Abandonment of newborns with impairments in surrogacy: rights protection in China and beyond

Abstract

In China, surrogate newborns with impairments face significant risks of abandonment and lack of treatment and care. In China, there is a growing number of surrogate newborns each year. They are at high risk of impairments and abandonment, which cause a gap in their guardianship and endanger their lives. Surrogate mothers and agencies may not be willing or able to support and treat newborns with impairments, resulting in further abandonment and damage. China should first solve the responsibility gap caused by unclear legal parenthood in surrogacy and establish temporary guardianship responsibility to ensure seamless care and treatment. Strengthening social assistance for surrogate newborns with impairments and their families is urgently needed. The timely intervention of the government, welfare institutions, NGOs and the more comprehensive regulation on surrogacy are also indispensable to protect the rights of surrogate newborns with impairments.