What you need to know about surrogacy!

What you need to know about surrogacy!

As it is always a breaking news, celebrities become parents by surrogacy. It created a misconception that surrogacy is only for affluent people. Infertility can hit rich as well as poor. Cost of surrogacy is a multifactorial calculation, as it depends on who is carrying the baby,any Health insurance coverage,is the intended mother using own eggs or donor eggs? Nowadays many couples fulfill their parenthood through surrogacy. Surrogacy is a complex procedure which has medical, emotional, financial as well as legal implications. Consult the best infertility doctor in Lucknow.
This article will shed some light on how surrogacy works in India!

What is Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a legal agreement between two parties where a gestational carrier hosts her uterus for carrying the pregnancy of intended parents. She consents to get pregnant through IVF, carry and look after the baby until delivery.
In surrogacy programs, monetary compensation may or may not exist depending on the gestational carrier. If monetary exchange is present it is known as commercial surrogacy. A third party is involved in the process of a surrogacy program where intended parents approach this party to find them a surrogate. The surrogate undergoes medical and psychological tests to ensure healthy gestation and delivery.
Whereas altruistic surrogacy is a procedure where relatives or friends of intended parents carry the baby and hand over their baby to them after delivery.

Type of surrogacy according to method of fertilisation:

Gestational carrier:

In this procedure in vitro fertilization is carried out to form an embryo and then it is transferred into the uterus of gestational carrier. In this type of the child is genetically not related to gestational carrier. Embryo is formed using
(i). Intended mother’s egg and intended father’s sperm
(ii). Intended mother’s egg and donor sperms
(iii). Donner egg and intended father’s sperm

Who needs Surrogacy?

Women may need surrogacy in following condition:
(i). Women with high-risk pregnancy or non-functional uterus.
(ii). Women with hysterectomy, which is removal of the uterus.
(iii). Women with medical problems such as severe heart, renal or neurological disorder which makes pregnancy impossible.
(iv). Single living men want to become parent
(v). Women born without uterus

How to choose surrogates?

Surrogate mother has to obtain a certificate from authority under certain criteria in India, a surrogate could be a close relative of intended parents. Her age should be between 25 to 35 years. She should be married and have her own child. She should be surrogate only once in her lifetime.
Choosing a best surrogacy centre will ensure and guide you to find a surrogate. Factors taken into consideration while choosing a surrogate are age, medical and genetic background, her willingness, and consent. Consult the best infertility doctor in Lucknow.

What are the formalities one should check from the centre for a smooth surrogacy program?

Health status and fitness of surrogate:Surrogate should be tested for infectious diseases such as HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, cytomegalovirus, and Hepatitis B&C. Surrogate mothers should be immunised to chicken pox, rubella, and measles. Counselling of intended parents and their families: A couple as well as family members should understand surrogacy and IVF procedure. A couple should be convinced and psychologically prepared for a surrogacy program. Counselling from surrogacy and IVF centres would be an important factor to build confidence and trust.
A mother should have a thorough understanding of the IVF process. She has to undergo hormonal injection cycles and then a minor surgery is performed to retrieve her eggs. The eggs are allowed to meet with the sperms of the intended father to form embryos. Embryo is transferred into the uterus of the gestational carrier.

Things to keep in mind:

(i). A surrogate may not get pregnant on the first attempt.
(ii). There are chances of miscarriage as in normal pregnancy.
(iii). Surrogacy may require multiple attempts.
(iv). A surrogate may give birth to twins or triplets.
Legal implications: According to Surrogacy regulation 2018, international commercial surrogacy where surrogate mothers will be paid for carrying a child is illegal and punishable offense. Only Altruistic surrogacy is allowed in India where there is no money paid to surrogate. Surrogate can undergo surrogacy only once and the only intention should be kindness and love for the couple. In the majority of cases relatives of the couple come forward to help the couple.
Discuss in advance about multiple pregnancies to the surrogate mother as well as to your IVF specialist.
Involving minor girls in surrogacy programs is illegal. Couples must do their homework before selecting a surrogacy centre and wisely choose a surrogacy centre where government rules and regulations are strictly followed.
In some cases, if donor sperm or donor eggs are used then intended parents have to follow adoption procedures to own parental rights. Consult the best infertility doctor in Lucknow and Book your appointment today with Dr. Richa Singh Urvara Fertility Centre, Lucknow.