Surrogacy in Ukraine: how is the process of surrogacy going in Ukraine

1. 🩺 How legal is surrogacy in Ukraine?
2. 🤰 12 process steps
3. ⭐ How much will you have to spend on surrogacy in Ukraine?

And in Ukraine, congresses in the field of reproductive medicine are often held. There are about 30 accredited medical centers, among which the oldest is Feskov Human Reproductive Group. Thanks to their activities, more than 12,000 kids have seen the world. Excellent medical service, affordable prices, responsible surrogate mothers attract couples from all over the world to Ukraine to realize the dream of a child.

How legal is surrogacy in Ukraine?

Ukrainian surrogate legislation is entirely supportive of prospective parents and provides full support for human reproductive rights. The legal aspects of the process are governed by the Civil (1822-VI), the Family Code (article 123), Orders of the Ministry of Health 771 and 787, as well as a range of other regulatory documents.

According to these regulations:

• adult men and women have the right to go to reproductive centers for infertility treatment;
• patients can choose between gestational surrogacy, egg / sperm donation, embryo adoption or a combination of techniques;
• reproductive programs are conducted with strict confidentiality and medical secrecy;
• donors can be anonymous, not anonymous, as well as relatives of a married couple.

The main postulate of surrogate laws in Ukraine is that neither the surrogate mother nor the donor have parental rights in relation to a child born as a result of a reproductive program. And the born baby is legally the child of the intended parents from the moment of conception. A surrogate mother cannot keep the baby after birth. Otherwise, it is considered by the relevant article of the Criminal Code as child abduction, and is punished to the fullest extent of the law.

The names of the alleged father and mother are recorded in the Birth Certificate immediately after the birth of the baby, without expectations, court approvals and bureaucratic red tape. Even if donor genetic material was involved in surrogacy, and there is no biological connection between the child and the parents, it is they who are all the same entered into legal documents as legal parents.

The quality of all medical services and procedures is controlled by law. A married couple must be informed about all the nuances of the program, risks, stages and features of the procedures. The relationship between the spouses, the surrogate mother and the donor (if necessary) is reflected in the contract, which is concluded before the start of the program. The agreement protects the rights of all parties and defines the responsibilities:

• the family pays the surrogate a monetary reward for her services in the agreed amount;
• the couple is obliged to support the surrogate mother during the program and compensate for all her associated costs (housing, food, clothing, medicine, transfer, etc.);
• the surrogate gives the child to the parents immediately after birth and does not claim parental rights or appeal this in court.

In Ukraine, only the gestational type of surrogate motherhood is practiced, when a woman gestates a child that is not related to her at the genetic level.

12 process steps

If we break the whole process into 12 parts, then they will be as follows:

1. Selecting a suitable reproductive clinic and contacting it by phone, skype, e-mail or online on the website.
2. Preparing for the first visit. To do this, you need to collect all the documents necessary for the trip, including the available medical reports, analyzes and examinations.
3. Arrival in Ukraine and collection of analytical data. It includes: meeting at the airport, transfer, accommodation, coordination and solution of all emerging issues at any time of the day or night. Also, this is a couple's examination, doctors' consultations, and tests. Signingtherequireddocuments.
4. Choosing an egg donor. The clinic's databases contain all the necessary information about healthy and verified donors of genetic material of different phenotypes. The questionnaires must be with a photo and a description of the personal characteristics of a person donating his reproductive cells. Feskov Human Reproductive Group implements a unique service of anonymous communication with the selected candidate to make sure that this is the right person.
5. Selection of a verified surrogate mother from a database that meets the criteria for the egg donor and future parents. In this case, appearance is not as important as the state of health of physics and psyche, responsibility and accuracy. A couple can choose several candidates and meet them before making a final decision.
6. Stimulation of the ovaries and synchronization of cycles between participants in the process (surrogate, donor and expectant mother). When using oocytes from a real mother or donor, a short or long protocol of stimulation (hormonal therapy) of the ovaries is prescribed to produce more healthy eggs.
7. IVF procedure. After maturation, eggs are collected, which are fertilized in vitro with the partner's sperm. ICSI technology (manual insertion of a male reproductive cell into a female) allows conception even with only one healthy sperm.
8. Embryo transfer. After the end of the cultivation process in a special incubator, which takes 3-5 days, ready and tested for genetic abnormalities by the PGD / NGS method, the embryo is placed into the uterus of a surrogate mother. The procedure takes place in a specialized laboratory of the Reproduction Center.
9. Diagnosing pregnancy. For two weeks, the woman takes hormonal medications to support the possible implantation of the embryo into the uterine wall. After 14 days, she gives blood for hCG. If the test is positive - great, everything is going according to plan, we are waiting for the first ultrasound. If it is negative, then, according to the terms of the package, the IVF cycle will be continued until a positive result - pregnancy of the surrogate mother, without additional payments and hidden payments.
10. Pregnancy and childbirth management. The Personal Coordinator will inform Intended Parents of significant events and the overall course of the pregnancy. For example, about ultrasound data, which is done every three weeks or about a 12-week screening. The spouses can be present during all medical procedures and consultations with a doctor. Childbirth, including partnerships, can take place in Kharkov, Kiev, Canada, USA, Austria, Czech Republic and other EU countries.
11. Perinatal services include the necessary care of the child with the help of an experienced nurse who will teach real parents all the intricacies of care procedures. At the same time, there is always the opportunity to contact the pediatrician or other specialists of the clinic, if any questions arise regarding the health of the baby.
12. Legal support and return home. The legal team of the Center, in addition to solving current issues, will help to issue a birth certificate and a passport for a newborn. And it will also contribute to the legalization of the baby at the embassy or consulate of the desired country in the world.

