Some Belarusian women become surrogate mothers. How much do they get paid and which women are willing to do it?

Illustrative photo: social networks

It seems that for some women, surrogacy is truly a way to rectify a difficult financial situation. Otherwise, it's hard to explain why some advertisements offering such services are marked "urgent."

For example, this woman wants to get pregnant as soon as possible:

"Ready for the program in the near future, good health, approved by a reproductologist [...] If you need a responsible, decent surrogate mother, with whom you will comfortably go through the entire pregnancy (February-March), write, I will be happy to help you."

The woman asks for a fee of 2.4 million Russian rubles (30 thousand dollars). To ensure her offer was seen, the woman tried to publish relevant ads daily.

"We are a young couple dreaming of a child, looking for a kind, healthy, and responsible girl, ready to become a surrogate mother for our family. For us, this is a very important and conscious step, so we are looking for someone who will share our joy and help us fulfill our dream," another advertisement begins.

These parents are willing to pay the surrogate mother 1.5 million Russian rubles (about 19,000 dollars). If she manages to get pregnant with twins, an additional 300 thousand Russian rubles (about 3700 dollars) will be added to the sum. In addition, the woman will be compensated for all expenses related to pregnancy – for example, medical treatment, food, clothing, and transport, and will receive support from a psychologist and doctor.

In return, they want her not only to be healthy but also to have at least one healthy child. And additionally, that she has no criminal record.

There are also couples who offer lower fees for pregnancy. For example, a couple from Minsk is ready to pay a surrogate mother 26 thousand Belarusian rubles, with no information in the advertisement about covering pregnancy-related expenses.

Usually, women aged 20-35 are chosen as surrogate mothers, but there are exceptions. For example, one Belarusian woman offered her services for a fee of 1.8 million Russian rubles (about 23 thousand dollars). The woman is 37 years old, but she writes that she has experience in surrogacy and emphasizes: she has never had abortions, miscarriages, or operations — perhaps referring to gynecological operations here. Also, the woman writes, she gave birth to two children naturally, not through a C-section.

Another couple is ready to pay more than 20 thousand dollars for carrying their child. Of these, 18 thousand the woman will receive specifically for childbirth, 2 thousand for embryo transfer, 500 dollars is a one-time payment for new clothes, and another 450 dollars monthly for living expenses. If the woman becomes pregnant with twins or requires a C-section, they promise to add another two or three thousand.

You can also find ads from young girls ready to become surrogate mothers. For example, a 22-year-old woman from Vitebsk, who has her own child, offers such a service. The Belarusian woman asks for a fee of 2 million Russian rubles (about 25 thousand dollars).

It appears that even their own pregnancy does not prevent some women from offering themselves as surrogate mothers:

"I am a responsible and decent surrogate mother who respects you and your baby. I am expecting my bio (biological children. — NN) soon."

Belarusian surrogate mothers are sometimes sought by Russians. There are ads with Russian contact details, emphasizing that the woman is being sought specifically on the territory of Belarus.

In Belarus, surrogacy is regulated by the law "On Assisted Reproductive Technologies." According to it, a woman aged 20-35 who has at least one own child and no medical contraindications can become a surrogate mother. There are also requirements for the woman's legal status: for example, she must not have been convicted of grave or especially grave crimes against a person, not be suspected or accused in a criminal case, etc.

In Belarus, there are several agencies that select surrogate mothers and accompany them throughout the entire process of motherhood; Russian agencies also work with Belarusian women.

Agencies promise to thoroughly examine candidates for surrogacy. Biological parents sign an agreement with the future surrogate mother.

After signing the agreement, an embryo or several embryos are transferred into the woman's body. They can be made from the germ cells of both biological parents, but it is also possible to use donor cells: the main thing is that at least one of the parents who signed the agreement with the surrogate mother provides their own cells for the embryo.

If everything works out, the woman carries the child as usual. According to the law, a surrogate mother is obliged, among other things, to undergo timely medical examinations, obey doctors, and, of course, transfer the child to the biological parents after birth. Interestingly, the woman also has the right to state benefits. And if the surrogate mother is a relative of the biological mother, it is possible to arrange the entire process without a fee for carrying the child.

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