Pope Francis Advocates Global Ban on Surrogacy, Deems Practice “Deplorable”

Pope Francis has called for a worldwide ban on surrogacy, describing the practice of a woman carrying another person’s child as “deplorable.”

In his New Year’s address to diplomats at the Vatican, the 87-year-old pontiff emphasized that surrogacy represents a “grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child.”

Amid his appeals for global peace, the head of the Catholic Church asserted, “The path to peace calls for respect for life.”

Pope Francis highlighted the significance of safeguarding the life of the unborn child in the mother’s womb, stressing that it should not be subjected to suppression or treated as an object of trafficking.

Expressing his disapproval of surrogate motherhood, the pope condemned the practice as a severe violation of the dignity of both the woman and the child.

He specifically criticized the exploitation of situations arising from the material needs of the mother, stating, “A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract.”

Pope Francis concluded his remarks on surrogacy by expressing hope for international efforts to universally prohibit this practice.

This is not the first time the pontiff has spoken against surrogacy; in June 2022, he denounced it as an “inhuman” practice.

While “altruistic” surrogacy, where no monetary exchange occurs beyond covering expenses, is legal in several countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Brazil, and Colombia, some US states permit commercial surrogacy.