferred at the moment of birth.<\/p>\n This article, by Martin Herrema, was first posted on the University’s central news blog<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n