Thus, only 12 steps and a time period of one year separate the married couple from the desired miracle!

How much will you have to spend on surrogacy in Ukraine?

Not all states where surrogacy is permitted allow the surrogate to receive financial rewards. In some countries, it is possible to become a surrogate mother for altruistic reasons, that is, for free. But in Ukraine, a commercial type of service is practiced, and the law does not limit the amount of compensation received by a surrogate.

On average, a surrogate mother receives a fee of about 20-22,000 euros. The first part is due on the day of IVF or after confirmation of pregnancy. The second part is after childbirth and the transfer of the child to the parents.

The entire cost of a reproductive program for spouses consists of payments to the surrogate, including associated costs, as well as other items of expenses, such as:

• examinations;
• IVF cycle;
• monitoring pregnancy;
• medicines;
• childbirth;
• legal support;
• transfer, accommodation, meals and other everyday moments.

Feskov Human Reproductive Group offers comprehensive programs surrogacy with egg donation which are all inclusive. The packages have a fixed cost without surcharges with guarantees (up to 12 weeks of pregnancy or until the birth of a healthy baby) in the price range from 17,000 to 150,000 euros with childbirth in any country in the world. Each program includes the entire range of medical services with an unlimited number of IVF attempts, legal, guest, household and other services.

Surrogate mother - characteristics

So, what should be a woman who decides to bear and give birth to a baby for another family? Serious reproduction clinics such as Feskov Human Reproductive Group guarantee a successful result of the program, therefore, they carry out a strict selection of candidates:

• age requirements from 21 to 40 years old (may vary depending on experience, health status and other factors);
• own healthy child born as a result of natural childbirth;
• good physical health, without a history of chronic diseases;
• psychological adequacy and emotional stability;
• a healthy lifestyle, without bad habits.

The updated database of the clinic contains questionnaires with photos and detailed information about the candidates: features of appearance, occupation, blood type, place of residence, etc. All surrogate mothers must undergo a comprehensive examination and pass tests for infections, as well as precursors (alcohol , drugs, tobacco). Some tests are repeated every 3-6 months. This is necessary to prevent problems during pregnancy and childbirth.

And to make sure of their choice, the couple can always communicate with the selected candidates in person.

Pros of surrogacy in Ukraine

What are the advantages of the substitute motherhood procedure in Ukraine:

• the names of the intended parents are immediately entered into the baby's birth certificate;
• after the end of the program, the family receives a passport (travel document) for the newborn, with whom they can go home as soon as possible;
• the rights of the parties are protected by a contract that regulates obligations, force majeure situations and the degree of responsibility of all participants in the process;
• availability of guaranteed comprehensive package programs in reliable accredited clinics, adherence to approved protocols from the country's Ministry of Health;
• lack of fixed amounts of payments to a surrogate mother;
• the surrogate does not receive parental rights to the baby born by her;
• confidentiality and legal support;
• guaranteed healthy genetics of the child, thanks to genetic screening of the embryo;
• sex determination.

In addition, future parents can control the course of all stages of surrogacy. And the surrogate mother, in addition to reimbursing all her expenses during the procedure, receives a decent monetary reward. At the same time, the entire range of services in compliance with high medical standards in Ukraine will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than in other countries. Therefore, it is not surprising that foreign couples go to Ukraine to fight infertility!

Authors, contributors:

Irina Smolina
International Outreach Manager

published: 22 April 2022
updated   : 02 March 2023

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