A Dublin mother who is preparing to have her second child through a surrogate in Ukraine says the prospect of having to fight to be recognised as the child’s mother terrifies her.
Podcast host and wellness expert Georgie Crawford was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, just seven months after giving birth to her first daughter Pia.
She has been taking the drug Tamoxifen to aid in her recovery and, while she could come off it to try for a second child, she decided it was safest to remain on the drug and explore the option of surrogacy.
Having taken advice in Ireland, Georgie and her husband Jamie have now sent their embryos to Ukraine where they are waiting for a suitable surrogate.
On The Hard Shoulder this evening, she said, all going well, her second child could be here by the middle of next year.
'No legal relationship
It is when the family returns to Ireland however, that the legal issues will begin.
“Before we leave Ukraine, a DNA test will be done to prove that Jamie is the child’s father,” she said.
“Once the DNA test is done, we will be issued with emergency travel documents, to get out of Ukraine and get home.
“Once we are home and we arrive in Dublin Airport, I will not be considered our child’s mother – despite my child having my DNA.
“I will have no legal relationship with my child for the first two years and then - with Jamie’s approval - I can apply to be a guardian when my baby is two. Once the child is 18, I will no longer be a guardian and again will have no legal relationship with my child.”
Protest
Georgie was speaking after she joined dozens of families outside Leinster House this afternoon protesting against the lack of progress on surrogacy laws in Ireland.
Under current legislation, only the father can be recognised as the child’s biological parents – leaving mothers with very few rights should a marriage break up or a father fall ill.
Reports this week have suggested the new Assisted Human Reproduction Bill will only legislate for domestic surrogacy – leaving parents who go the international route in limbo.
You can read a copy of the letter given to @MichealMartinTD @LeoVaradkar @DonnellyStephen @HMcEntee and @rodericogorman this morning via this link https://t.co/9ETWZUR14b pic.twitter.com/xd6L5XGvll
— Irish Families Through Surrogacy (@IrishFamiliesTS) November 2, 2021
“This journey is stressful enough,” said Georgie. “Having to go overseas to get a surrogate.
“Putting all of your trust in this person that you don’t know to carry your baby. Going to bed at night knowing that your baby is in somebody else’s womb on the other side of the world.
“That is stressful enough and when we touch down in Dublin Airport, it is not over. It is never going to be over with the way things stand at the moment and that, to be frank, terrifies me.”
A wonderful turn out with great support from @HMcEntee and @rodericogorman at our demonstration this morning. Together we will work together to give our children the legal protections they deserve.@equalchildren @DonnellyStephen pic.twitter.com/XZ3eCURBfL
— Irish Families Through Surrogacy (@IrishFamiliesTS) November 2, 2021
According to Irish Families Through Surrogacy, 95% of Irish families who have pursued surrogacy have done so outside of the country.
Georgie said the scenes outside Leinster House today were highly emotional.
“To be honest, I got really emotional arriving down to Leinster House today and seeing all of these little babies and all of these mums just holding their babies and just wanting to be recognised,” she said.
“As a parent, all you want to do is protect your child and you know, myself and Jamie have a really happy marriage but if our marriage breaks down, where does that leave me?
“It leaves me with no relationship to that child and no protection. Although - and I’ll say it 100 times over - I am in a happy marriage, who knows what could happen?”
