Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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Surrogate for non-Jews

23 April, 2006
Question:

Can a Jewish woman be a surrogate for a non-Jewish couple? Thank you.


Answer:

We appreciate the sensitive nature of this question.

Whether the religious status of a child born through surrogacy is based on the woman from whose egg the child was conceived, the woman carrying the child, or both is subject to halachic debate.

A child carried by a Jewish surrogate might be considered Jewish, and it would not be permissible to bear a Jewish child to be raised by non-Jews. Therefore, we could not recommend that a Jewish woman serve as a surrogate for a non-Jewish couple.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

This response was updated on 8 April, 2021.

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