“I’m renting my uterus” – the surrogacy company in Colombia Inhuman and unscrupulous – Secret Service report reveals new information about the Wagner group

“I am 22, have already given birth to a healthy boy and rent out my uterus.”

In Colombia, many women apply on social media to become surrogate mothers. The «Vientres de alquiler» Facebook group (surrogate mother) has more than 7000 members. The ads hardly differ from classified ads for everyday objects or used cars. Quality is emphasized, the price can be negotiated by private message. In short paragraphs, the women reveal personal information, such as:

“I am 28 years old and a healthy woman with no vices. I have three healthy children born naturally with no complications.”

«I am 20 years old and I am interested in surrogacy. I have two children, a two-year-old girl and a one-year-old boy. I am 1.70 meters tall and weigh 60 kilos. My children are healthy, happy and active. I don’t have any illnesses and I’m single.”

Not only private providers, but also egg donation and surrogacy agencies are involved in the Facebook groups. The various providers compete at the lowest possible prices, but with the best conditions. With all the ads, you almost forget what it’s really about: a living being. A child.

baby tourism

Colombia is one of the few countries where surrogacy is neither prohibited nor regulated by law. In Switzerland and in many EU countries such as Germany, Italy, France or Austria, any form of surrogacy is prohibited. Some countries, such as Spain or Norway, prohibit surrogacy in their territory, but allow surrogacy abroad.

Precisely because surrogacy is prohibited in many countries, couples move abroad. So many tourists are attracted to the Andean country. According to Congress, “the market” of surrogacy has grown in Colombia in recent years. Congress justifies this with the price: the service is 90 percent cheaper than in the US or Western Europe. There are no exact statistics on surrogacy in Colombia.

The war in Ukraine may also have contributed to this increase. Ukraine is one of the few countries in Europe where commercial surrogacy is legal. Before the war, about 2,000 children were born each year via surrogacy. Things have taken a hit since the Russian invasion.

In the 2000s, India was the center for commercial surrogacy. In 2019, the Indian government passed a law banning surrogacy for foreigners. This probably played into Colombia’s hands – or rather into their guts.

Surrogacy requires hormone treatment

There are two types of surrogacy: genetic and traditional. In the first form, the surrogate mother has no genetic relationship to the embryo – the fertilized egg has been donated by the intended parents. In the traditional form, the surrogate mother is fertilized with stem cells from the father-to-be. In the second option, especially single or homosexual men can have a child.

In both cases, in vitro fertilization takes place, in which the women are injected with several hormones. The process often causes side effects such as vomiting, loss of appetite or pain.

“Body mass index from 19 to 26”

In the Facebook groups, you not only come across offers from women offering their wombs, but also calls with very high demands – from clinics that have joined the company.

«I am looking for surrogate mothers in Guadalajara. Requirements: 21 to 30 years old, maximum 32 years old. Body mass index from 19 to 26 (27 is considered). The last delivery was more than eight months ago. No smoking, no alcohol and no criminal record.”

This carries risks: “Some women are locked in apartments during their pregnancy that are rented by agencies to control them and inject them with hormones that change the baby’s appearance,” said former congressman Santiago Valencia, without an explicit case.

A custom child? Not quite. Some Colombian agencies promise that the prospective parents can choose both the sex of the child and the skin color. In many countries, including Switzerland, sex selection is prohibited. This is also not regulated in Colombia.

Risks for parents and surrogate mothers

28-year-old Daniela Galván “rented” her womb to a Swiss couple. Every day she communicated with the future parents via WhatsApp with the help of a translator. While surrogacy is not allowed in Switzerland, surrogacy abroad is not prosecuted. However, legal problems can arise, such as the recognition of parentage. Because: In this country, a surrogate mother is considered the mother of a child until she is adopted.

But back to the young surrogate who carried the DNA of two people. In an interview with the Colombian daily newspaper “El Espectador”, Galván points out other risks of surrogacy: “I know of cases of babies in Colombia that are not accepted because, for example, they were born with a malformation. Or by women who were not paid in full.”

A child for 4900 Swiss francs

For many Colombian women, however, surrogacy means a temporary escape from the tight financial framework. As the Spanish newspaper “El Pais” reports, the practice is offered from 20,000 million Colombian pesos (4,900 Swiss francs).

In recent years, congressmen from various political parties have attempted to regulate the practice. But none of the proposals made it into the Colombian constitution. Former congressman Santiago Valencia has lost faith in regulation: “Until something really serious happens with a surrogate mother, nobody will do anything. It’s a business.”