The ‘market’ is located in Alley A1 on Cong Quynh Street of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, where four or five women have rooms for rent and work as mediators. They introduce customers to those who sell ovum, sperm and provide rent-to-womb service.

Part 1: Sperm, ovum market alive and well in HCMCPart 2: Unauthorized surgery centers perform insemination

On May 21 Tuoi Tre reporters pretended to be a childless couple coming to buy ovum in the alley, where a middle-aged woman struck up a conversation with them and told them to rent a room from mediator Ngoc. After taking them to their room Ngoc said she would help find ovum.

The following morning, she told them to come to meet an ovum seller. However, they waited for an hour but the seller did not show up. Ngoc made a phone call and was told that that person was busy and then made another call.

Ten minutes later a woman showed up. Her name was Nhi and she already has two children. “I have to sell ova because of my disadvantaged condition,” she said and demanded VND14-15 million (US$673 – 721) for her work.

Upon realizing that the customers were hesitating, Ngoc said she would introduce another woman, who is a maid. However, they didn’t want the egg cell of a maid.

Ngoc then introduced a 19-year-old girl named Vu Thien An, who sells vermicelli and shellfish soup on Cong Quynh Street. Ngoc priced that girl’s ovum at a higher rate of VND15-16 million, since she is young.

Rent-a-womb service available

“You should find a surrogate. It is rather difficult but I will help to find someone from the countryside,” Ngoc told the ‘couple’. She said that the price will be decided by the service buyer and provider.

“You must keep this rent-a-womb service secret as it is prohibited by law,” she said. “The surrogate mother must pretend to be your husband’s wife to go through procedures at the hospital. After she is pregnant, you should take her home or hire a room for her to stay and take care of her until she gives birth,” she advised, and provided her cell phone number so that the purchasers could call her.

Sperm trade tricks

Upon meeting customers who want to buy sperm in the alley, a fat woman named Thao said, “I am knowledgeable about the sperm trade, I will help you.”

She introduced a young man who has a wife and two children and needs money. The price was VND10 million. Thao revealed that if the purchasers wanted sperm from a person they know, they should take him to a Doctor C to do that.

Thao advertised another trick, which is to use fake Identity card to make the sperm seller the husband of the wife. It would help them take sperm from the seller easily at the hospital or any surgery center.

Customers would provide Thao the husband’s name, age and address and pay VND2 million (US$96) to have a fake ID card made.

Another mediator named Nga, located in the same alley, introduced Chau, a 33 year old sperm seller from District 8. When the customers asked how to get sperm from that man, Thao guided them to the surgery center of Doctor C.

“When the doctor gives your husband a small bottle for his sperm and sends him to a restroom, you should propose to do that in a nearby hotel and bring the bottle to my house so that Chau can give me his sperm,” she said.

Students sell sperm

There is also an association of students specializing in selling sperm. They publicly pasted an advertisement piece on the wall of the infertility department in Tu Du Obstetric Hospital.

Tuoi Tre dialed the cell phone number on the advertisement piece and met the association administrator Thuong, who studying a master’s degree at a university in the city.

According to him, the association has over 30 members who are students of universities and colleges in the city. Customers will pay VND10 million ($480) a trade and could take sperm from a student in any way they want until they have pregnancy.

“These students are in a disadvantaged situation, they don’t drink or smoke. We have traded many times. It is completely secret and safe,” Thuong advertised.