The dangers of carrying a child for someone else in China
For a shrinking country, China’s approach to surrogacy is self-defeating
FAKE BIRTH certificates have long been a hot (if niche) commodity in China. In past decades couples would seek them out in order to get around the one-child policy. They could legally have two children if they were twins—or if their counterfeit papers stated as much. The one-child policy was loosened in 2016. But fake birth certificates remain in demand. Several hospitals are suspected of selling them. Some believe human-traffickers are the buyers. But investigators are eyeing another group: people who have babies via surrogates.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “High-risk pregnancies ”
From the December 16th 2023 edition
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