Surrogacy In Laos- What Intended Parents Need To Know

Surrogacy in Laos – Comes with risks and opportunities for gay couples in Asia. 

Surrogacy in Laos is possible pertaining to no surrogacy laws.  Due to the single-party communist government, the prospect of any future optimistic regulation is dim.

The topic of surrogacy is new and unknown to them.  Thus, it can be an opportunity for the nearby countries’ wealthy single or gay couples, who seek a baby via surrogacy.  Undoubtedly, Laos is the only country to have available Surrogacy in Asia.

The desire to achieve parenthood is the same in all human beings. Same-Sex couples are more than ever eager to build their families. However, for a gay couple, surrogacy can be the only way to complete their families.

The process for gay surrogacy is almost the same as for heterosexual couples surrogacy process. However, there is some minor difference in the gay couple surrogate approach.

We will cover the following topics:

1.    Why choose Laos for surrogacy?

2.    Advantage of opting for Laos 

3.    Is surrogacy legal in Laos?

4.   Gay Surrogacy in Laos- What intended parents should know?

5.   Conclusion

Why choose Laos for surrogacy?

Laos is the only country left in the Asia continent to offer Surrogacy in Asia. It is a relatively new surrogacy destination for single and same-sex couples in Southeast Asia.

Laos is a small but beautiful country located in Southeast Asia.  It shares its border with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Vientiane is the capital of Laos.

Its geographical proximity to Thailand, make it ideal for upcoming surrogacy destination.  Surrogacy in Thailand was once a flourishing surrogacy destination for parents from all over the world.  Its Western outlook and extremely modern and advanced medical facility were a great opportunity for a surrogacy seeker. 

Surrogacy agencies in Laos are mainly from surrogacy operators from Thailand.

After banning surrogacy in Thailand, most of Thailand’s surrogacy agencies and IVF Clinics have started their operation in the nearby country Laos. Currently, there is no surrogacy law in Laos.   The lack of laws just makes it available for desperate couples, who are looking for low-cost surrogacy in Asia.

Locally Government has not yet paid much attention to this booming industry. Till any regulation comes, most of the surrogacy agencies in Laos are doing their best to provide fertility services, mostly for Asian couples who wish to attain parenthood via surrogacy arrangements.

After the ban on surrogacy in Cambodia, most surrogacy agents are doing IVF and embryo transfer at Laos Fertility Clinic and with some of the other best surrogacy centers in Laos.

Surrogacy clinic in Laos offered the following services in Laos:

• IVF-ICSI with Assisted Hatching and blastocyst transfer
• IVF with Egg Donation
• Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
• Gender Selection
• HIV Positive IVF
• Donated Embryos
• Low-cost Surrogacy, Surrogate mother cost in Laos as compared to Western countries
• Same-sex surrogacy

Advantage of opting for Laos surrogacy

Although surrogacy is unregulated in Laos, still it offers some unique advantages to prospective Intended Parents.

1. It is a useful location in Asia. As Laos shares its border with Thailand, it is much easier for the IVF Clinics in Thailand to set up a new IVF Clinic in Laos. The IVF Clinic we work with are set up by a Thai doctor with all modern facility and good success rate.
2. Experienced Surrogacy agency- As mentioned above the surrogacy operators and especially surrogacy agencies in Laos are from Thailand. So, they have years of experience handling complex and long surrogacy cases.  Surrogacy in Thailand boomed for a long time. It gave enough experience and exposure to the surrogacy agents to know what they should do and what they should avoid.
3. LGBT surrogacy available- Gay surrogacy Almost 90% of cases are from single or gay couples surrogacy seekers. As there are no surrogacy laws for couples looking for same-sex surrogacy in Laos, most single fathers or gay couples are accepted.  For married couples, it is advised to look out for more affordable and legally viable options like surrogacy in Georgia or surrogacy in Ukraine.  But if any gay couples looking for surrogacy in Asia, Laos is the only option left.
4. Surrogacy in Laos costs less – As Laos is not far from Thailand, many IVF Clinics in Laos are run by Thailand-based IVF doctors.  These fertility clinics in Laos and their specialists come with advanced medical technology and experience in the sphere of surrogacy services. The surrogacy cost in Laos is still managed as compared to Western countries.   We have seen many rich Chinese single male and gay couples, who find it still lucrative to do surrogacy in Asia due to almost no option left for them.

