Pope Francis Pushes for Surrogacy Ban and Calls the Practice 'Deplorable' — Why Experts Say That’s 'Dangerous'

Mar. 15, 2025

Pope Francis.Photo:Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty

During a speech in Vatican City on Monday, the 87-year-old pontiff suggested that surrogacy is “based on the exploitation” of mothers’ material needs and is “a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child,” according toCNNandReuters.

“For me, this is a matter of personal autonomy and choice and women having the ability to make decisions for themselves and their families,” Levich says.

The Catholic Church has long opposed both surrogacy and in vitro fertilization due to their disposal of embryos.

But for some, surrogacy can be “the only option available to start a family,” Brooke Kimbrough, CEO ofRoots Surrogacy, tells PEOPLE.

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“Surrogacy is relied heavily upon for people who have no other options and really really want to grow their family,” she says.

Levich also says a significant amount of vetting is done as part of a reputable surrogacy process.

A global ban on surrogacy would likely lead to “an outcry from people all across the globe who desire to be parents,” Levich tells PEOPLE.

A decision like that “could be dangerous,” she adds, noting that some people would like “seek to pursue it that could potentially be illegal and less safe” if ethical surrogacy wasn’t allowed. “By removing things like surrogacy, it would impact a large, large demographic,” she adds.

Kimbrough believes the Catholic church does not understand how people actually feel about surrogacy, which many see as a “gift.”

The “vast majority of surrogacy cases" result in “incredible and beautiful relationships,” Levich says. “I don’t know how something like that could be considered to be exploitative.”

source: people.com