Pope Francis calls for global ban of surrogacy

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.