Is surrogacy legal in Laos?

Best surrogacy in Laos has been growing in popularity owing to the increased influx of couples from the Asian continent, especially China.

This small, picturesque country is becoming an international destination for infertile couples looking to start families through surrogacy. There is no surrogacy law in Laos, making it a grey area. The lack of any laws does not mean surrogacy is allowed- but the absence of laws just makes it available and risky.

The local government officials are not sure of the future prospect of surrogacy from a legal standpoint. The lack of legislation makes the practice open to interpretation by the government and surrogacy agencies.

The infertility treatment involving egg donation and surrogacy are controversial and lack of experience makes it somewhat confusing as well. Although the legal framework is in place for international adoption and human trafficking, these topics are known to be risky and conservative by the officials.

Surrogacy Laws in Laos

Surrogacy treatment in Laos has been growing in popularity owing to the increased influx of couples from around the world who find world-class treatment centers and affordable surrogacy cost Laos.

The prospective Intended Parents should know that in Laos surrogacy laws are not in place to regulate the practice of surrogacy. So, the absence of surrogacy laws in Laos makes it possible to do surrogacy under a particular condition, but it does not reduce the risk.

The absence of any such law to govern surrogacy means that babies born via such processes are subject to the same legislation as naturally conceived children. Since banning surrogacy in Thailand and Cambodia, Laos has been a hub for fertility medical tourism. Once the pregnancy is confirmed, a surrogate can either stay in the surrogate house in Laos or at her home.

Possibilities are rife that the Laos government may step up to add new regulations governing surrogacy and the centers that offer the same in the country shortly.

Receiving Birth Certificates

The current status indicates that babies born in Laos need to be reported to the government to secure a Laos birth certificate. The certificate will be issued in the name of the father and the surrogate mother, with the father automatically gaining equal parental rights over the newborn sans any formal court process.

The Laos family law states that should the intended parents be a non-married couple, the legitimate father will gain equal parental rights with the birth mother. The father should register the baby with his name by receiving a signed acknowledgment from the surrogate mother in Laos for the same purpose. The newborn child can also leave Laos only with the permission and signed statement of the surrogate mother. That can be obtained from the local foreign embassy.

Unfortunately, a lack of knowledge about surrogacy can make officials treat surrogacy as restrictive and risky.

Because of this uncertainty and lack of laws, it is recommended that prospective intended parents understand the risk that comes with an unregulated surrogacy destination.

It is advisable for Intended Parents to consult their local reproductive lawyer to see the feasibility of surrogacy in their country.

In Laos, the baby’s birth certificate has the name of the surrogate mother along with the biological father. After that, the surrogate mother will relinquish her right about the baby in writing, in court, and give full custody of the child to the biological father. Once it is done, the Intended Father can initiate the exit process for the baby.

The parents need to know that due to communist regimes, their country’s embassies are having less influence over the local authorities. Unlike countries like India or Thailand, which have great foreign relationships with their western counterpart, Laos is still not open to such trade.

Countries like the USA which do accept surrogacy contracts can help their citizens with baby passports and travel documents. This is done after DNA tests to establish the genetic link between the baby and the parent.  However, it is not so easy in European countries where there is no legal framework even in their own countries.

In our opinion, Laos can be a good option for Chinese single male or gay couples.

For them finding an Asian egg donor and a surrogate mother in a nearby poor country is easy and affordable.  Although it comes with risk, geographical proximity makes it easy to go to China to give birth to a baby. Best surrogacy clinics Laos fulfill the dreams of many couples who were not able to conceive naturally and need more assistance.

Also, China has a good diplomatic relationship with the Laos authorities, which can give much-needed protection to its citizens, if needed.

Gay Surrogacy in Laos- What gay intended parents should know?

It is true that over the year, more surrogacy countries are closing the doors for same-sex surrogacy seekers. Countries like India, Nepal, Cambodia, and Thailand are slapping bans on gay surrogacy options. That means there are no gay surrogacy countries that offer a legal and safe surrogacy environment for gay couples.

Laos has come into the limelight for being one of the most affordable and effective destinations for gay surrogacy in the Asian region, but with a fair amount of risks.

The Laos surrogacy agency option is open to all and does not vary based on religion, race, caste, creed, or socioeconomic background. Gay surrogacy in Laos is a good option as most European countries do not support surrogacy for LGBT.

