Shadowy Baby Factories—the $14 billion surrogacy industry with hidden links to Eastern Europe

High angle shot of Asian pregnant woman holding an ultrasound scan photo in front of her baby bump, sitting on bed at home. Mother-to-be. Precious moment in life. Preparation for a new family member. Expecting a new life. Baby and new life concept (Credit: d3sign via Getty)

In Europe, commercial surrogacy is largely banned and seen as a form of body commodification, similar to organ trafficking. Only a few countries permit highly regulated altruistic surrogacy, which limits reimbursement to just expenses and no additional compensation—resulting in limited participation. Demand for surrogacy, however, is soaring due to delayed childbearing, increasing medical challenges, and the growth of LGBTQ+ family-building. The surrogacy market, valued at $14 billion in 2022, is projected to skyrocket to $129 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights.

Currently, only a few European countries, such as Ukraine and Greece, permit commercial surrogacy. These nations operate in a legal gray area with minimal oversight, leading to a largely unregulated industry fraught with issues like trafficking women, falsified documents and sham embryo transfers.