Smaller cities in India, such as Bhopal and Indore in Madhya
Pradesh, are frequented by childless couples from other parts of
India and even abroad.
Unable to bear children for various reasons, such couples travel to
these cities with hope. Bhopal and Indore have certainly gained
popularity as a result of an increasing number of women agreeing to
surrogacy (carrying another couple's embryo to full term), the many
specialized Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics, and the
comparatively affordable treatment.
When Bhopal residents Rajesh Shrivastava, 41, and his wife, Usha,
37, were unable to conceive after 12 years of marriage, they decided
to go in for ART (this includes techniques such as In-Vitro
Fertilization) and surrogacy. The couple visited the ART centre run
by Dr Dinesh and Dr Shefali Jain in Indore.
"Usha had suffered six miscarriages in 12 years. Initially, the idea
of a surrogate did not appeal to them. But they agreed when one of
their relatives came forward," reveals Dr Shefali Jain. This was two
years ago. Now, Rajesh and Usha are proud parents of twin daughters.
The treatment cost the couple just Rs 150,000 (US$1=Rs 39.90).
Apart from the domestic rush (the Jains alone attend to around six
surrogate queries a month), a large number of couples from abroad
also travel to Bhopal and Indore to fulfill their desire for a
child. Several American, Russian and British women are duly
registered with the Bhopal Test Tube Baby Centre for the procedure.
Often, couples have to wait for as long as eight months to a year
for their turn.
Their reasons for coming to India are varied. For some, the
treatment is far too expensive in their own country; for others,
their national laws do not permit surrogacy. Recently, a 37-year-old
Russian came to Bhopal as the expense for surrogacy is prohibitive
in her country - between Rs 15,00,000 and 20,00,000 - as compared to
the Rs 200,000 cost in Bhopal.
Dr Randhir Singh, Director, Bhopal Test Tube Baby Centre,
elaborates, "Women source information about the availability of
surrogate mothers in Bhopal over the Internet and then contact us.
In foreign countries, surrogate mothers are not easy to find.
Therefore, the interest in India."
Even as an increasing number of childless couples from overseas come
to India, legal experts express their reservations. Many foresee
hurdles after the child is born and caution that surrogacy should be
carefully considered.
According to senior advocate Kirti Gupta, "At present, it is not
difficult to have a baby through surrogacy in India because there is
no law to control or regulate it. The technique is cheap, when
compared to other countries, and surrogate mothers here charge
comparatively less for the services."
As there are several clinics now that perform such services - gauged
by the number of advertisements in the local media as well as on the
Internet - it is easy to select a clinic. However, the real problem
arises after the birth of the baby. In India, in the absence of any
clear laws on the issue so far, foreigners are unable to get legal
assistance when it comes to taking their child back to their home
country.
Childless couples in India, too, must consider some issues. For
example, whose name will be mentioned as parents on the birth
certificate of the newborn or what should be done in case the
surrogate mother refuses to hand over the child?
To lay such doubts to rest, clinics that provide ART facilities take
recourse to the guidelines set by the Indian Council for Medical
Research that state that the surrogate mother has to sign a contract
with the childless couple. But even then, counter lawyers, it is not
clear whether such a contract has any legal sanctity.
Doctors take their own precautionary measures. Dr Dinesh Jain says,
"We allow a woman to become a surrogate only after we have fully
checked her credentials and if we trust her. We also ensure that the
child born is handed over to the childless couple."
In Indore, which has a population of 30,00,000, many women responded
to an advertisement seeking surrogate mothers, placed in a leading
Hindi daily. Within 24 hours of the advertisement having appeared, a
dozen women had evinced an interest. Surprisingly, none enquired
about the couple. Money was the overriding concern.
Women who are willing to undergo the procedure come from lower
middle class backgrounds, are married, and are in need of money. So
much so that, often, childless couples negotiate a better price as a
result of the competition. Shweta Khanna, 35, from Indore was
willing to be a surrogate mother. Initially, she asked for Rs
100,000. However, when another woman offered to do the same for Rs
75,000, Shweta had to settle for Rs 50,000. "I have been a surrogate
mother before. This time I'll have no problem... my husband is also
agreeable," she says. Most women insist on anonymity for fear of
social stigma.
But amidst all the doubts and societal taboos, the number of
childless couples wishing to have a child through this technique is
on the rise. It is estimated that in Indore, which has 11 ART
centres, around 200 childless couples have been treated over a
period of three years.
October 14,
2007
By arrangement with
WFS
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