Surrogacy in Russia: Why the world is talking more about it?

Surrogacy in Russia has always been an attractive option for numerous child-seeking couples out there. Still, given to some strict surrogacy regulations and other related aspects, there’s always been a mystery around the surrogacy for single men in Russia and surrogacy for LGBT couples.

Despite of this, most international couples who want to use surrogacy to fulfill their parental goals frequently regard Russia as a top surrogacy location. While the Russian surrogacy law only authorizes straight couples and single women to pursue surrogacy inside the nation, the couples also need to provide numerous medical documents as proof of their inability to conceive.

So, if you are an intended parent about to deal with a surrogacy agency in Russia, read this blog till the end to know all the key elements and aspects.

What does surrogacy laws in Russia?

According to the rules of the Federal Law on Basics of Health Protection of Citizens of the Russian Federation, released in 2012, surrogacy is permitted in Russia.

Every couple, domestic or foreign, is allowed by law to participate in gestational surrogacy via a surrogacy agency if they meet the following criteria:

·      Only gestational surrogacy Russia is permitted in the nation, and the surrogate mother in Russia must use the eggs from the intended mother or the egg donor to conceive

·    The couples or the intended mother must present a medical justification along with all the necessary reports and proofs to support their decision to pursue surrogacy in Russia.

What qualifications are needed in Russia to be a surrogate mother?

Regardless of whether it’s about surrogacy for single men in Russia or else, a surrogate mother must meet the following requirements in accordance with section 10 of Article 55 of Russian Federation law regarding health protection normative:

·         Aged between 20 and 35 years with good mental and physical health

·         Having at least one child of her own

·         Obtaining her husband's consent to participate in the surrogacy program

·         Adhering to a healthy lifestyle and routine without any alcohol or smoking addiction

·         Must be ready to go through the required tests and diagnosis during the surrogacy procedure

What about the Russian egg donation procedure?

You can bring an egg donor or an egg donor agency from Russia on board if the prospective mother is unable to use her own eggs (due to certain infertility concerns). The same option, however, is not accessible to a single woman who wants to become a surrogate mother.

Only two egg donor profiles are recognized as permissible in Russia under the surrogacy law:

- Anonymous donor: The intended parents are not made aware of the identity of the egg donor, with the exception of a few physical characteristics and occasionally, photographs of the egg donor.

- Known donors: This gestational surrogacy Russia arrangement is primarily between close friends and family members, and both parties are already familiar with one another.

It should be mentioned that the majority of surrogacy agency in Russia provide anonymous egg donation services.

What does surrogacy cost in Russia?

When all the aforementioned factors are taken into account, the cost of a surrogacy in Russia would fall between $35,000 and $55,000.

If pregnancy is not obtained during the first IVF cycle, there may be differences in price due to numerous pregnancies, preterm births, C-sections, and other factors. Still, one must connect with a reputed surrogacy agency in order to go by all the required obligations and requirements during the surrogacy procedure.