Finding a Surrogate Mother in India

Are you willing to have your baby through a surrogate mother?

Surrogacy is beneficial for those couples who are unable to conceive naturally or by assisted techniques like IVF, IUI, ICSI etc. In India, couples are allowed to adopt for surrogacy if they are unable to conceive naturally or when assisted conception means rules out. 

With the process of surrogacy, a lot of parents are blessed with a child. The surrogate pregnancy procedure makes it possible to extract eggs & sperm from the intended parents and fertilize under suitable conditions in the laboratory. Later, the healthy foetus is planted in the womb of a surrogate mother. The surrogate mother then carries the baby for 9 months (until birth). 

Types of Surrogate Mothers

Traditional Surrogate:

In this type of surrogacy, the father’s sperm is artificially inseminated into the surrogate’s vagina. The fertilization procedure would be normal and after conception, the surrogate mother carries the baby until birth.
This is a traditional method of surrogacy and the surrogate is the biological mother of the baby.This is because the egg of the surrogate was fertilized with the father’s sperm.

Gestational Surrogate:

Because of the surrogate mother being the biological mother of the baby, traditional surrogacy was not opted by a lot of couples. They wanted to have their biological baby. So, with the advancement in technology now it is possible to extract eggs from the mother and sperm from the father. The gametes are fertilized by a technique called in-vitro fertilization. After fertilization, the embryo is placed into the uterus of the gestational surrogate.

The surrogate mother then carries the baby until birth and would be its birth mother. Because the wasn’t of the surrogate that was used during fertilization, the surrogate mother would not have any genetic ties to the baby. This is also referred to as IVF surrogacy.
In India, gestational surrogacy is more common because the parents would have the genetic ties to the child. Unlike the traditional surrogacy in which the surrogate was the biological mother of the child.

Qualifying Criterias for a Surrogate Mother

• The surrogate mother should be psychologically fit and medically healthy.
• Age of the surrogate should be preferably between 22 to 32yrs.
• The surrogate should have a proven fertility history.
• She should have at least one but not more than two children of her own without any serious complications in her previous pregnancies.
• The last pregnancy should be at least 1.5 to 2 years ago.
• Surrogate's husband and family should be supportive of her decision to become a surrogate mother.
• The surrogate mother should not have any habits which are detrimental to pregnancy like drinking, smoking etc.
• She should be fully convinced about relinquishing her rights over the baby once it's born.

Legal Surrogacy Process in India

In India, commercial surrogacy was grown into a multi-million industry. Therefore, commercial surrogacy has been made illegal in India. However, surrogacy is allowed:

• When it is altruistic
• When it is not for commercial purposes
• For couples who suffer from proven infertility
• When not for producing children for sale, prostitution or other forms of exploitation
• For any condition or disease specified through regulations

Top Doctors for the Surrogacy in Delhi

CureIndia helps you choose the right doctor for your medical treatment. Most of the doctors in our associated hospitals have been internationally trained and are active members of many international medical councils and associations. Let's hear from some of the most reputed doctor's for the treatment of infertility in women in India.

1. Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour

Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour is an MBBS, MD – Obstetrics & Gynecology, DNB – Medical Genetics. She is a renowned Gynecologist, Obstetrician and Fertility Specialist that has 17 years of experience in this profession and has treated thousands of couples. Dr. Gour has completed her medical & Obstetrical qualifications from Mumbai in the year 2000 and to add in her accolades, she was also involved in the treatment of the first cases of legal surrogacy in India

2. Dr. Astha Gupta

Dr Aastha Gupta is an obstetrician, gynaecologist, fertility doctor and IVF consultant, associated with Delhi IVF and Fertility Research Centre. The clinic treats infertility in both men and women using the procedures such as IUI, IVF, IVF- Egg donation, surrogacy, endoscopy (Hysteroscopy / Laparoscopy), stem cell therapy, and associated therapies. She has performed more than 5000 ova pick up procedure & has also assisted more than 4200 fertility-enhancing endoscopy procedures. As a fertility doctor, she has also contributed to many studies in the research centre like repeated implant failure, the role of G-CSF in poor endometrial lining & response, the role of adjuvant therapies like prophylactic curettage etc

Dr. Gauri Agarwal

Dr. Gauri Agarwal is a leading fertility specialist and surrogacy doctor in Delhi/NCR. Backed by visionary thinking, die-hard determination and industry rich experience of more than 10 years. She followed this with a hard-earned fellowship program in reproductive medicine (Infertility) from University of Fent, Belgium and further received training in embryology at Natinal university of Singapore.

