Surrogacy is an arrangement between a woman and a couple or individual to carry and deliver a baby.

Deciding to go in for surrogacy is a very hard decision for most infertile couples, because of the many variables involved, and they have many concerns - social, legal, financial, emotional and medical.

Conventional medical, surgical and assisted reproductive procedures (eg. IVF) will help infertile couples to achieve pregnancy. There are, however few cases where the conventional options cannot be used. In order to achieve pregnancy, some couples solicit the assistance of a third party to provide sperm, egg or alternatively to carry a child for them. (surrogate parenting)

We have a large and comprehensive program for third party options such as oocyte (egg) donation, embryo donation and surrogacy for patients who require these technologies. Egg donors and surrogate mothers are screened by our own team, carefully recruited and matched as per the patients requirements to ensure smooth conduct of the procedures.

Traditional / Natural surrogacy

This is where the surrogate is inseminated or IVF/ICSI procedure is performed with sperms from the male partner of an infertile couple. The child that results is genetically related to the surrogate and to the male partner but not to the female partner.

IVF / Gestational surrogacy

This is a more common form of surrogacy. In this procedure, a woman carries a pregnancy created by the egg and sperm of the genetic couple. The egg of the wife is fertilized in vitro by the husband's sperms by IVF/ICSI procedure, and the embryo is transferred into the surrogate's uterus, and the surrogate carries the pregnancy for nine months. The child is not genetically linked to the surrogate.

To whom is surrogacy advised?

Women or couples who choose surrogacy often do so because they are unable to conceive due to:

1. Primarily, IVF surrogacy is indicated in women whose ovaries are producing eggs but they do not have a uterus. For e.g., in the following cases:

• Congenital absence of uterus (Mullerian agenesis)
• Surgical removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) due to cancer, severe hemorrhage in Caesarian section or a ruptured uterus.

2. A woman whose uterus is malformed (unicornuate uterus, T shaped uterus, bicornuate uterus with rudimentary horn) or damaged uterus (T.B of the endometrium, severe Asherman's Syndrome) or at high risk of rupture, (previous uterine surgeries for rupture uterus or fibroid uterus) and is unable to carry pregnancy to term can also be recommended IVF surrogacy.

3. Women who have repeated miscarriages or have repeated failed IVF cycles may be advised IVF surrogacy in view of unexplained factors which could be responsible for failed implantation and early pregnancy wastage

4. Women who suffer from medical problems like diabetes, cardio-vascular disorders, or kidney diseases like chronic nephritis, whose long term prospect for health is good but pregnancy would be life threatening.

5. Woman with Rh incompatibility

Some people may come to terms with their childlessness. Others may find adoption or fostering an acceptable alternative, although this option is limited by the number of babies and children offered for adoption. For others surrogacy may be seen as a possible solution. The surrogacy arrangement is sometimes made through an agency and other times contracted privately.

Using a family member as a surrogate: It is better when a family member offers to server as a surrogate as it is comforting to have personal knowledge of your surrogate's medical history and background.

We have very stringent and meticulous criteria for choosing a surrogate. The surrogates are between 21-35 years of age. They are married with children of their own. Detailed medical history, surgical history, personal history and family background is looked into. The surrogate and her partner are screened for infectious diseases like sexually transmitted diseases, Hepatitis B & C, HIV, and VDRL. Thalessemia screening is also done. Other basic blood and routine urine investigations are also done along with a detailed pelvic sonography. Surrogates without any history of congenital anomalies are only chosen. A detailed legal contract is then drawn along with the surrogate.

Why India for Surrogate ?

INDIA AS A PREFERRED DESTINATION FOR SURROGACY!

Many people globally are now choosing India a destination for Surrogacy. There are many reasons like:

• Surrogacy Treatment is Economical In India
• Best Of IVF Treatment, Technology and expertise is up to world class standards.
• Easy to find Surrogate Mother In India
• Legal Aspect of Surrogacy as law are in favour of surrogacy treatment.

India is foremost in surrogacy because of the low cost treatment and availability of women opting to be surrogate for childless couples.

Many surrogate arrangements are made through agencies that help match up intended parents with women who want to be surrogates for a fee. The agencies often help manage the complex medical and legal aspects involved.

Surrogacy in India is much more simpler and cost effective than anywhere else in the world. There is an increasing amount of Intended Parents who choose India as their surrogacy destination. The main reason for this increase is the less costlier surrogacy and better flexible laws. In 2008, the Supreme Court of India has held that commercial surrogacy is permitted in India. That has again increased the international confidence in going in for surrogacy in India.

Our Centre provides a Agency who recruits a suitable surrogate mother for the couple as per mutual requirements. The IVF procedure is then started once their menstrual cycles are synchronized. The couple can expect a 50% chance of pregnancy per cycle of IVF / ICSI with gestational surrogates.

Would-be parents in America, Canada, Australia, France, and other western countries often prefer Indian surrogate mothers, because India provides cheaper yet modern health care facilities, and because the legal formalities are much less in India – surrogacy can cost just one fifth what it would in their own country.

Foreign nationals will have to confirm immigration formalities with their respective country consulates to avoid any inconvenience in taking the babies back to their country.

Law:

India does not yet have a legislation controlling surrogacy.

Indian Council for Medical Research guidelines:

1. The Indian Council for Medical Research has given Guidelines in the year 2005 regulating Assisted Reproductive Technology procedures. The Law Commission of India submitted the 228th report on Assisted Reproductive Technology procedures discussing the importance and need for surrogacy, and also the steps taken to control surrogacy arrangements. The following observations had been made by the Law Commission:

2. Surrogacy arrangement will continue to be governed by contract amongst parties, which will contain all the terms requiring consent of surrogate mother to bear child, agreement of her husband and other family members for the same, medical procedures of artificial insemination, reimbursement of all reasonable expenses for carrying child to full term, willingness to hand over the child born to the commissioning parent(s), etc. But such an arrangement should not be for commercial purposes.

3. A surrogacy arrangement should provide for financial support for surrogate child in the event of death of the commissioning couple or individual before delivery of the child, or divorce between the intended parents and subsequent willingness of none to take delivery of the child.

4. A surrogacy contract should necessarily take care of life insurance cover for surrogate mother.

5. One of the intended parents should be a donor as well, because the bond of love and affection with a child primarily emanates from biological relationship. Also, the chances of various kinds of child-abuse, which have been noticed in cases of adoptions, will be reduced. In case the intended parent is single, he or she should be a donor to be able to have a surrogate child. Otherwise, adoption is the way to have a child which is resorted to if biological (natural) parents and adoptive parents are different.

6. Legislation itself should recognize a surrogate child to be the legitimate child of the commissioning parent(s) without there being any need for adoption or even declaration of guardian.

7. The birth certificate of the surrogate child should contain the name(s) of the commissioning parent(s) only.

8. Right to privacy of donor as well as surrogate mother should be protected.

9. Sex-selective surrogacy should be prohibited.

10. Cases of abortions should be governed by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 only.

We will help you make the right decision, so you can maximize your chances of having a baby !