A few weeks after the United Arab Emirates modified its legal framework to allow surrogacy, an Emirati physician urged Islamic scholars to issue a fatwa that would officially legalize the practice from an Islamic perspective.

The practice of a woman carrying and giving birth to a child on behalf of a couple or individual is known as surrogacy.

Over 160 academics, scientists, and prominent figures from around the globe attended Dr. Maha Taysir Barakat’s comprehensive talk on the science of surrogacy during the second international conference of the UAE Council for Fatwa.

“It’s critical to realize that the surrogate mother gives the child a healthy and vital environment,” the spokesperson stated.

She clarified that the surrogate mother cannot alter the genetic composition of the child because the egg and sperm are fertilized in a controlled setting before being placed in the womb of another woman.

A legal associate from Alketbi advocates and legal consultants claimed that the law had brought about significant changes to the UAE’s legal framework pertaining to reproductive techniques.

“Notable amendments include allowing unmarried couples to access fertilization and implantation procedures, allowing surrogacy, and extending Medically Assisted Reproduction Techniques (IVF) to non-Muslim parties without a marriage certificate,” Manasi Dicholkar stated.

“A significant shift is seen in the removal of Article 9(3), which previously prohibited the performance of surrogacy,” Manasi said in reference to surrogacy.

The amendment, which now allows surrogacy in the United Arab Emirates, represents a step forward in the acceptance of a variety of reproductive choices.

On the fringes of the event, Dr. Barakat told Khaleej Times that it was critical that the scholars comprehend the science underlying the procedure.