Fertility Inc.: One Dad, One Hundred Babies - The Journal. Recap

Podcast: The Journal.

Published: 2026-03-20

Guests: Catherine Long, Nathan Zhang

What Happened

In 2023, clerks in an LA family court noticed something unusual: a man named Shu Bo was repeatedly appearing on parentage petitions for unborn children being carried by surrogates. He was applying for parental rights to at least four babies, in addition to already having or expecting eight more children via surrogacy. This raised red flags as it is uncommon for one individual to have so many simultaneous surrogacies.

Investigative reporter Catherine Long and her colleagues delved into this phenomenon, discovering a trend among wealthy Chinese parents seeking large numbers of children through surrogacy. The surrogacy industry in the U.S. is largely unregulated at the federal level, allowing wealthy individuals to pursue their desires for large families. The lack of regulation has created a niche market catering to these desires, especially for Chinese clients.

Nathan Zhang, who runs a business helping Chinese parents access U.S. fertility services, noted that the demand for large families aligns with traditional Chinese culture. However, some clients are inspired by figures like Elon Musk, who advocates for having more children. Zhang recounted an encounter with a client who wanted 200 children, which led Zhang to limit his own business's policy to helping families have no more than three children through surrogacy.

Catherine Long reported that Shu Bo, a Chinese tech entrepreneur, had declared in court his intention to have as many as 20 children because he believed boys were superior and wanted them to inherit his business empire. Judge Amy Pellman denied his parentage petitions, creating uncertainty about the future of these children once born, as they would lack clear legal guardianship.

Despite the judicial denial, accounts linked to Shu Bo suggest he continued his quest to father a large number of children. Videos on social media show Shu Bo with numerous children, calling him 'Daddy,' indicating he might have bypassed legal hurdles by re-filing petitions elsewhere. Shu Bo's company claimed he has over 100 children, disputing an ex-girlfriend's claim of over 300.

The case highlights how the fertility industry, a multi-billion dollar business, can serve the whims of the extremely wealthy, leading to ethical and legal challenges. Despite the benefits the industry offers to those unable to have children traditionally, lack of regulation allows for extreme cases like Shu Bo's. The industry has become a playground for the rich, capable of actualizing their desires for large families with the right amount of money.

Key Insights

• Shu Bo, a Chinese tech entrepreneur, sought parental rights to multiple surrogate-born children, raising legal and ethical concerns in the U.S. due to the unprecedented scale of his surrogacy arrangements.
• The U.S. surrogacy industry, largely unregulated at the federal level, has become a haven for wealthy international clients, particularly from China, looking to have large families, often far exceeding traditional norms.
• Nathan Zhang's business assists Chinese clients in navigating the U.S. fertility industry, which is considered the best globally due to its technology and legal framework, although Zhang implemented a policy to limit surrogacy to three children per client to maintain responsibility.
• Elon Musk's advocacy for large families has influenced some wealthy Chinese businesspeople in their pursuit of numerous children through surrogacy, demonstrating the cultural and social factors driving the demand in the fertility market.