The Pope has called for a general ban on surrogacy

The Pope has called for a general ban on surrogacy

Pope Francis has called for a global ban on obtaining children through surrogacy.

He called the practice “unfortunate” and a gross violation of the dignity of women and children.

The publication Thesenior reports this.

Francis’ remarks are likely to anger pro-LGBTQ+ groups, as surrogacy is often used by gays and lesbians who want children.

“I consider the practice of so-called surrogacy, which is a gross violation of the dignity of a woman and a child, based on the exploitation of situations related to the material needs of the mother, to be regrettable,” he said.

“In this regard, I look forward to the efforts of the international community to ban this practice everywhere.”

Francis, 87, delivered a 45-minute address to diplomats accredited to the Vatican, sometimes called his “state of the world” speech.

There is little statistical data on the number of children born through surrogacy.

For ethical reasons, this practice is banned in many countries around the world, as well as in some states in the United States.

VIDEO NBC News. Pope deems surrogate parenting ‘deplorable,’ calls for ban