Become A Surrogate Mother
How to Become a Surrogate Mother in India: A Guide to the Process
The act of being a surrogate mother is a selfless act that has benefited many families around the world who are unable to have children naturally. It involves a woman bearing a child for a couple who are either unable to have children themselves or are struggling with infertility. In gestational surrogacy, an embryo is generated in vitro using the couple’s genetic material and then inserted into the surrogate mother to carry and give birth to the child. If you or your partner would like to become parents but are unable to do so due to medical reasons, surrogacy can provide you with this amazing possibility.
Understanding Surrogacy
Before embarking on the surrogacy journey, it is important to have a clear understanding of what it entails. Surrogacy is the process of carrying a baby for someone else. Surrogacy is a reproductive technology that has gained increasing popularity in recent years as a way for individuals and couples to build families. It involves a woman (the surrogate mother) carrying a pregnancy and giving birth to a child on behalf of another person or couple (the intended parents) who are unable to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term on their own. Surrogacy can be gestational, in which the embryo is created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the intended parents’ egg and sperm and implanted into the surrogate mother’s uterus.
Requirements for Surrogate Mothers in India:
The decision to become a surrogate mother is a life-altering one, and much thought and consideration must go into it. Due to the new law of surrogacy in India, commercial surrogacy is illegal, therefore the decision should not be motivated by financial gain but rather by a desire to assist a couple realize their dream of parenthood.
If a woman wants to become a surrogate mother, she needs to fit certain criteria. This includes being married, between the ages of 25 and 35, and already having at least one biological kid. Important as they may seem, these prerequisites are necessary evidence that the surrogate has the necessary maternal experience and emotional fortitude to carry a pregnancy to term.
The surrogate must also be evaluated by a doctor and a psychologist to make sure she is in good mental and physical health to carry a child. These checks are essential for reducing dangers to the surrogate and the child.
To protect everyone concerned, surrogacy is strictly governed. Both the surrogate and the intending parents can only try surrogacy once. The transfer of a single embryo at a time also helps to keep everyone engaged in the process safe.
Key Considerations for Becoming a Surrogate Mother
Medical Criteria: The surrogate mother must undergo medical assessments to ensure she is physically fit for surrogacy. This may include tests for medical conditions, previous pregnancies, and the likelihood of natural or surgical delivery. The well-being of the child(ren) born and any prior surrogacy attempts are also documented.
Psychological Criteria: The surrogate mother must undergo psychological evaluations to ensure she is mentally fit for surrogacy. This is to ensure that the surrogate can handle the emotional and mental aspects of carrying someone else’s child.
Demographic Criteria: The surrogate mother should be married between the ages of 25-35 and have at least one biological child. These requirements show that the surrogate has the maternal experience and emotional resilience to carry a pregnancy to term.
Lifestyle Criteria: The surrogate mother should lead a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, drinking alcohol, or using drugs. These activities can harm the developing fetus and increase the risk of complications during pregnancy.
Pathology Tests: After getting the all-clear from the cardiologist, the couple will undergo a battery of pathology tests, such as those for haemoglobin, sugar, clotting, HIV, hepatitis B and C, VDRL for syphilis, Hb electrophoresis for thalassemia, and any other tests the couple may have requested.
Note: Intended parents may cover a surrogate mother’s expenses, including travel, medical care, meals, and clothing until delivery.
Prohibition of commercial surrogacy arrangements
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 prohibits commercial surrogacy but allows it for altruistic causes. Therefore, the surrogate mother shouldn’t get paid more than what it takes to cover her medical expenses and the child’s insurance. By outlawing commercial surrogacy and supporting the well-being of all parties involved, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act of India intends to provide ethical and transparent surrogacy services in the country.
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 establishes the requirements that must be met before a couple or individual in India can opt to engage in surrogacy.
One-time Surrogacy
The new surrogacy law in India, which came into effect in 2021, prohibits a woman from acting as a surrogate mother more than once in her lifetime. The primary objective of this provision is to ensure that surrogacy services in India are conducted ethically and transparently. The law also aims to put an end to the exploitation of children and women, which has been a longstanding problem in the country. By limiting the number of times a woman can act as a surrogate, the law seeks to prevent any potential exploitation of vulnerable women who may be coerced into multiple surrogacy arrangements without proper safeguards in place. Overall, the law is a significant step towards protecting the rights and dignity of women and children involved in surrogacy arrangements in India.
Restriction on using your own Gametes.
According to the new surrogacy law, a surrogate mother is prohibited from using her own gametes for surrogacy. This provision aims to safeguard the biological rights of the child and the intended parents. By ensuring that the surrogate mother does not contribute her own genetic material, the law seeks to uphold the intended parents’ right to be genetically related to their child. This provision also helps to prevent any potential legal disputes that may arise concerning the biological parentage of the child.
Written Informed Consent
Under the new surrogacy law, the surrogate mother must provide written informed consent in a language she understands. This consent must explain all known side effects and after-effects of the surrogacy procedures. Furthermore, the surrogate mother has the right to withdraw her consent for surrogacy at any time before the implantation of the human embryo in her womb. This provision aims to ensure that the surrogate mother is fully aware of the implications of her decision and has the autonomy to make an informed choice. By providing clear and comprehensive information about the potential risks and benefits of surrogacy, the law promotes transparency and protects the rights of the surrogate mother. Additionally, the provision for withdrawal of consent provides a safeguard against any coercion or pressure that the surrogate mother may face during the surrogacy process.
Prohibition of Abortion
No person, organization, surrogacy clinic, laboratory, or clinical establishment of any kind shall force the surrogate mother to abort at any stage of surrogacy except in such conditions as may be prescribed.
Certificates for Surrogate Mother
According to the new surrogacy law set to take effect in 2021, a surrogate mother in India must obtain various certificates before commencing the surrogacy process. The most crucial certificate among them is the Surrogate Mother Eligibility Certificate issued by the Appropriate Authority. This certificate validates that the surrogate mother fulfills all the eligibility criteria as prescribed by law, including age, marital status, and physical and psychological fitness. The certificate serves as proof that the surrogate mother is fit and qualified to undergo surrogacy procedures, and thus protects the interests of all parties involved. By ensuring that only eligible and competent surrogate mothers are permitted to undertake surrogacy, this provision promotes ethical and transparent surrogacy practices in India.
Surrogacy Approval Procedure in India
The 2021 surrogacy law in India has established an approval procedure for surrogate mothers to promote ethical surrogacy practices. To begin with, intended parents must provide the National Surrogacy Board with details about the surrogate’s health and family history. They also need to provide a certificate attesting to the surrogate’s physical and mental fitness to carry out the role of the surrogate.
Once the application has been approved, the intended parents can begin the surrogacy process with a surrogacy center. The surrogacy center plays a critical role in facilitating the arrangement, coordinating medical procedures, and ensuring the welfare of all parties involved. The center also arranges for medical and psychological assessments of the surrogate to ensure she is physically and mentally fit for surrogacy.
This approval process ensures that the surrogate mother is physically and mentally capable of carrying out her role while also safeguarding the well-being of the child and the intended parents.