A record number of Australian children born overseas through surrogacy – again
For the second year in a row, there has been a record-breaking number of Australian children born overseas through surrogacy. For the year ending 30 June 2025, 377 children were born overseas through surrogacy, according to data compiled by the Department of Home Affairs. This just pips the previous record, set in 2024, of 376 children born overseas through surrogacy.
More Australian children are born in the most expensive surrogacy destination, the United States (137) than at home (114 in the most recent reported year, 2022).
“These numbers demonstrate, yet again, that laws that criminalise overseas commercial surrogacy for residents of the ACT, NSW and Queensland don’t deter. No one has been prosecuted under these laws for undertaking overseas surrogacy. New Zealand researchers accurately called these laws a “failed experiment”. The existence of these laws, as two prominent judges said over a decade ago, make a mockery of the law, and they ought to be repealed. We are still waiting for that to happen,” said our legal director and dad through surrogacy, Stephen Page.
He said, “Hopefully changes in Western Australia that are hopefully soon to happen, and the current Australian Law Reform Commission surrogacy review lead to lasting change, so that in the future most Australian children who are born through surrogacy are born at home, not abroad.”
Top 11 surrogacy destinations for Australians, 2025
| Ranking | Country | Ranking last year / movement | No of children born via surrogacy year ended 30 June 2025 | No of Australian children born via surrogacy year ended 30 June 2024 | No of children born via surrogacy year ended 30 June 2023 |
| 1 | United States | 1 Steady | 137 | 121 | 68 |
| 2 | Georgia | 2 Steady | 48 | 76 | 33 |
| 3 | Colombia | 4 Up 1 | 38 | 32 | 12 |
| 4 | Mexico | 6 Up 2 | 35 | 18 | 14 |
| 5 | Argentina | 9 Up 4 | 28 | 7 | 0 |
| 6 | Ukraine | 5 Down 1 | 23 | 21 | 43 |
| 7 | Canada | 3 Down 4 | 22 | 37 | 22 |
| 8 | Iran | Tied 10 Up 2 | 6 | 5 | <5 |
| 9 | United Kingdom | Tied 10 Up 2 | 6 | 5 | <5 |
| 10 | China | N/A | 5 | <5 | 0 |
| 11 | Thailand | 8 Down 2 | 5 | 11 | 6 |
What do the numbers tell us?
There remains record demand for overseas surrogacy.
Despite the enormous cost, in the order of A$300,000 or more to undertake surrogacy there, more Australians than ever in 2025 underwent surrogacy in the United States than they have ever done.
There has been a large dip in the number of Australian surrogacy births in Georgia, probably related to moves there about a year ago (since shelved) to prohibit foreigners accessing surrogacy there.
Demand has continued in the three Latin countries of Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. Though after its surrogacy crisis last year, it is likely that there will be a big fall in births in Argentina.
Ukraine has remained steady in the last year. This matches anecdotal reports that Ukrainian surrogacy agencies have been generous in their packages for Australians, and have continued to say that they are open for business.
Canada has fallen considerably- which matches reports from intended parents of a shortage of surrogates there.
Iran, the United Kingdom, China and Thailand have remained reasonably steady, despite evident risks in Iran, China and Thailand.
Greece has fallen out of the rankings. Last year 15 Australian children were born via surrogacy in Greece. This year, it was less than 5. That change is no surprise, given the arrests at and closure of Mediterranean Fertility Institute in Crete in August 2023 by Greek authorities, who alleged people trafficking and fraud. Australians have since avoided Greece. Australians cannot now undertake surrogacy in Greece following law changes there in May.
New countries
Australian children have been born in each of Kyrgyzstan and Uganda (each less than 5), both of which are new surrogacy destinations.
