Sir, – Notably absent in most news coverage of Irish babies born to surrogates in Ukraine is any discussion of the welfare of their gestational mothers. When the newborn babies leave with the commissioning parents, presumably the women who have just given birth are left in a country at war, still bleeding, still lactating, and still dealing with the many physical and emotional issues that accompany childbirth. Some of them will have childbirth injuries. Some of them may have post-natal depression. Many of them may not be physically able to leave and seek refuge elsewhere. All of these problems will surely be exacerbated by the terrible stress under which all Ukrainians are currently living. Surely Ireland has a duty of care to these women, whose bodies have incubated new Irish citizens?
Ireland neglected its duty of care to an earlier generation of women, whose infants were sold abroad, and who were left to deal with the aftermath of giving birth on their own. We are still trying to understand, come to terms with, and provide much-delayed justice to these women. We must not make the same mistakes again. – Yours, etc,
DEIRDRE NUTTALL,
Dublin 8.