Surrogacy process: What you need to know

Commercial surrogacy has come a long way in India since it was legalized in 2002. Studies estimate between 13 million to 19 million Indian couples are likely to face fertility problems. Moreover, in 40% cases, it’s the male who is infertile while in 50% cases, it’s the female. In around 5% of cases, both the male and female are equally responsible.
These figures point to a growing demand for surrogacy in India. In surrogacy, another woman carries your child for you in case you’re not able to. Using IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), embryos are first created in the lab (using either your own sperm and eggs or those from donors) and then transferred to the surrogate mother’s uterus.
There are two types of surrogacy. The first is gestational surrogacy while the second is known as traditional surrogacy. To qualify for either of the two types, a surrogate mother needs to be of good physical and mental health. Furthermore, she needs to be a non-smoker and must be aged between 21 and 38. These are essential factors to ensure the optimum health of the baby as well as the surrogate mother herself.