Pope Leo XIV Condemns Abortion and Calls Surrogacy an Exploitation of Mothers and Children

Pope Leo XIV addressed members of the diplomatic corps on Friday, forcefully rejecting abortion and describing surrogacy as an affront to the dignity of both mothers and children. His remarks framed life as a gift and the family as its guardian, and he warned against policies and funding that, in his view, undermine those principles.

"In light of this profound vision of life as a gift to be cherished, and of the family as its responsible guardian, we categorically reject any practice that denies or exploits the origin of life and its development," Pope Leo XIV said.

The pope singled out abortion among such practices. "Among these is abortion, which cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life," he said, and the Holy See expressed particular concern about initiatives that would finance cross‑border travel to access what is described as a "right to safe abortion."

Pope Leo also condemned surrogacy, saying the practice of a woman carrying a baby for another person or couple violates the dignity of both mother and child.

Pope Leo also criticized the allocation of public funds to activities he said "suppress life," arguing those resources should instead be directed toward supporting mothers, families, and practical measures that help expectant parents welcome children.

"It is deplorable that public resources are allocated to suppress life, rather than being invested to support mothers and families," he said. "The primary objective must remain the protection of every unborn child and the effective and concrete support of every woman so that she is able to welcome life."

Turning to surrogacy, the pope denounced the practice of one woman carrying a child for another person or couple, arguing that treating gestation as a negotiable service reduces both the child and the mother to economic roles and distorts the family relationship.

According to the Business Research Company, the surrogacy market size reached $16.01 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $37.31 billion in 2029.

"Likewise, there is the practice of surrogacy. By transforming gestation into a negotiable service, this violates the dignity both of the child, who is reduced to a 'product,' and of the mother, exploiting her body and the generative process, and distorting the original relational calling of the family," he said.

To illustrate the scale of the phenomenon he criticized, The Business Research Company estimates the global surrogacy market reached $16.01 billion in 2024 and could grow to $37.31 billion by 2029.

Before addressing surrogacy, Pope Leo reiterated long‑standing Church teaching that marriage between a man and a woman is the natural context for bringing children into the world. He linked that view to an ethical imperative to enable families to welcome and care for unborn life, particularly in countries facing declining birth rates.

"The vocation to love and to life, which manifests itself in an important way in the exclusive and indissoluble union between a woman and a man, implies a fundamental ethical imperative for enabling families to welcome and fully care for unborn life," he said. "This is increasingly a priority, especially in those countries that are experiencing a dramatic decline in birth rates. Life, in fact, is a priceless gift that develops within a committed relationship based on mutual self‑giving and service."

The remarks underscore the Holy See's stance on reproductive issues and family policy, emphasizing both moral concerns and calls for greater social and economic support for families and expectant mothers.

Source: Reported remarks to the diplomatic corps; market data cited from The Business Research Company.