Surrogacy

Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman agrees to a pregnancy with the intention to carry and hand over the child to the intending couple for whom she is acting as a surrogate.

This provides infertile couples a chance to become parents without actually carrying the child.

Gestational Surrogacy - the process involves using the eggs from the intended mother or anonymous donor and the sperm of the intended father or anonymous donor. The fertilization is done using IVF / ICSI methods. The fertilized egg / embryo is implanted into the uterus of the surrogate mother who carries the baby for the full term. The baby is not genetically related to the surrogate.

Who can opt for surrogacy?

Surrogacy is an appropriate option where the female partner is diagnosed with medical conditions that make it impossible or life threatening for her to carry the child for a full term. The medical conditions are as follows:

• Absence of uterus due to congenital conditions or due to hysterectomy
• Malformations in the uterus
• Inexplicable recurrent pregnancy loss
• Repeated (IVF) implantation failures
• Medical conditions such as heart disease, severe diabetes, breast cancer etc. that make pregnancy life threatening for the mother and the baby.

Who can be a surrogate?

The general requirements for a surrogate are as follows

• Between 23 years and 35 years of age
• No smoking or illicit drug use
• Have at least one child of her own
• Have no history of STDs in at least 12 previous months

How are the embryos created?

Embryos are created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) for the process of surrogacy. The resulting child is genetically unrelated to the surrogate. Genetically, the child is related to the intended parents depending on the circumstances mentioned below:

• The embryo is created using the intended father's sperm and the intended mother's eggs. The resulting child is genetically related to both intended parents.
• The embryo is created using the intended father's sperm and a donor egg where the donor is not the surrogate. The resulting child is genetically related to the intended father.
• The embryo is created using the intended mother's egg and donor sperm. The resulting child is genetically related to the intended mother.
• The embryo is created using donor egg and donor sperm. The resulting child is genetically unrelated to the intended parent(s).

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Step by step process

Outlining requirements

Before beginning the surrogacy process, the following aspects need to be decided:

• Whether donor sperm and/or eggs are needed?

  The infertility specialist will advise the options based on the medical history, diagnosis and evaluation of the intended couple.

• Whether a surrogate has been identified?

  In case a surrogate has been identified by the intended parents, the infertility specialist will examine and confirm her suitability before starting the process.

Identify the surrogate

This involves collection of personal information and medical examination to confirm the suitability of the women intending to be a surrogate.

Complete the legal requirements

Once a surrogate and intended parents have decided to move forward together, they will need to make it official by drafting a legal contract. We will discuss your legal rights and the possible risks. Intended parents and surrogate may review the legal aspects of the surrogacy. Contracts will be signed once everyone agrees to its terms. Once the contracts are signed, it will be time to move into the next phase - fertilization and pregnancy. After the first trimester, we will work with you to establish you as the legal / biological parents of your child, which will allow you to include your names on the birth certificate which is an important step in declaring the child as legally / biologically yours.

Begin the fertilization & embryo transfer process (IVF - ET)

Once contracts have been signed, it is time to begin medical procedures to prepare for the embryo transfer.The medical procedures required will depend on your circumstances and whether you are using an egg donor. The intended mother or egg donor will be given medication to help her develop eggs and will undergo an egg retrieval procedure. The eggs are then fertilized in the laboratory using sperm from the intended father or a donor, as the case maybe, to create an embryo. The embryos are incubated and assessed for development prior to being transferred to the surrogate mother. The surrogate will undergo preparatory treatments prior to the embryo transfer.

Pregnancy confirmation

Once a healthy pregnancy is confirmed and the baby’s heartbeat is evident, the surrogate will begin receiving prenatal care, which will continue throughout the pregnancy.

Welcome your baby

The birth of the baby is a life-changing event for both the surrogate and the intended parents. After the baby is born and the surrogate is discharged from the hospital, the new family and surrogate can all return to their respective homes, the parents with their and the surrogate with the satisfaction of giving the selfless gift of parenthood to someone who couldn’t do it on their own.

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Benefits of surrogacy for everyone involved

Surrogacy is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience for both the surrogate and the intended parents. Surrogacy means something different to each person it touches. For intended parents, it is the chance to finally complete their family and realize their dreams of parenthood. For surrogates, it is the chance of a lifetime to give selflessly to another family who needs them. For both parties, surrogacy is an extraordinary journey and a deeply rewarding experience unlike any other.

Benefits for Intended Parents Here are just a few surrogacy benefits that intended parents enjoy:

• Surrogacy allows infertile couples to become parents when they may not be able to have children otherwise.
• In most cases, surrogacy allows one or both parents to be biologically related to their child.
• Surrogacy gives hopeful parents the opportunity to raise a child from birth.
• Intended parents are involved throughout the pregnancy experience and are able to be present for many key milestones, from the embryo transfer to their baby’s birth.
• Intended parents may face fewer restrictions with surrogacy than with adoption; those who cannot adopt due to agency restrictions can still pursue surrogacy.
• Surrogates have already carried other pregnancies and have a proven uterus, increasing their chances of successfully carrying a surrogate pregnancy. This may make surrogacy more likely to be successful than fertility treatments for intended parents.
• Surrogacy gives intended parents more control and peace of mind throughout the pregnancy than they usually have with fertility treatments or adoption.

While surrogacy is not without its challenges for intended parents, it is often the answer to years of hard work and frustration for hopeful couples and individuals who have tried unsuccessfully to add to their families.

Benefits for Surrogate Mothers

Surrogacy can be a physically and emotionally demanding experience, and it takes a special person to be a surrogate for another family. However, the women who choose surrogacy agree that seeing a completed family at the end of their journey is the ultimate reward that makes it all worthwhile.

Here are some of the main ways surrogacy can benefit these amazing women:

• Surrogates enjoy a deep sense of personal satisfaction and pride knowing they have helped another family in such an incredible and life-altering way.
• All of the surrogate’s expenses are paid for and reimbursed throughout the pregnancy, including healthcare and counseling services.

Services offered at MOMSOON

• Counseling / Consultation with the infertility specialist to outline the requirements
• Screening of surrogate
• Fulfill the legal requirements
• IVF with own gametes or IVF with donor gametes if required
• Embryo Transfer to surrogate

Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021

Cost of surrogacy in India

As per the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021, only altruistic surrogacy is permitted in India. The expenditure for procedures such as IVF, ICSI & ET, consultations, scans, blood tests & medications for preparation, etc will be borne by the intended couple. The cost of surrogacy in India is approximately Rs 15L to 20L considering three attempts. Additionally, the medical expenditure and health insurance for the surrogate mother adds up to the cost of surrogacy in India.