For years now, Antonio and Leo have been trying to have a baby. As a gay couple living in Rome, they knew that Italian laws meant adoption was off the table — so beginning in 2021, they started to look into surrogacy as a way to start their family.
Surrogacy is illegal in Italy, too — punishable by up to two years in prison and fines of up to €1 million (about $1.5 million Cdn). Antonio and Leo’s names have been changed because the couple fears potential legal repercussions in Italy for even seeking a surrogate.
But for decades, Italian couples have
