About draagmoederschap.nl

for whom?

The Dutch National information point for surrogacy is for everyone involved in surrogacy. At draagmoederschap.nl, you can find relevant and reliable information and personal stories about building families with a surrogate's help. To help you make informed and considered decisions taking the interests of everyone involved into account. The child's interests should always be paramount.  

Draagmoederschap.nl is a collaboration between several organisations involved in surrogacy. The National information point for surrogacy is made possible thanks to a subsidy from the Ministry of Justice and Security. 

Key priorities

• The provision of good and reliable information for (intended) parents, (aspiring) surrogates and egg donors and their friends and family, and for children born with a surrogate's assistance. On the basis of which well-informed and considered decisions can be made.  
   
• The interests of everyone involved are protected on the basis of equality. The child's interests should always be paramount.  
   
• Children have a right to know their origins and ancestry. Openness is key here: in the interests of their child, parents are encouraged to talk to their children openly from an early age about surrogacy (and egg donation, if relevant). It's important to give children the space and freedom to build their own (family) relationships.

Partnership

The collaboration is made up of various parties:  

• Fiom – a Dutch centre of expertise on questions of ancestry
• Point netwerk – Professional Association for Fertility Counsellors from Belgium and the Netherlands
• Special Interest Group (SIG) for Gamete Donation of the NVOG - the Netherlands Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Stichting DuRF – A foundation of Dutch Rainbow Family professionals. The DuRF Foundation is the Dutch registry of specialized and experienced legal and psychosocial professionals who are dedicated to supporting anyone dealing with various family structures, such as those resulting from donor conception, surrogacy, intentional co-parenting, and intentional multi-parenting. 
• Stichting Meer dan Gewenst - a foundation that supports members of the LGBT community with families or a desire to have a child
• Stichting Zwanger Voor Een Ander – A foundation for and about surrogacy in the Netherlands.  
   

Stichting Donorkind-  a foundation dedicated to the interests and rights of donor children; involved in setting up the information point in 2022/2023. Since 2024, they are no longer involved as a member of the editorial board due to overwork. 

The National information point is funded by the Ministry of Justice and Security. 

Editorial board

The collaborating parties are represented on the editorial board. A project leader/content manager is the point of contact and manages the content. 

The members of the editorial board bring knowledge and experience from their constituencies, and discuss goals and key priorities. 

The following sit on the editorial board: 

• Caroline van den Brule (Child born with the help of a surrogate)
• Pauline van Berkel (on behalf of Stichting Zwanger Voor Een Ander)
• Sara Coster (on behalf of Stichting Meer dan Gewenst)
• Monique Mochtar (on behalf of SIG Gameetdonatie van de NVOG)
• Jelmer Soes (on behalf of Fiom)
• Anne Schrijvers (on behalf of Point Netwerk)
• Jo-an van der Tol (on behalf of Stichting DuRF)
• Sjors Veenendaal (on behalf of Stichting DuRF) 
   

Project leader/ content manager Marieke Verhoeven

Former content managers / editorial team

Former project leaders / Content managers: 

• Minke Dijkstra
• Lilian Hendriks 

Former editorial members:

• Marja Visser (on behalf of Point)
• Marieke Verhoeven (on behalf of NVOG)
• Annelieke Robben (on behalf of Fiom) 

Final report on the LIDM subsidy from 2022 to the end of 2025

To conclude the 2022 grant, a final report was submitted to the Ministry of Justice and Security by the LIDM. This report provides an overview of the LIDM's activities and financial accountability during the period from May 2022 to the end of 2025.

The editorial board from left to right at the information point launch in June 2023.

Annelieke Robben, Monique Mochtar, Minke Dijkstra, Marja Visser, Marieke Verhoeven, Pauline van Berkel, Sara Coster, Ties van der Meer and Sjors Veenendaal.

Unfortunately, Jo-an van der Tol is missing from this photo.

Origins of draagmoedershap.nl

In 2021 the National Information Point for Donor Conception was launched. With the aim of providing relevant and reliable information to donor children, donors and (intended) parents, as well as for care professionals.

The Ministry of Justice and Security subsequently asked the project leader and editorial board of the National Information Point for Donor Conception whether they'd be willing to also provide information regarding surrogacy. The editorial board of Donorconceptie.nl broadened its scope to cover surrogacy with a representative from Zwanger Voor Een Ander (Pregnant for Someone Else) and representatives from Stichting DuRF with expertise in the field of surrogacy. 

Both information points provide relevant and reliable information for (intended) parents, (prospective) surrogates and donors and their families, and for children born to them or with their help. The moral right of children to knowledge of their origins and parentage, and the space and freedom for children to form their own family relationships is the starting point here. The National Information Point for Surrogacy is hosted on its own website, which aligns with donorconceptie.nl in terms of design and content.   

The launch of the National Information Point for Surrogacy anticipates the new draft law. 

'Well-considered Surrogacy' symposium.

On the occasion of the launch of the National Information Point for Surrogacy on Friday 16 June 2023 the online symposium: "Well-considered surrogacy" was organised. A recording of the symposium can be viewed here (in Dutch).