This article from the Guardian describes the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on international surrogacy arrangements, including the parents, surrogates, and the babies they are or were carrying. It tells the story of Sierra Martin, a 22 year-old woman from Washington state, USA who was carrying a baby for a couple in China. Just before Martin's due date, she received a message from the couple in in China that they were unable to travel to the US to pick up their baby due to lockdowns. The couple asked Martin if she would look after the baby until the couple is able to come to the US, to which she agreed.
"Spending nearly three months raising a baby she has given birth to, but who she is not biologically related to and will be giving back to his parents eventually, is emotionally wearing. 'I love having the baby snuggles,' says Martin, 'but it’s definitely hard knowing that he is not mine. I love him, but I know that he has to go back to his own parents eventually.'"
"Martin and baby Steven are caught up in a nationwide surrogacy crisis of growing proportions," says the article. "The coronavirus travel ban has seen President Trump close the country’s borders to almost all international visitors, while a nationwide US passport office shutdown has made it impossible for parents who do manage to get into the country to obtain the necessary documentation to take their children home."
In some cases, surrogacy agency workers are taking babies into their own homes, according to the article. One baby whose parents were unable to enter the US from China due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19 is now in the care of one of the parent's elderly parents (the baby's grandparents) in the US.