With India seeing a spurt in cases where women offer their womb in exchange for money, are we all set to become the surrogacy outsourcing capital of the world?
A childless couple from Singapore got their bundle of joy when an Indian woman decided to rent her womb for $6,600.
April 19, 2006: Savita Mehli gave birth to the child of a US-based infertile couple for $5,000.
December 16, 2005: After giving birth to twins, a young Indian woman handed them over to an American couple, well aware that she’d never see them again. As per her contract, she was handed Rs 2 lakh.
North India is slowly turning into the surrogacy outsourcing capital of the world. With the infertility rates increasing abroad, foreigners are coming to India both for its genes, its absolute lack of laws on surrogacy and the low cost of treatment. DT looks at surrogacy as a lucrative biz...
A booming business
Doctors opine that the number of infertile couples coming to India is very high. Says Anoop Gupta, medical director, Delhi IVF and Fertility Research Centre, "We have delivered about 100 surrogate children. I receive six to 10 emails everyday from foreigners who are seeking surrogacy as an option. Their reasons are the same – superior medical treatment available at cheaper rates in India, with no legal hassles involved."
The most in demand are educated, fair-complexioned girls from North India, who are ready to carry a child for money. Agrees Dr Aniruddha Malpani, MD of Malpani Infertility Clinic, "Surrogacy is a hot topic in India today.
Not only do we have a number of successful IVF clinics here, there are also a lot of women who are willing to be surrogate mothers...
Also, surrogacy costs a fraction of what it would in the West. For instance, a surrogacy treatment cycle would be about $50,000 in the US and only about $10,000 in India – a bargain by any standards. And in this day and age of globalisation and market-driven economies, there is a considerable demand for this service."
Though difficult to quote a figure, people from the industry feel it brings about $400 million to India. This industry is thriving and will play a big part in the boom of medical tourism, which is likely to reach Rs 10,000 crore by 2010.
A win-win situation?
While advocates of surrogacy feel this helps both childless couples and women who decide to carry the child, others opine that this is equivalent to commodification of motherhood.
Says Dr Nayana Patel, director, Akanksha Infertility Clinic, "What is wrong in charging for carrying someone’s baby? Surrogacy is a win-win situation for both — the couple and the woman who rents her womb. I have women who acted as surrogates for childless NRI couples and their life has completely changed now. They invest the money the way they like."
However, there are other couples who are opting for surrogacy even when they have other options. "Only women with no uterus or the ones suffering from uterine tuberculosis should opt for surrogacy. Others can try donor eggs or donor embryos, rather than surrogacy.
Unfortunately, they fail to realise this, partly because of lack of awareness and the fact that some doctors prefer 'pushing' the more lucrative surrogacy treatment option," reveals Malpani.
Dr Sonia Malik, a Delhi-based infertility specialist, points out another trend, "Many girls opt for third-party reproduction because having their own baby means taking time out of their busy schedules. This is very disturbing."
No legal redressal
India has no laws regarding surrogacy, while UK and USA have stringent guidelines on the subject. CP Puri, director of the National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health says, "There are no laws that protect the rights of parents who are seeking surrogacy.
There is nothing they can do if the surrogate mother refuses to part with the baby. We are working to rectify this and make it a law." Women from neighbouring countries like Nepal are also coming to India to act as surrogates.
Money vs social stigma
With more and more couples opting for third-party reproduction, the demand for potential surrogates outstrips their supply. "It is not always easy to find surrogates as there is a social stigma attached to it.
What do the surrogate mothers say when they have no baby to show after the nine months are over?" questions Malpani. Agrees Malik, while stressing that if a relative is acting as a surrogate then there is no problem.
But the minute the commercial aspect comes into it, it becomes difficult and commodified.
A childless couple from Singapore got their bundle of joy when an Indian woman decided to rent her womb for $6,600.
April 19, 2006: Savita Mehli gave birth to the child of a US-based infertile couple for $5,000.
December 16, 2005: After giving birth to twins, a young Indian woman handed them over to an American couple, well aware that she’d never see them again. As per her contract, she was handed Rs 2 lakh.
North India is slowly turning into the surrogacy outsourcing capital of the world. With the infertility rates increasing abroad, foreigners are coming to India both for its genes, its absolute lack of laws on surrogacy and the low cost of treatment. DT looks at surrogacy as a lucrative biz...
A booming business
Doctors opine that the number of infertile couples coming to India is very high. Says Anoop Gupta, medical director, Delhi IVF and Fertility Research Centre, "We have delivered about 100 surrogate children. I receive six to 10 emails everyday from foreigners who are seeking surrogacy as an option. Their reasons are the same – superior medical treatment available at cheaper rates in India, with no legal hassles involved."
The most in demand are educated, fair-complexioned girls from North India, who are ready to carry a child for money. Agrees Dr Aniruddha Malpani, MD of Malpani Infertility Clinic, "Surrogacy is a hot topic in India today.
Not only do we have a number of successful IVF clinics here, there are also a lot of women who are willing to be surrogate mothers...
Also, surrogacy costs a fraction of what it would in the West. For instance, a surrogacy treatment cycle would be about $50,000 in the US and only about $10,000 in India – a bargain by any standards. And in this day and age of globalisation and market-driven economies, there is a considerable demand for this service."
Though difficult to quote a figure, people from the industry feel it brings about $400 million to India. This industry is thriving and will play a big part in the boom of medical tourism, which is likely to reach Rs 10,000 crore by 2010.
A win-win situation?
While advocates of surrogacy feel this helps both childless couples and women who decide to carry the child, others opine that this is equivalent to commodification of motherhood.
Says Dr Nayana Patel, director, Akanksha Infertility Clinic, "What is wrong in charging for carrying someone’s baby? Surrogacy is a win-win situation for both — the couple and the woman who rents her womb. I have women who acted as surrogates for childless NRI couples and their life has completely changed now. They invest the money the way they like."
However, there are other couples who are opting for surrogacy even when they have other options. "Only women with no uterus or the ones suffering from uterine tuberculosis should opt for surrogacy. Others can try donor eggs or donor embryos, rather than surrogacy.
Unfortunately, they fail to realise this, partly because of lack of awareness and the fact that some doctors prefer 'pushing' the more lucrative surrogacy treatment option," reveals Malpani.
Dr Sonia Malik, a Delhi-based infertility specialist, points out another trend, "Many girls opt for third-party reproduction because having their own baby means taking time out of their busy schedules. This is very disturbing."
No legal redressal
India has no laws regarding surrogacy, while UK and USA have stringent guidelines on the subject. CP Puri, director of the National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health says, "There are no laws that protect the rights of parents who are seeking surrogacy.
There is nothing they can do if the surrogate mother refuses to part with the baby. We are working to rectify this and make it a law." Women from neighbouring countries like Nepal are also coming to India to act as surrogates.
Money vs social stigma
With more and more couples opting for third-party reproduction, the demand for potential surrogates outstrips their supply. "It is not always easy to find surrogates as there is a social stigma attached to it.
What do the surrogate mothers say when they have no baby to show after the nine months are over?" questions Malpani. Agrees Malik, while stressing that if a relative is acting as a surrogate then there is no problem.
But the minute the commercial aspect comes into it, it becomes difficult and commodified.