Surrogacy on rise in Uttar Pradesh

Gorakhpur, Sep 2 (ANI): Sheela, six months pregnant, is like any other expecting mother, except that the child in her womb does not belong to her. When she gives birth three months later, the baby will be handed over to the biological parents.

Like Sheela, there are many women in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, who are renting their wombs to childless couples keen on starting their families.

These women are more than happy to help couples, who are not blessed with a baby and are desperate to have one.

"If I can help someone and give a baby to a childless couple then I am more than happy to do that," said Sumitra, a surrogate mother.

More and more childless couples in Gorakhpur are seeking the help of surrogate mothers to expand their brood.

"We did whatever the doctors asked us and now we have a year-old girl child and we are very happy," said Inderabala, a woman who had her baby through surrogate mother.

Doctors said that since the number of Tuberculosis patients is high in Purvanchal region, which is one of the reasons of infertility, the demand for surrogacy is on rise.

"The demand for surrogacy is on rise and there are many patients waiting for surrogate mother but since many people out here are ignorant about surrogacy we try other ways to give a baby to a childless couple. But we also tell the patients that if they can get a surrogate mother then it will be a blessing for them.

Moreover in Purvanchal, there are more cases of Tuberculosis, which is one of the causes of infertility and that's the reason why surrogacy is in demand,' said Surita Karim, a gynaecologist

The Indian Law Commission has recently recommended to the central government to enact legislation to regulate the Assisted Reproductive technology (ART) clinics, as well as the rights and obligations of parties to a surrogacy. (ANI)