Surrogacy and Infertility

1. Currently International Surrogacy is banned in India.

Surrogacy refers to the process in which a woman carries the baby in her womb ‘for’ another couple. The embryo created through IVF using the sperm or egg of the couple wanting a baby is implanted in the surrogate’s womb, hence biologically baby is related to the intended parents. The Surrogate’s own eggs are not used hence there is no genetic link between her and the baby. A couple or an individual shall not have the service of more than one surrogate at any given time. A couple shall not have the simultaneous transfer of embryos in the woman and in a surrogate. We prefer thin, lean surrogates.

Commercial Surrogacy is legalized in India since 2002.

Who can act as a surrogate?

As per the ICMR GUIDELINES and ART Regulatory Bill 2010, we follow:

• A surrogate ideally is 21-35 years of age.
• A woman can act as a surrogate for 3 successful births in her lifetime.
• A relative, a known person, as well as a person unknown to the couple, may act as a surrogate mother for the couple/individual.
• In the case of a relative acting as a surrogate, the relative should belong to the same generation as the woman desiring the surrogate.
• She has already completed her family.
• Does not have any medical disease like hypertension, diabetes or epilepsy, or any other chronic illness which might impair the health of the baby.
• Have the husband's consent before she does surrogacy.

Who all require surrogacy?

• Women with an absent uterus or a very small uterus
• Women with hysterectomies are done for various reasons.
• Women with certain medical conditions – uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension,
• severe heart disease, kidney disease.
• Women for whom the prospect of carrying a baby to term is very remote.
• Women with unexplained recurrent implantation failure or repeated miscarriages.
• Single father.
• Gay couples.

The prospective parent may be a single man or a male couple who would like to become parents. Single women and men are also finding surrogacy, it's the best way to have their own children with the help of either a donated sperm or egg, as the case may require. Although the last three conditions are not legalized in India for international patients.

What are the prerequisites and preliminaries for Surrogacy?

• As surrogacy is a sensitive matter with ethical, legal, and moral issues, the matter is approached very delicately in our clinic. Both the couple and the surrogate mother are made to understand the procedure individually in a language that they understand.
• The secrecy is maintained. All information about the surrogate is kept confidential and information about the surrogacy is not disclosed to anyone.
• Both the couple or individual seeking surrogacy through the use of assisted reproductive technology, and the surrogate mother enter into a surrogacy agreement in the presence of our highly skilled team which shall be legally enforceable.
• A thorough medical, past, and family history of the surrogate is taken. They are medically tested for sexually transmitted and all other communicable diseases which may endanger the health of the child.

What are the tests done for the surrogate and the commissioning parents?

• We routinely do Complete blood profiles like Haemogram, Blood Sugar, HbA1C, Liver function test, Kidney Function test, Thyroid Function Test, Thalassemia screening, Rubella screening, VDRL, HIV (I and II), HBsAg, HCV, detailed pelvic sonography for our surrogates to ensure maximum chances of success.
• Even the genetic parents undergo the same tests as surrogates and the viral makers like  HIV, hepatitis B, and C and are taken up for procedure once the results are negative.
• All expenses of the surrogate related to pregnancy and delivery achieved in furtherance of assisted reproductive technology and till the child is delivered to the biological parent or parents shall be borne by the couple or individual seeking surrogacy. The birth certificate issued in respect of a baby born through surrogacy shall bear the name(s) of the individual/individuals who commissioned the surrogacy, as parents.

 What is the procedure for surrogacy?

Similar to in the case of an IVF, stimulation of ovaries is done. Eggs are retrieved and fertilization of the egg with sperm is done in the IVF labs. ( Refer to IVF for detailed procedure  ). The entire procedure and stimulation are the same as done for IVF except that the embryos are transferred to the surrogate womb. The eggs and sperm may be of the couple or the donor egg or sperm is used in case it is required. The surrogate’s endometrium is prepared suitably with exogenous estrogen and progesterone and after that, the embryo is transferred to the womb of the surrogate. The Pregnancy is confirmed by a  test 14 days after the embryo transfer. We keep you updated about the developments and progress of the pregnancy. Our surrogates are kept in neat and clean surrogate homes under the supervision of a team of doctors, paramedics, and nutritionists. The surrogate home is close to the clinic.