❓ Question on Notice regarding surrogacy arrangements in WA, covering application statistics, medical/psychological criteria, monitoring, and outcomes. The answer provides some data but refers to existing legislation and clinical decisions for further detail.
AnsweredQoN 711Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Reproductive Technology Council's approval process for surrogacy arrangements, and I ask: (a) for each year from 2020-21 to 2024-25: (i) how many surrogacy applications were received; (ii) how many were approved; and (iii) how many were refused and on what grounds; (b) what specific medical criteria must surrogates meet, and how many applicants have been refused due to: (i) obesity (BMI over 30); (ii) previous pregnancy complications; (iii) chronic health conditions; and (iv) age factors; (c) what psychological assessment criteria are applied to determine suitability; (d) how many surrogacy arrangements have been cancelled after approval but before embryo transfer; (e) what ongoing monitoring occurs during surrogate pregnancies; (f) how many surrogates have declined to relinquish babies after birth; (g) how many prospective parents have declined to take custody of babies after birth; (h) what is the success rate of approved surrogacy arrangements resulting in live births transferred to intended parents; and (i) what costs are imposed on intended parents for the approval process and ongoing monitoring?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 November 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health
Response time
8 days
(a) (i)
2020-21: 7
2021-22: 9
2022-23: 6
2023-24: 10
2024-25: 4
(a) (ii)
2020-21: 7
2021-22: 9
2022-23: 6
2023-24: 10
2024-25: 3
(a) (iii)
1 in 2024-25 as the applicants were not eligible as they were a same sex couple.
(b) This is a clinical decision made by medical practitioners not the Reproductive Technology Council as the Surrogacy Act 2008 .
(c)
The Surrogacy Act 2008 requires that each party to the surrogacy arrangement undertake counselling about the implications of the arrangement that are required by regulations and each party is assessed by a clinical psychologist.
(d)
The Reproductive Technology Council does not have this information as its role only relates to approval of the arrangement.
(e)
Monitoring of a surrogate pregnancy is no different from the monitoring of any other pregnancy and is based on clinical risk as indicated. This is carried out by an obstetrician or midwife. The Surrogacy Directions 2022 require that counselling is provided to all parties at 20 weeks gestation, 34 weeks gestation and within 14 days after miscarriage or birth of a child.
(f) (g) (h)
The Reproductive Technology Council does not have this information as its role only relates to approval of the arrangement prior to pregnancy.
(i)
There is no fee for applications to the Reproductive Technology Council for a surrogacy arrangement. Costs for the intended parents for ongoing monitoring of the pregnancy may be considered reasonable expenses associated with the pregnancy.
2020-21: 7
2021-22: 9
2022-23: 6
2023-24: 10
2024-25: 4
(a) (ii)
2020-21: 7
2021-22: 9
2022-23: 6
2023-24: 10
2024-25: 3
(a) (iii)
1 in 2024-25 as the applicants were not eligible as they were a same sex couple.
(b) This is a clinical decision made by medical practitioners not the Reproductive Technology Council as the Surrogacy Act 2008 .
(c)
The Surrogacy Act 2008 requires that each party to the surrogacy arrangement undertake counselling about the implications of the arrangement that are required by regulations and each party is assessed by a clinical psychologist.
(d)
The Reproductive Technology Council does not have this information as its role only relates to approval of the arrangement.
(e)
Monitoring of a surrogate pregnancy is no different from the monitoring of any other pregnancy and is based on clinical risk as indicated. This is carried out by an obstetrician or midwife. The Surrogacy Directions 2022 require that counselling is provided to all parties at 20 weeks gestation, 34 weeks gestation and within 14 days after miscarriage or birth of a child.
(f) (g) (h)
The Reproductive Technology Council does not have this information as its role only relates to approval of the arrangement prior to pregnancy.
(i)
There is no fee for applications to the Reproductive Technology Council for a surrogacy arrangement. Costs for the intended parents for ongoing monitoring of the pregnancy may be considered reasonable expenses associated with the pregnancy.
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