A growing number of Chinese women are turning to overseas surrogacy as a way to avoid the physical and professional impacts of pregnancy, according to industry insiders, medical professionals, and intended parents. Surrogacy remains illegal in China, but agencies and consultants have developed networks connecting Chinese clients with surrogate mothers in countries where the practice is permitted, including Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and the United States.
Kitty Sheng, a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Hangzhou, plans to pursue surrogacy in Georgia next year, citing concerns about the toll pregnancy would take on her career and appearance. “If I remain unmarried, I will have to bear all the costs of pregnancy and postpartum recovery myself, and that really isn’t very different from the cost of having a child through surrogacy,” she said.
While historically surrogacy demand came mainly from couples dealing with infertility, recent trends show increased interest from younger, healthy women deterred by the “motherhood penalty” — the professional and social setbacks women often face after childbirth. Lu Pin, a Chinese women’s rights advocate based in New York, described these fears as grounded in the reality of a societal environment that disadvantages women in both private and public spheres.
China has seen a steady decline in birth rates, with 2025 recording the lowest number of births since official statistics began. Demographers note a rise in the average age of first-time mothers to 28.6 years in 2024, particularly in urban areas like Shanghai, where the average age reaches 31.8. Experts attribute some of this trend to women’s reluctance to accept the physical changes and career disruptions associated with pregnancy.
Fertility specialists in Beijing report an uptick in patients expressing anxiety about pregnancy, focusing on concerns over body image, postpartum recovery, and general health. A traditional Chinese medicine doctor specializing in fertility noted these fears as a growing phenomenon among younger clients.
Affluent Chinese individuals often choose the United States for surrogacy due to its advanced medical infrastructure, legal safeguards for parents, and the option for the child to obtain U.S. citizenship. However, surrogacy in the U.S. can cost up to $300,000. Meanwhile, countries like Georgia and Kyrgyzstan offer more affordable packages, sometimes as low as $63,000. In August, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order aiming to restrict birthright citizenship for children born via surrogacy to foreign parents, following a Supreme Court decision that had previously blocked similar measures.
The rise in surrogacy also reflects shifting family dynamics in China, where grandparents often play a significant role in childcare. Some younger Chinese adults pursuing surrogacy have reported that their parents financially support the process as a way to ensure grandchildren without requiring their own children to marry or undergo pregnancy.
A Beijing couple working in finance described themselves as early adopters of surrogacy within their social circle, motivated by the wife’s reluctance to experience childbirth due to health and bodily risks. The husband said, “We have more and more friends going through this journey.”
For some women like Sheng, surrogacy represents a pragmatic choice, balancing cultural expectations, personal health concerns, and professional ambitions amid evolving social attitudes and demographic challenges in China.