Mixed reactions to surrogate mother conference in Brussels

Belgium has an urgent need for a legal framework for surrogate motherhood that protects the interests of the child, the surrogate and the prospective parents, according to Kind & Gezin, a Belgian agency representing the needs of the family and children.

“Kind & Gezin is concerned that people with a desire to have children may find themselves caught up in a commercial arrangement,” said spokesperson Leen Du Bois. “That would involve risks which do nothing to protect the interests of all of those involved.”

Du Bois was speaking as protesters gathered outside a building on Koningsplein in Brussels where the Men Having Babies fair was taking place at the weekend. The event was organised by a group of private clinics and agencies from the US to introduce the idea of surrogacy to gay couples from across Europe.

The agencies offer clients a list of surrogate mother candidates. The surrogate would be impregnated with the sperm of one of the men, in return for financial compensation, and would carry the baby to term. The process costs the couple a minimum of €90,000.  

The event logged 140 couples requests for surrogate mothers from Belgium and abroad, including the Netherlands, France, Bulgaria and Israel. “What the Americans are doing is not the model I would recommend,” said Petra De Sutter (pictured), a senator for Groen who is also head of gynaecology at the University Hospital of Ghent (UZGent).

“Our people can use their services, however, because commercial surrogacy is well regulated there. The Americans also have the right to come here and hand out information. But if they’re here to recruit clients and make money out of it, that would trouble me. This motivates me to work harder for a law on surrogacy, so that people are not obliged to go abroad to find what they’re looking for.”

UZGent organises surrogacies, but not for payment. There have only been about 20 cases in recent years, according to Veronique Van Asch, a lawyer who specialises in the area. “Since demand is far greater, people obviously have to turn to other countries,” she told De Standaard. “Last year I even had a heterosexual couple who went to the US for a surrogacy. They were allowed to put both their names on the birth certificate and come home with their own child, without any problems. For gay couples, of course, things are more difficult.”

Belgian organisations were not present at the fair. Local gay rights organisation Cavaria received an invitation but declined to attend. “We prefer to stay away,” said spokesperson Jeroen Borghs. “We find it too commercial. Admittedly, our membership is split. Some consider surrogacy to be exploitation of the woman. Others consider it their only chance of having a child of their own. As an organisation, we were unable to agree on a standpoint.”