Italy passed a law on Wednesday that criminalizes seeking surrogacy abroad, a move the country’s conservative government said would protect women’s dignity, while critics said it would deprive gay or infertile couples of a way to have children.

Surrogacy is already illegal in Italy. But the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to broaden the ban to punish Italians who seek it in countries where it is legal, like in parts of the United States.

Italy’s Senate approved the bill with 84 votes in favor and 58 against.

The Roman Catholic church, along with many feminists, have opposed surrogacy, and it is outlawed in other European countries. In some, like the United Kingdom and Greece, it is legal under certain conditions.

The law passed on Wednesday in Italy is so far-reaching that it was unclear if it would withstand legal challenges. The law also targets a relatively small number of families in a country already struggling with low birthrate. Analysts saw the legislation as a way for Ms. Meloni to assert her conservative credentials and appeal to her political base.

Supporters of Ms. Meloni’s hard-right Brothers of Italy party are disproportionately opposed to surrogacy and adoption by gay couples, polls show.

Most Italian couples who use surrogacy are believed to be heterosexual, experts on the issue say. But because gay couples need a third party to have children, many feel that the law leaves them especially vulnerable to scrutiny. Also, only heterosexual couples are allowed to adopt in Italy, meaning gay Italians have few options for starting a family.