The best surrogacy clinics in Laos have adhered to the strict principle of welcoming and taking care of each Intended Parent, in the same manner. Thus, allowing each to experience the joys of parenthood in the safest, most cost-effective, and hassle-free way possible.

The Surrogacy Process for Gay Couples

The surrogacy process for gay couples usually begins with a visit to any of the best surrogacy center in Laos that caters to gay couples. A meeting is set up with the concerned doctors and medical personnel to discuss important details like the procedures, surrogates, timeline, treatment costs, and policies.

A gay couple can decide who wants to provide the sperm for the surrogacy process. The couple can also choose the surrogate who can either be a person known to either of the partners or someone hired by the IVF clinic. There are some of the best surrogacy centers in Laos that give a decent success rate.

In some cases, the couple can divide the eggs from the surrogate and half fertilize them (by each partner). An embryo from one of the Intended fathers will then be implanted into the surrogate. The selection of a surrogate is followed by a contractual agreement and the transfer of funds that go toward the treatment costs and other expenses for the surrogate.

Options for Same-Sex Women Partners: Same-sex women partners can also avail themselves of the surrogacy options, either choosing to enter parenthood via surrogate, or carrying a baby themselves using donor sperms provided by the IVF clinic in Laos.

Most infertility and surrogacy services in Laos are offered by a nearby Thai surrogacy agency that has good experience in handling international fertility seekers.

Laos is still unregulated but open for fertility treatment and surrogacy for nearby Asian countries’ gay couples. Due to the lack of affordable and legal surrogacy options, Laos has become an accessible and inexpensive alternative for gay surrogacy in Asia.

In our opinion, if any same-sex couples can afford surrogacy in the USA, which is mostly legal and organized surrogacy for same-sex, they should opt for it.

One of the new and most promising gay surrogacy options is coming in the Latin American country of Colombia.  This country not only offers world-class fertility services but also offers adequate protection to gay couples.

The baseline is that you need to know the risk and opportunity and make a calculated decision. For example, if a same-sex couple in Asia is looking for an Asian egg donor and surrogacy in Asia, they can opt for Laos while someone is based in the USA, and a considerable budget can opt for Surrogacy in the USA or Surrogacy in Colombia. 

Conclusion

If you are looking to do surrogacy in Asia, then Laos can be your only option.  It goes without saying that the absence of regulatory legislation can make it a risky enterprise.

Commercial surrogacy in Laos is open to interpretation by the local movement authorities and surrogacy agencies in Laos.

That is why IVF Conceptions recommend doing surrogacy in countries that have the legal framework in place.  We do offer and guide for surrogacy in Ukraine and surrogacy in Georgia for married couples.  For singles, we do offer legal and organized surrogacy in the USA  and then in a relatively new country – surrogacy in Colombia.

The cost of surrogacy in Laos can be manageable and affordable if you are a gay couple looking for Asian egg donor surrogacy.

We only offer and work with the best Surrogacy clinic in Laos that believes in the common goal of ethical practices and the well-being of all parties.

Our associated surrogacy agency in Laos, from Thailand, has 8+ years of experience in handling local surrogacy cases for Western and Asian surrogacy seeker couples.

It goes without saying that surrogate mothers are the real heroes of the surrogacy process. The concept of treating surrogate mothers with full dignity and respect and giving them the best compensation is a must for any surrogacy program.

Giving adequate healthcare and emotion to our surrogate mother in Laos during and after the baby’s birth is the topmost priority and we only support and work with them.

If you’d like to learn more about IVF, Egg Donation, or surrogacy services globally, check out the rest of our website at  IVF Conceptions. We offer legally secure and affordable surrogacy consulting services for FREE.

Our team has over 13 years of experience facilitating surrogacy arrangements, egg donation, and serving as an advocacy resource for infertile couples and LGBTQ individuals seeking to build families.

Our founder and chief surrogacy consultant, Neelam Chhagani, passionately helps couples struggling with fertility challenges. Since starting our surrogacy consulting agency in 2013, we’ve helped welcome over 500 babies for intended parents nationwide.

Our team includes experts from diverse backgrounds with leading reproductive attorneys, professionally trained top fertility doctors, former surrogacy case managers, experienced and kind surrogate mother and egg donor coordinators, mental health professionals specializing in infertility counseling, and a logistic support team to assist you in your chosen surrogacy country.