In a move which tightens a previous 2004 surrogacy ban, Italy has officially banned its citizens from seeking surrogates abroad in a new Senate bill passed on Wednesday.

Italian lawmakers passed a law on Wednesday making it illegal for couples to travel to the United States and other countries to circumvent Italy's ban on surrogacy to conceive a child.

Italy’s parliament approved a law Wednesday that makes it illegal to travel abroad to have a baby via surrogacy—which critics say is a way for Italy’s conservative government to target gay couples, while advocates say it protects the sanctity of motherhood.