Chinese women turn to surrogates to avoid motherhood ‘penalty’
- Posted on October 4, 2026
- By Financial Times
- 9 Views
- 1 min read
In brief
Chinese women increasingly pursue international surrogacy arrangements to circumvent domestic legal restrictions and escape career penalties associated with motherhood. As surrogacy remains prohibited within China, a growing network of overseas agencies facilitates connections between prospective parents and surrogate mothers abroad. This trend reflects broader workplace discrimination concerns and the tension between family planning aspirations and professional advancement for women in competitive job markets.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.
Chinese women turn to surrogates to avoid motherhood ‘penalty’
With surrogacy illegal in China, agencies and consultancies are increasingly connecting would-be parents with women overseas
