Delhi fast emerging as hub of surrogacy in India: Report
28 July 2014 5:45 AM IST
A study conducted by Centre for Social Research (CSR) has revealed that there are over 50 surrogacy clinics in Delhi delivering about 250 children through surrogates every year.
The Oxford dictionary defines surrogate mother as ‘a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, either from her own egg fertilized by other woman’s partner or from the implementation in her womb of a fertilized egg from another woman.’
The study has found that surrogacy is being practiced in large numbers in several cities including Bangalore, Mumbai and Indore. Manasi Mishra, head of Research and Knowledge Management department at CSR said: ‘What was once limited to few cities in the country has spread all over the national capital now,’
She also expressed that despite being such a big industry, there is no law in the country to regulate it and often the woman who delivers the baby is paid very less for it. ‘Rent-a-womb has become a major industry in the country. Though the couple who wants to have a baby though surrogate mothers pay anything between Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to agents, the woman who delivers the baby gets only Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh’, she added.
CSR director Ranjana Kumari informed that so far about 40,000 to 45,000 children are reported to have been born through surrogacy in the entire country. A study conducted by the CSR in Anand, Surat and Jamnagar showed that a majority of the surrogate mothers belonged to economically weaker families. The average monthly income of these women was found between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Most of these women belonged to Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and slums of Mumbai.
The study revealed that majority of surrogate mothers are approached by the agents, who do not even provide them with a copy of the surrogacy contract. ‘Only 1.7 per cent women in Anand and 2.9 per cent in Surat had a copy of the surrogacy contact,’ Kumari said.
Surrogacy has thrown open a major debate whether it should be banned like most of the countries have done it or should there be a law to regulate it. ‘Generally, during pregnancy we give importance to women. But when it comes to surrogacy, the child is the focus of the clinics, agents and the would-be-parents, said Manasi Mishra said.
A two-day conference on surrogacy is scheduled to be held in Delhi in September where a large number of social activists, law makers and officials are expected to deliberate upon various issues concerning surrogacy and motherhood. ‘There have been cases where many countries have refused to give citizenship to children born through surrogate mothers in India. We need to have a proper legal framework to decide on the rights of the child, surrogate mother and the couple who becomes the custodian of the new born.’
‘During the study, it was found that in case of twins or triplets being born the couple only pays for one child. There have also been cases where the couple has refused to accept the child and in case of any complications, pregnancy is terminated without taking surrogate’s consent. The government must look into all the parameters while dealing with Artificial Reproductive Technique Bill, which is pending before Parliament’, she said.
The Oxford dictionary defines surrogate mother as ‘a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, either from her own egg fertilized by other woman’s partner or from the implementation in her womb of a fertilized egg from another woman.’
The study has found that surrogacy is being practiced in large numbers in several cities including Bangalore, Mumbai and Indore. Manasi Mishra, head of Research and Knowledge Management department at CSR said: ‘What was once limited to few cities in the country has spread all over the national capital now,’
She also expressed that despite being such a big industry, there is no law in the country to regulate it and often the woman who delivers the baby is paid very less for it. ‘Rent-a-womb has become a major industry in the country. Though the couple who wants to have a baby though surrogate mothers pay anything between Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to agents, the woman who delivers the baby gets only Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh’, she added.
CSR director Ranjana Kumari informed that so far about 40,000 to 45,000 children are reported to have been born through surrogacy in the entire country. A study conducted by the CSR in Anand, Surat and Jamnagar showed that a majority of the surrogate mothers belonged to economically weaker families. The average monthly income of these women was found between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Most of these women belonged to Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and slums of Mumbai.
The study revealed that majority of surrogate mothers are approached by the agents, who do not even provide them with a copy of the surrogacy contract. ‘Only 1.7 per cent women in Anand and 2.9 per cent in Surat had a copy of the surrogacy contact,’ Kumari said.
Surrogacy has thrown open a major debate whether it should be banned like most of the countries have done it or should there be a law to regulate it. ‘Generally, during pregnancy we give importance to women. But when it comes to surrogacy, the child is the focus of the clinics, agents and the would-be-parents, said Manasi Mishra said.
A two-day conference on surrogacy is scheduled to be held in Delhi in September where a large number of social activists, law makers and officials are expected to deliberate upon various issues concerning surrogacy and motherhood. ‘There have been cases where many countries have refused to give citizenship to children born through surrogate mothers in India. We need to have a proper legal framework to decide on the rights of the child, surrogate mother and the couple who becomes the custodian of the new born.’
‘During the study, it was found that in case of twins or triplets being born the couple only pays for one child. There have also been cases where the couple has refused to accept the child and in case of any complications, pregnancy is terminated without taking surrogate’s consent. The government must look into all the parameters while dealing with Artificial Reproductive Technique Bill, which is pending before Parliament’, she said.
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