Russian lawmakers pass bill banning surrogacy for foreigners

Russian lawmakers passed a bill banning surrogacy for foreigners. This bill states that only women who cannot give birth due to medical reasons will be able to use surrogate mothers.

Commercial surrogacy is legal in Russia, but religious groups have criticized the practice as too commercial and linked it to crime.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the parliament speaker, said Thursday's decision was made in order to protect Russian children. According to Volodin, writing on Telegram last week, about 45,000 babies born by surrogate mothers have been taken abroad over "the past few years."