FAQ’s on Surrogacy

Who uses a surrogate mother?

According to the new guidelines issued by ICMR, couples are allowed to opt for surrogacy in India if the natural & medical conditions rule out for conception. Some of the medical conditions are as follows:

• Uterine conditions: Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser syndrome, uterus removal, small or abnormal, deformity (fibroids) etc.
• Pelvic: Pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, etc.
• Fertility: Multiple Miscarriage & failed IVF cycles
• Systemic: Heart condition (cardiomyopathy), renal (transplants), epilepsy, diabetes, etc.
• Advanced age

How to select the right surrogate?

The Surrogate Screening Process is as follows :

Background Check & Documentation

The eligible surrogate mothers have to undergo a detailed background check and also need to submit documentation in relation to their name, proof of residence, date of birth, spousal details, bank details, no.of children etc.

Medical Screening

At our centres, all the surrogate mothers are provided with proper counselling & are explained all the complications which can arise out of a pregnancy. They are given extensive medical counselling through our team of fertility specialists and undergo various medical tests like chest X-Ray, ECG, hormone profiling, pelvic condition etc.

Legal Counselling

Counselling is given to the surrogate mother and her husband to make them understand all the nuances of the surrogacy. For their easy understanding, the contract is signed in a language they are most comfortable in. 
Terms of Payment: All financial aspects are explained in detail to the surrogate and her husband. All the payments are made directly by the intended parents to the Surrogate in her name.

Psychological Screening

Extensive psychological screening is done to check whether the surrogate mother is psychologically and mentally fit to carry out the entire process till the handing over of the baby.

How does the surrogacy procedure is carried out in India?

For the details for the surrogacy procedure in India, please refer:

 https://www.cureindia.com/en/treatments/ivf-surrogacy-cost-in-india#ivf-surrogacy-in-india

Where to find a surrogate mother?

• SURROGACY AGENCIES AND MATCHING PROFESSIONALS
• SURROGACY CLINICS
• SURROGACY ATTORNEYS
• NETWORKING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
• ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS AND CLASSIFIEDS

We think we have found our amazing surrogate, now what?

After finding the right surrogate for you, you can go on with the surrogacy procedure. If you are planning to go for gestational surrogacy, your surrogate would undergo IVF to conceive. The majority of couples for this method only when it comes to surrogacy. Please note that, even if altruistic surrogacy is legal in India, not all IVF centres perform surrogacy. In that case you can contact CureIndia if you want to discuss your options and we will find the best infertility specialists in your region to perform surrogacy for you.

What surrogate cost would you have to bear?

While opting for surrogacy, you have to take care of the surrogate mother and should bear the cost of procedures to impregnate her. Therefore, you would have to cover the cost for the following:

• Screening tests
• Egg collection
• IVF Process
• Embryo transfer
• Personal toiletries
• Medical consultations
• Delivery of the baby
• Injections and other medication
• Blood tests and scans during the pregnancy
• Post delivery care for 3 months
• Insurance for the surrogate
• Medications before, during & after egg collection, embryo transfer and during the entire pregnancy period

The following costs are exclusive of:

Donor egg or sperm, if required
Hospital stay, medication and care if the surrogate develops complications during pregnancy

Will the baby look like the surrogate mother?

It totally depends on the type of surrogacy you’ll opt for. If you opt for traditional surrogacy, the child will look like the surrogate. If you’ll opt for gestational surrogacy, the child would look like the sperm and egg donor i.e. the intendended couples.