Not going to Ukraine may be ‘impossible’ for expectant Irish couples using surrogacy

Irish couples with babies about to be born by way of surrogate mothers in Ukraine may find it “impossible” to heed the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs not to travel there, a Government politician who has been speaking with them has said.

A number of Irish couples whose babies are due to be born in the coming days are already in Ukraine, while others will have to make a decision shortly as to whether they should travel to Ukraine despite the possibility of imminent war.

“People will want to be there to protect their babies in what will potentially be a conflict,” said Fine Gael Senator Mary Seery-Kearney, who spoke with some of the couples after the department issued advice on Saturday that people should not travel to Ukraine.

“Of course under no circumstances can the Irish State advise people that it is okay to travel to what may be a war zone, a conflict zone, but you can understand that a parent’s impulse would be to protect their child.”

Covid-19 pandemic continues to cast a long shadow on the health service

---

‘I decided to sing about the pandemic. People seemed to like it’

---

GP shortages are affecting tens of thousands of people

---

NI Minister of Health Robin Swann tests positive for Covid-19

---

Approximately 14 babies are due to be born in Ukraine in the period to May by way of surrogate mothers acting for Irish couples.

$100 a day

The department has urged couples to get in contact with the clinics where the surrogate mothers are due to give birth so contingency measures can be put in place until such time as it is advisable for the couples to travel.

Ms Seery-Kearney said the clinics have said they would charge $100 (€88) a day to look after the babies if parents could not travel and called on Government to provide financial support.

Ukraine is the most popular destination for Irish heterosexual couples wanting to have a child by way of a surrogate mother. Canada is the most popular destination for same-sex couples.

It can cost up to €60,000 to have a child born by way of a surrogate mother in a private, regulated clinic in Ukraine.

“People remortgage their houses, get into debt, forgo the security of their future, in order to be able to pay for this,” Ms Seery-Kearney said.

“These are ordinary people, in some instances the women are cancer survivors.”

The Irish couples are dealing with clinics in Kyiv and Lviv, with the latter western Ukrainian city being close to the border with Poland. Some of the surrogate mothers may be moved from Kyiv to Lviv, Ms Seery-Kearney said.

DNA tests

In a post on Twitter on Sunday, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said people in Ukraine should follow the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and leave immediately.

“Please don’t travel to Ukraine, anyone who was due to travel for surrogacy reasons, please stay in contact” with the department, she said.

Under Irish law the woman who gives birth to the child is its mother. In order to get the necessary travel papers for surrogate babies born in Ukraine, the fathers have to travel to the country so their DNA can be compared with that of the infant.

If the test result is satisfactory, the Irish Embassy issues the necessary travel documents. The process can take approximately three weeks, according to Sara Byrne, spokeswoman for Irish Families Through Surrogacy.

“The couples there at the moment are reporting back that everything is calm, but it is obviously a very stressful situation,” she said.

Asked if she thought couples would heed the advice not to travel to Ukraine, she said each couple would have to make their own decision.

“Obviously if your child is due to be born, you feel the need to be there.”

A spokeswoman for the department said it had been in direct contact with all of those scheduled to travel to Ukraine for surrogacy purposes in recent days.

“The department will continue to provide support to each of these individuals and families with advice relevant to their particular situation.”