Daughter hopes to copy surrogate mother

JAMES DOHERTY  The Scotsman June 23, 2003

THE daughter of Britain’s most prolific surrogate parent is set to follow in her mother’s footsteps.

Morag Riva, 42, has given away seven babies and is currently trying to have another with a foreign couple.

Now her daughter Jenny, 19, a first-year biology student at Edinburgh University, has signalled her desire to help infertile couples.

Miss Riva said she wanted to become a surrogate mother after witnessing the joy her mother’s pregnancies brought others. She said: "I have seen the reaction from the couples who have been through it with my mother. When I see their faces and the elation they go through at finally getting their own baby, it made me realise that I can help these people."

Her mother started her role as a surrogate mother in 1991, after having two children of her own, Jenny and Vicky, 14.

She went on to have a further seven children for other couples over the space of ten years.

Two years ago, Mrs Riva, who keeps in touch with the couples she helps, and her husband John, 48, a policeman, had another child, Jamie.

Yesterday, she expressed delight that her daughter had chosen to follow her lead. She said: "I think it’s great. She’s obviously going to have her work cut out if she wants to have as many as me."

However, Miss Riva’s father was more cautious. He said: "I think she should wait until she’s older before making any decisions."

Mrs Riva is currently trying to get pregnant with her 11th child for a German couple. She is signed to the agency Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy (COTS).

Payment for surrogacy is outlawed in the UK. However, Mrs Riva admitted money received from expenses had paid for several family holidays over the years.