Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2017; 8(3) Editorial Surrogacy around the world Surrogacy is an encouraging management for many childless couples and can hypothetically resolve many unbearable pain that they are confronted1. Initially surrogacy treatment was frowned upon, however, surrogacy is more popularly accepted now a day 1. Perez (cited in Svitnev) reported that different states of USA have different rules and regulations on surrogacy2. Most of the states have laws allowing surrogacy. But surrogacy is totally prohibited in Washington DC, New Jersey, Michigan, Louisiana, and New York 3. One the other hand, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana and Arizona have law on surrogacy but practices are potentially hurdles3. It is interesting to note that through there is no law on surrogacy in California but surrogacy is permissible in this states2. South America ban surrogacy 4. Like the USA, different states of Australia has different law on surrogacy. Surrogacy is allowed in Western Australia, New South Wales and Australia Capital Territory. Conversely, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have law on surrogacy but it is very hard to carry out the procedure in these states5. In European, surrogacy is allowed in UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Holland, Finland, Portugal, Ukraine 6 Greece and Russia 2. Commercial surrogacy is prohibited by law in UK. Some charitable organizations such as Surrogacy UK, ISSUE, CHILD, COTS are working for surrogacy in Britain under Human Fertilization and Embryology Act 1990 7. Italy was one of the pioneer on surrogacy in the world. However, in 2004, Surrogacy was banned by the legislation. Matorras (2005 cited in Inhorn 2010) reported that officially traditional Catholic Spain prohibits surrogacy but per see it is not prohibited and it is one of the European epicentre of reproductive tourism8. Switzerland, Sweden have no law for surrogacy. "Israel legalized surrogate motherhood in 1996. The surrogate can be paid only for legal, insurance expenses and compensated for her time, loss of income and pain" 9. In South Africa, surrogacy is allowed including partial, genetic and commercial. Court of South Africa gives unprecedented liberty to surrogate mother to terminate surrogate agreement even within genetic parent at any time by filing a written notice 2. In Asia, although surrogacy is a grey arena nonetheless a news published by the Southern Metropolis Weekly and reported that around a quarter million (25,000) babies were born in China by commercial surrogacy arrangement. Surrogate industry challenges the country's strict one child birth laws2. Reuters (2009 cited in Svitnev 2006) said Guangzhou authorities for the first-time held three young surrogate mothers and forced them to abort their fetuses2. Only India has law in favour of surrogacy among Asian countries. Even commercial surrogacy is popular from 1992 2. However, Korea operates the ART without statute and guideline10. All 62 Muslim countries disapprove surrogacy11, e.g. United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, Sub Sahara Muslim country, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2017; 8(3) Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. 12, 13. In 1999, Iran issued a verdict electively permitting surrogacy. This ruling achieves acceptance in parts of the Shi'ite population e.g. Iran, Lebanon, and part of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan 14. Surrogacy is not recognized by 199 country in the globe. Different country has different regulations on surrogacy. However, "there are some indication of the degree of divergence between official discourse and actual practice of surrogacy throughout world" 9. There are positive changes in attitude toward surrogacy has been seen for some countries. This special issue of Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics has been organized on surrogacy to see the current thinking of surrogacy around the world and how people come out from the social, religious and political framework. References: 1. Lasker SP. Infertility treatment in developing country. Bangladesh Bioethics Society 2011; I (2) :3. 2.Svitnev K. Legal control of surrogacy– international perspectives. 2006; p149-163. http://www.jurconsult.ru/publications/ethical_dille mas/13_Legal%20control%20of%20surrogacy%2 0-%20international%20perspectives.pdf (accessed on May 2012). 3. Creative family connections. Gestational surrogacy law across the United States. Surrogacy Agency & Law Firm https://www.creativefamilyconnections.com/ussurrogacy-law-map/ (accessed on May 2012). 4. Utian WH Sheean L Goldfarb JM. Successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer from an infertile woman to a surrogate. N Engl J Med 1985;313:1351-1352). 5. Leeton, J. The current status of IVF surrogacy in Australia. Aust. NZ J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1991; 31: 260-262. 6. Cohen, J. and Jones, H. (1999) Assisted reproduction. Rules and laws. International comparisons. Contracept. Fertil. Sex., 27, I-7. 7. Brinsden RP. Gestational surrogacy. Human Reproduction Update 2003; 9(5):483-491. 8. Inhorn MC, Patrizio P, Serour GI. Third-party reproductive assistance around the Mediterranean: comparing Sunni Egypt, Catholic Italy and multi-sectarian Lebanon. Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2010; 21, 848– 853. 9. Lasker SP. Surrogacyin Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics, Edition: 2016, Springer International, pp:1-8. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10. 1007/978-3-319-05544-2_409-1 (Seen on August 2016) 10. Fasouliotis SJ and Schenker JG. Social aspect of assisted reproduction. Hum. reprod. update 1999;5(1):26-39. 11. Hussain FA. Reproductive issues from the Islamic perspective. Hum. Fertil. 2000; 3: 124-28. 12. Inhorn MC. Making Muslim babies: IVF and gamete donation in Sunni versus Shi'a Islam. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 2006; 30: 427– 450 13. Meirow, D. and Schenker, J.G. The current status of sperm donation in assisted reproduction technology: ethical and legal considerations. J. Assist. Reprod 1997; 14: 133–138. 14. Abbasi-Shavazi MJ, Inhorn MC, RazeghiNasrabad HB and Toloo G. The Iranian ART revolution: infertility, assisted reproductive technology, and third-party donation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. J. Middle East Wom. Stud. 2008; 4:1–28. Shamima Parvin Lasker PhD (USA), MPH (USA), EMMB (Europe), MPhil (BD), MSc (BD) Executive Editor, Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics Professor & Head of Anatomy, MH Samorita Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh Visiting Professor, Clinical Anatomy, Dentistry, and Bioethics, AUSN, USA. Sectary General, Bangladesh Bioethics Society. Treasurer, World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Chairperson, Ethics & Publication, Asian Pacific Association of Medical Editors (APAME) Email: splasker04@yahoo.com