Pope Francis calls for global ban of surrogacy

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Francis on Monday called surrogacy “deplorable” and said the practice violates the dignity of women and children by commercializing pregnancy. The procedure involves using a surrogate mother to conceive and bear a child or to bear a child already conceived by in vitro fertilization. The pope made the comments during an annual address to ambassadors to the Vatican and urged the international community to prohibit the practice. The Roman Catholic Church condemns surrogacy and IVF.

Where is surrogacy prohibited? Italy, Germany, Spain, and some other European countries ban all forms of surrogacy. Other countries, including Canada and Australia, only prohibit for-profit surrogacy but allow some forms of the practice where no money changes hands. Laws on the practice in the United States vary from state to state.

Dig deeper: Read Emma Waters’ column in WORLD Opinions about how Michigan surrogacy legislation fails to protect women and children.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.