Most parliamentary parties say they support allowing non-commercial surrogacy.
Discussions are re-emerging in Finland about again allowing women to carry pregnancies for others.
Some have debated whether to allow ‘altruistic’ surrogacy, which involves only reimbursing a surrogate for the specific expenses of carrying a child.
Commercial surrogacy, by contrast, involves a significant financial payment to the surrogate mother.
Finland banned all forms of surrogacy in 2007, prompting Finnish families to seek arrangements abroad instead.
But going overseas is costly and bureaucratic, with the total process sometimes reaching as much as 200,000 euros.
Despite the ban, advocacy groups say dozens of children are still born each year in Finland through surrogacy arrangements.
Political change
Surrogacy is not included in this government programme, meaning there is currently no legislative push.
But a change could come in the next parliamentary term, as a majority of parties now appear supportive.
A recent survey conducted by Rainbow Families Finland and the Finnish Infertility Association Simpukka asked parties for their positions on the issue.
The results suggest that the Social Democrats, the National Coalition Party, the Left Alliance, the Greens, and the Swedish People’s Party all support allowing non-commercial surrogacy, while the Centre Party is still formulating its position.
The Christian Democrats are the only party opposing the introduction of non-commercial surrogacy. Meanwhile, the Finns Party and Movement Now did not respond to the organisations’ survey.
No official figures exist on the exact number of Finnish children born through surrogacy.
Simpukka and Rainbow Families Finland said they encounter dozens of families each year, either considering surrogacy or who have already had children through surrogacy arrangements.
“This year we’ve already received around 20 inquiries. That’s almost more than during all of last year, so the number of people reaching out is increasing steadily.”
Piia Savio, Simpukka’s executive director, told Yle that she believes those contacting her organisation are only the tip of the iceberg. Despite the legal ban, the group estimates that at least a couple of dozen children are born to Finnish families each year through surrogacy.
