Wealthy Chinese couples wishing to evade the restrictions of China’s one-child policy, with fertility problems, or even to parent an American-born child, are increasingly using the services of American surrogate mothers, says a new report from All-China Women’s Federation.
Because surrogacy is illegal in China but legal in the U. S., these affluent couples are willing to pay the $100,000 (609,470 yuan) to $300,000 (1,828,410 yuan) to enlist the services of American agencies which provide high quality services and take care of all the arrangements.
When the child is born the couple take the child—a brand new American citizen—to China. These children are not forbidden by China’s restrictive one-child policy.
American surrogacy agencies operate branches in China, responding to the growing demand for American surrogate mothers, especially among business people and entertainment celebrities.
“We have had an average of four to five Chinese customers every month over the last couple of years,” said one agency employee to the Women’s Federation, an official organization connected to the ruling Communist Party.
Because California has established surrogacy laws, and agencies with solid reputations have been in operation in California for decades, it is a favorite destination for Chinese customers.
A full service agency will give both the husband and wife a thorough physical examination, provide detailed information about prospective surrogate mothers, and set up interviews with the women.
After the mother is chosen and contracts signed, sophisticated medical procedures begin for the couple and the surrogate mother. The procedures will produce an embryo, provide sexual selection, and implant the embryo in the mother’s womb.
The Chinese couples usually go back to China during the term of the pregnancy, and return to the U. S. when the child is born to take the new baby, who will be an American citizen, back to China.
The children are often called “American Babies” in online discussion, said the report.
In addition to surrogacy, many more Chinese women are coming to the U. S. to give birth. Though the cost may run between about $20,000 to $33,000, the fines for having more than one child in metropolitan areas like Beijing can be even greater.
