Surrogacy in Italy: Legislative Changes and Social Implications

Surrogacy in Italy: A Growing Concern

As their curly-haired rescue dog peacefully snoozed on the floor, an Italian couple engaged in a late-night video call with their American surrogate, who was basking in the sun in her garden in Oregon. The excited fathers-to-be listened intently, cooing as she shared that she was reading fairy tales close to her belly—stories they had previously recorded for their future daughter. “And she is kicking!” she exclaimed with joy.

However, the couple, both civil servants, felt compelled to keep their excitement largely to themselves. They refrained from discussing the pregnancy with most friends, colleagues, and neighbors, and avoided posting about it on social media. For the purposes of this article, they requested to remain anonymous.

Their caution is well-founded. In Italy, surrogacy is already prohibited; however, the government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is looking to tighten the reins even further. The administration has introduced a bill that seeks to penalize Italians who pursue surrogacy arrangements abroad, even in jurisdictions where it is legal, such as various states in the United States. Those who defy this new legislation could face penalties of up to two years in prison and fines reaching approximately one million dollars.

Last summer, Italy’s lower chamber of Parliament passed the bill, and just last month, the Senate’s justice committee approved it. A vote in the Senate is anticipated as soon as this fall.

On the international front, Ms. Meloni has positioned herself as a pragmatic ally to mainstream European leaders, aligning with Western democracies on key issues like support for Ukraine. Yet, domestically, she has embraced her conservative values, taking a firm stance on cultural matters such as:

• Abortion
• Gender rights
• Gay rights
• Surrogacy