NGA Law continues to drive the conversation worldwide on our expertise, insight, and experience on international surrogacy arrangements.
Kelly’s published article in Bionews has been gaining attention around the world, discussing the changing landscape of international surrogacy as a result of the war in Ukraine, the announcement that surrogacy is to be prohibited in Georgia, and the recent scandal involving a clinic in Greece.
BusinessDay, a Nigerian newspaper, are the latest that have quoted this article in their written piece about some of the legal and ethical issues associated with surrogacy in Nigeria, quoting Kelly’s comments about the need to ensure that surrogacy takes place safely and ethically. Their article reports:
Kelly Blaxall, a senior paralegal at the firm stated that some agencies and clinics do not encourage parents to have a relationship with their surrogates, and the surrogate’s motivations are not always openly communicated.
“Having also supported several parents engaging in surrogacy in West Africa, namely Nigeria and Ghana, surrogacy as a way of building a family is still emerging. Often, there is stigma attached to infertility which can make it difficult for surrogates and parents to be open and ensure their choice, safety, and wellbeing are protected,” Blaxall said in a report by NGA Law.
The firm also highlighted a growing increase in international recruitment of women acting as surrogates across borders, either for IVF treatment, pregnancy or birth. “This comes with significant ethical, logistical, safety, and legal implications. Are the women involved fully informed and consenting? How will the surrogate be supported in a foreign country? What happens if something goes wrong with the pregnancy or birth? Is it safe for the surrogate to be travelling during the pregnancy? If the birth happens in the ‘wrong’ country, what is the legal position for the surrogate, parents, and the baby?”
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