Vietnam Deliberates Surrogate Births amid Rising Demand

The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Justice in Vietnam remain undecided on whether to legalize surrogate births despite the rising demand, said experts. At a recent conference to review results of Marriage and Family Law, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Viet Tien said surrogate pregnancy is a major scientific achievement and fulfills the desire of women to become a mother. While Nguyen Huy Quang, chief of the MoH’s legal department, said giving hired birth destroys biological regulation that the baby is the child of a woman who gives birth, but the surrogate mother must give back the child to the real mother. However, he is afraid about conflicts between real mother and surrogate mother. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice said the law bans giving surrogate birth to prevent children trafficking. The ministries are considering new laws of Marriage and Family to submit to the National Assembly; however, it is undecided as yet as deliberations continue. The rate of infertile couples in Vietnam has been increasing drastically in recent years. In a survey by the MoH, up to 7.7% of Vietnamese couples or one million couples are infertile. HCM City-based Tu Du Obstetric Hospital, the leading infertility treatment of the country, receives an average of 200-300 patients per day for infertility tests and treatment, while the number was ten in 10 years ago. The hospital provides treatment to 10,000-15,000 couples each year. In more than 50%, the male is infertile. (Sai Gon Giai Phong – Saigon Liberation May 20)