Qingdao authorities to probe claims of illegal surrogacy operation

The Health Commission in east China's Qingdao has formed an investigation team following media reports of an illegal surrogacy operation in the city.

The allegations surfaced after a whistleblower claimed doctors from a prominent hospital were collaborating with an illegal surrogacy center in a deserted automobile market, performing unlawful procedures such as oocyte retrieval and embryo implantation.

The reports by news magazine South Reviews indicated that the surgeons and anesthetists involved were paid 1,500 yuan (US$210) and 2,000 yuan per procedure, respectively.

The surrogacy center was said to have a small staff of five to six employees responsible for recruiting clients, sourcing surrogate mothers, and purchasing eggs.

The clandestine center is said to have been operational since March 2024.

Spanning 800 square meters and built to the standards of a top-tier hospital, the facility focuses on oocyte retrieval, embryo cultivation, and implantation services, all offered illegally, according to reports.

The lab was disguised as a consulting service for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), but in reality was part of a broader surrogacy network.

Shangguan Zhengyi, an activist who fights child trafficking, said the surrogacy agency was also involved in selling birth certificates at prices ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 yuan. Shangguan's investigations revealed a well-organized operation where specialized staff scouted egg donors and surrogate mothers online, and another team handled partnerships with domestic medical institutions.

Doctors from Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital and Qingdao Lianchi Maternity Hospital were implicated in performing these illegal procedures, according to reports.

Each procedure is said to have earned the operating doctor 1,500 yuan, the anesthetist 2,000 yuan, and a nurse 600 yuan, all paid in cash. Between March and June 2024, the lab conducted dozens of these illicit operations, it is alleged.

In China, surrogacy is strictly prohibited, yet some have exploited this ban to create a black market industry.

In June 2024, Shangguan, known for his successful collaborations with local authorities, is said to have uncovered the existence of the surrogacy lab after a tip-off. The lab, hidden within a car parts market in Chengyang District, Qingdao, had been performing operations since March, it is claimed.

Although the lab's business was reportedly slow, with only one procedure every three to five days, its presence was confirmed by photos showing fully equipped, newly renovated facilities.