Why is surrogacy in China proving so difficult to ban despite the crackdown?
Two laboratories in central China have been shut down for alleged surrogacy activities, an underground practice that persists despite repeated crackdowns. On Wednesday, the health bureau in Changsha, Hunan province, said six people were detained after a tip about a “laboratory that illegally uses assisted reproductive technologies”, according to state news agency Xinhua. A day earlier, the Wuhan…
China continues to struggle with curbing the underground practice of surrogacy, despite multiple crackdowns and detentions of those involved. In recent months, two laboratories in central China were shut down, with six and eight individuals detained respectively. The authorities claim these operations were illegal and used assisted reproductive technologies without proper authorization.
The alleged surrogacy agency in Changsha operated for around eleven in the morning, with cars and staff patrolling the area on high alert. The doctor at the Wuhan lab allegedly came from the Hubei Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital and had a surgery room and embryo incubator. The activists responsible for the tips claim the surrogacy agency had been reported before but reopened after brief shutdowns.
China's medical laws permit assisted reproductive technologies only for married couples with infertility issues, and misuse of these techniques can result in fines or criminal charges. However, the lack of specific regulations on surrogacy itself has contributed to repeated offenses, as charges are often broken down into a patchwork of existing offenses, such as illegal medical practices or human trafficking.
Despite the crackdown, demand for surrogacy remains high, with many clients unable to conceive on their own. In 2021, about 7 to 10 percent of people in China suffered from infertility-related conditions, according to NHC data. The cases have prompted discussions about the social issues surrounding surrogacy, including the rights and benefits for the resulting children.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
