Surrogate Scam, The

Directors & Producers: Mette Frisk & Søren Klovborg
Produced by: DR
Duration: 58 min.
Year of Production: 2008
Original Title: Rugemødre

Winner of: The research award for the most thorough research carried out within the genre of television and film, FUJ (union of investigative journalism), Denmark, 2008.  

Childless couples make up a lucrative and sometimes illegal market. Surrogacy is banned in most European countries. Even so, a growing number of childless couples cross boarders and pay women from Third World countries to carry and deliver a child. The baby is taken away from the surrogate mother a few hours after being born.

This investigative documentary digs into an industry of hope, despair - and cynical middlemen. The search takes us through various countries such as Peru, India, England and USA.

In Peru two childless couples visit two local women whom they met on the internet. For 15,000 dollars the women accept being inseminated and they both become pregnant. Back home the excited couples receive letters, photos and scans. However, when the babies are due, the surrogate mothers never show up. The reporters travel to Peru to find out what happened. It all turns out to be fraud, but were the women ever pregnant? And if so - where are the babies? Were they sold on the black market?