The thunder from the explosions occasionally shakes the basement of a hospital in Kyiv that has become the foster home for 21 babies of foreign parents born to surrogate mothers ukrainian.
Babies in Kyiv have been targeted by Russian attacks
The Surrogacy Hospital BioTexCom Center for Human Reproduction in Kyiv was transferred to the concrete bunker on the first day of the russian invasion almost three weeks ago, to protect the babies from any fire.
But located just over nine miles from Irpin, a suburb that has been the target of a russian attack, it is still far from being safe. What makes it difficult for new parents, who are in countries like Canada, Italy and China, to pick up babies.
Many countries around the world have strict rules on the practice of surrogacy, and some couples who struggle to have a baby have naturally resorted to Ukraine in recent years. Where commercial surrogacy is not prohibited and its clinics offer competitive prices compared to other countries.
Ihor Pechenoga, the doctor who helps run the surrogacy center, said the women are paid between $17,500 and $25,000 to be surrogate mothers.
THE STORY OF VICTORY IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSSIAN VIOLENCE
Victoria, one of the surrogacy women, wanted to allocate the money to a deposit in a house for his own family. For which she has struggled to save since gave birth his own daughter at the age of 17. Her daughter, now 13, left Ukraine to Bulgaria when the war started, he said.
But after being hospitalized during most of her pregnancy due to pregnancy complications. And face what she describes as the trauma of giving up the baby who she feels she has now bonded with, Victoria said she would never do it again.
BioTexCom has stopped the program due to the warfocusing on supporting women who are currently pregnant and getting the newly born the country safely. While the hospital in may try to transport the babies to safer areas in western Ukraine. New parents still have to pick up babies inside the country for legal reasons, and some are afraid to cross the border.
“It all depends on the strength of the parents’ desire,” said Pechenoga, 51. “I met with parents who came to kyiv to pick up their baby; they had tears in their eyes. They had waited 20 years for their baby, (so) of course they came no matter what.”
But there are also “couples who are afraid, because there is a war here, and a serious war,” he said.
Six nannies are working at the clinic to feed and care for the 21 babies.
Six nannies are working at the clinic to feed and care for the 21 babies. They are increasingly concerned about the conflict progress, since the bombs fall closer to the building. The babies trapped in Kyiv can feel the fear and worry in the room, said a nanny, Antonina Yefimovich, 37.
But the babysitters they have turned down the opportunity to leave Kyiv because they do not want to abandon their children.
“I would go, (because) I also have my own family. But we don’t have anyone to leave these babies with,” Yefimovich said.
Nanny Antonina Yefimovich, 37, says she will not evacuate Kyiv until the babies are picked up safely.
These babies “cannot be abandoned,” he continued. “They are defenseless. They also need attention. And we really hope that parents will come pick them up soon.”
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