Source: Medical Daily
Surrogacy has become a booming business in India. Infertile couples, same-sex couples, and single people seeking to have babies on their own have been flocking to the country, paying local women a good amount of money to carry and birth their children. As more money gets pumped into what many call the “rent-a-womb” industry, doctors and public officials believe that rules surrounding these surrogacy arrangements need to be tightened.
Foreigners who would have to pay a lot more for fertility procedures in their home countries have turned to India to make their dreams of having a child come true.
Medical expenses and surrogate’s fee add up to about $12,000 in India. Compare that to about $70,000 in the U.S. (where many states don’t even legally recognize surrogacy agreements), and you’ve got a reason for those desiring to be parents to turn to the rent-a-womb industry in India.
Activists who oppose India’s surrogacy industry say that it is an opportunity for wealthy foreigners to take advantage of impoverished Indian women. They’ve even been called “baby factories” for the rich.
With this in mind, the Indian government is taking action to regulate the industry as best as it can. In July, the government revised its visa requirements so that same-sex couples and single people can’t come to the country for the sole purpose of using a woman to carry their child. Now, officials want to go a step further by introducing the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) bill. The bill would place age restrictions on surrogates, provide them with insurance, and require that contracts be signed and notarized by both the surrogates and the parents.
Surrogacy has become a booming business in India. Infertile couples, same-sex couples, and single people seeking to have babies on their own have been flocking to the country, paying local women a good amount of money to carry and birth their children. As more money gets pumped into what many call the “rent-a-womb” industry, doctors and public officials believe that rules surrounding these surrogacy arrangements need to be tightened.
Foreigners who would have to pay a lot more for fertility procedures in their home countries have turned to India to make their dreams of having a child come true.
Medical expenses and surrogate’s fee add up to about $12,000 in India. Compare that to about $70,000 in the U.S. (where many states don’t even legally recognize surrogacy agreements), and you’ve got a reason for those desiring to be parents to turn to the rent-a-womb industry in India.
Activists who oppose India’s surrogacy industry say that it is an opportunity for wealthy foreigners to take advantage of impoverished Indian women. They’ve even been called “baby factories” for the rich.
With this in mind, the Indian government is taking action to regulate the industry as best as it can. In July, the government revised its visa requirements so that same-sex couples and single people can’t come to the country for the sole purpose of using a woman to carry their child. Now, officials want to go a step further by introducing the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) bill. The bill would place age restrictions on surrogates, provide them with insurance, and require that contracts be signed and notarized by both the surrogates and the parents.
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