Dutch clinics to start offering surrogacy to gay couples

Homosexual couples who want to have a child through a surrogate mother can do so at Dutch clinics from next year, according to a survey by television program De Monitor. Until now that has been impossible in the Netherlands due to strict regulations, newspaper AD reports.

At least two Dutch clinics will start offering surrogacy to gay couples next year - MC Kinderwens in Leiderdorp and Nij Geertgen clinic in Elsendorp. In Leiderdorp the surrogate mother must also donate the egg. In Elsendorp the surrogate and egg donor may be different people.

"I think it's too crazy for words that gay couples, but also women with oncological complaints for example, have to go abroad to fulfill their desire to have children", Nij Geertgen director Marc Scheijven said to De Monitor. "While we have all medical and technical experience in house."

These two clinics can start offering this service since the strict criteria for surrogacy were broadened when the Embryo Act was changed this past summer. Two more clinics are also considering offering surrogacy for gay couples, the Isala Fertility Center in Zwolle and Amsterdam UMC's VUmc location.