Female couples and assisted reproduction in Greece: what the law actually allows in 2026

I’m often asked this question, and agency websites sometimes answer it too hastily. Here is the situation as I understand it in 2026, with a firm recommendation at the end: have your plans reviewed by a lawyer before you begin.

What the 2024 law changed

Law 5089/2024 legalised same-sex marriage in Greece. It also permits the adoption of a spouse’s child: a married woman can adopt her wife’s child.

However, it has not changed the rules on medically assisted reproduction. The Greek Civil Code still reserves medically assisted reproduction for heterosexual couples (whether married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting) and for single women. A female couple cannot therefore undergo medically assisted reproduction as a couple.

The possible route: one of the two, as a single woman

In practice, one of the two women follows the process as a single woman, using anonymous sperm donation: either insemination or IVF, depending on her age and medical assessment. She is the one who signs the consent forms before a notary, and she will be the mother at birth. The age limit is the same as for any patient: 54 on the day of the transfer (see the age limit).

Your wife can accompany you at every stage, attend appointments and be present at the embryo transfer. However, legally speaking, she is not a party to the treatment.

The ROPA method is not provided for

The ROPA method — where one woman provides the eggs and the other carries the pregnancy — is common in Spain and Belgium. It is not provided for under Greek law. It would require one woman to donate her eggs to the other; however, donation between people who know each other is strictly regulated in Greece, and I am not aware of any legal basis that would permit this arrangement. If ROPA is important to you, Spain is currently a better option, and I will tell you so plainly. See also which country to choose.

The second mother’s parentage

This is the issue that needs to be prepared as early as possible. At birth, only the woman who gave birth is the mother. The second mother is not automatically recognised as such, neither under Greek law nor necessarily under the law of your country.

• If you live in Greece, the adoption of your wife’s child, as provided for by the 2024 law, allows the parental relationship to be established.
• If you live in another country, it is the law of that country that will determine how the second mother’s parentage is established for a child conceived through assisted reproduction abroad: recognition, advance declaration, adoption… The rules vary greatly from one country to another and have often changed in recent years.

My advice: consult a lawyer specialising in family law in your country before treatment, not after the birth. Certain steps must be taken before conception.

Why choose Greece anyway?

For some patients, Greece remains a relevant option: no waiting list for sperm donation, an age limit of 54, and lower costs. For others — those who want ROPA or to be recognised together from the outset of the medical process — another country will be simpler. It’s a decision that needs to be made with full knowledge of the facts, and that’s exactly the sort of conversation I have during the first call, free of charge.

Frequently asked questions

Triada Baloukoudis
Independent IVF patient coordinator in Thessaloniki, with 24 years of experience supporting patients travelling from abroad. More · Contact · Facebook