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Hope Diaries extraordinary IVF journeys @ KIC(

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We found out about Surrogacy in India after years ofpainful disappointment including several miscar-riages and failed cycles in the USA and finally weretold that I could never carry a pregnancy to term be-cause of problems with my uterus. With lots of re-search and communications with several clinics allover India through Internet and various blogs we de-cided to opt for the Kiran Infertility Centre, Hyder-abad, India and couldn't be happier about our

decision. We started our journey around April of 2011by signing our agreement and providing our gametesfor IVF and embryo transfer. We knew this was meantto be when we got pregnant at the very first attempt!New parents and without knowing much about surro-gacy we had many questions that Dr. Samit Sekharand our case manager Anjani kumar answered withpatience and understanding. We waited anxiously forthe ultrasounds and reports of our baby every weekand before we knew,we were part of thethousand strong fam-ily at the Kiran Infertil-ity Centre and sharingwith several coupleslike ourselves the mostimportant experienceof our lives. Our babyboy Joshua was born afew weeks early and although that created some anxi-ety on our side, the support of everyone at the KiranInfertility Centre was what we expected and more. We can't thank enough Dr. Samit Sekhar, Dr. KiranSekhar, Dr. Pratima Grover and case manager AnjaniKumar and everyone else who helped us become afamily. We are planning on a brother or sister forJoshua soon and, Kiran Infertility Centre is where wewill go for that!

claudia.cruz@interdyn.com

Parents: Claudia & Edisson

Country: USA

Doctor: Dr. Samit Sekhar

Clinic: Kiran Fertility Centre (P) Ltd.,

Hyderabad, India

www.kiranivfgenetic.com

QUICK FACTS

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Tell us something about the latest arrival ion Man-nat- your son AbRam?Amidst all the noise that has been going around at ourbungalow Mannat, the sweetest is the one made byour new-born baby, AbRam.

How is the health of AbRam?He was born prematurely by several months but hasfinally come home. My wife Gauri, my son Aryan anddaughter Suhana and our whole family have beendealing with his health issues for a long time now.

Why did you not prefer to talk about AbRam when themedia hounded you some time back?As a family our silence on this subject has been be-cause of the personal nature of emotional strife thatwe have been going through due to his health.

How did you cope up with the critical situation whenAbRam’s health was not improving?Though as trying were the times, we never lost hopethat life always brings with it. It is thanks to Dr. JatinShah for his expertise and contribution that AbRambecame hale and hearty. We also wish to thank all theother doctors, nurses and medical staff who havemade his life possible.

There were a lot of speculations in the media that youhad opted for sex determination for your child?Just to put the record straight there was no sex deter-mination for our child. The baby was born much be-fore the speculations of ‘sex determination’ and other‘issues’ pertaining to the same were being raised in themedia by some organisations.

You stand vindicated now though the media had ac-cused you earlier?Suffice to say his coming home puts to rest completelyfalse and at times insensitive claims of sex determina-tion and alleged illegalities, but then it is our duty toapologise to all those other doctors and hospitals, whohad to face unwanted scrutiny and questioning bysome parties.

Can you divulge more details about AbRam?Our son is a surrogate baby and the entire process isbound by strict confidentiality. We would appeal to all,to allow us to cherish this private moment as a family.

What is your biggest regret after the arrival of AbRamin your life?It seems unfortunate that I have to explain/clarify somany aspects for our new-born baby. We wish it werejust a simple message of happiness on behalf of thefamily.

What next on the home front?They say a baby is God’s opinion that the world should

go on. Post this statement, I hope we all move on too.

Do you think Rohit Shetty is capable of making a ro-mantic film?What is sweet about this film is that it sets out to con-vey the subtle message that when a boy and a girl arein love, there is absolutely no need for any languagefor communication between them. Rohit is the only brand director in our country, theway Yashji was earlier. I wanted to be part of Rohit’sworld and hence I asked him to direct CHENNAI EX-PRESS for me. I’d not at all hesitate to go 0n record tosay that he is India’s answer to Christopher Nolan andWoody Allen, because he makes films on a big scale.

How tough was it for you to study Tamil to get into theskin of your role in CHENNAI EXPRESS?In the last two decades of my career as an actor, I haveworked with quite a few Tamilians like A.R. Rahman,Mani Ratnam, Mani Kandan and Malayalis like San-tosh Sivan and Resul Pookutty and hence I was notunfamiliar with the language, though it did take mesome time to learn my dialogues in Tamil.

Do you think that filmmaking has seen a sea changeover the last 67 years ever since we became Independ-ent?There has definitely been a paradigm shift as far as ap-proach is concerned. It is definitely for the better, be-cause we have to keep pace with the change in times.Why should we keep on making the kind of patrioticfilms which were valid at that point of time, because,besides the fact that the masses have to face differentissues these days, the generation of actors also havecome who have an entirely different line of thinking.When Amitji strode on the scene with ZANJEER, theentire nation started playing to the tune of the angryyoung man but when the economy of the country wasin good shape in the 90’s , the pyar mohabbat eracame along. Today what plagues our country is overinformation and under utilization of the right infor-mation.

What next?My next film as a producer will be Happy New Year tobe directed by Farha Khan. It is a modern patrioticfilm starring me and Deepika Padukone with BomanIrani, Abhishek Bachchan and Vivan Shah.

Amidst all thenoise that hasbeen goingaround, thesweetest is theone made byour new-bornbaby, AbRam

Talking to Jyothi Venkatesh at his bungalow Mannat, Shah RukhKhan talks about how he and his family had coped with theanxiety over his son AbRam’s health till he came home to hisbungalow Mannat and his exuberation at the unprecedentedsuccess of his latest film CHENNAI EXPRESS.

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When a couple is diagnosed as infertile,initial thoughts are often directed towardthe woman. She can’t conceive. She issomehow incomplete. But the reality isthat infertility factors are equally sharedbetween men and women. What’s more isthat men’s infertility is a common con-cern. The idea that infertility is entirely awomen’s issue is just one of a few recy-cled myths regarding the ability to con-ceive. Here are a few more.

Having sex daily will increase yourchances of conceptionFor many men out there, debunking thiscommon myth may be cause for commo-tion (warning: may result in less sex). Thetruth is that conceiving is all about tim-ing. Generally, the best time to conceiveis from the 11th to the 17th day of awoman’s menstrual cycle. Since a man’ssperm can live for 48 to 72 hours in awoman’s reproductive tract, having sexdaily will therefore do little to improvefertility - a notion confirmed by a recentstudy that found no difference in preg-nancy rates between couples that had sexdaily and those who had sex every otherday. Another study suggests that daily sexmay improve the quality of sperm, sowhile it may not increase your chances ofconception, it might not hurt either.

Men don’t have fertility cyclesGenerally speaking, the time of year andtime of day can affect a man’s spermcount. Sperm counts are higher in thewinter and lower in the summer, possiblybecause sperm production is increased incooler temperatures. Sperm counts formen are also highest in the morning, mir-roring the time when male hormone lev-els are also at a daily high. Despite theseobservations, experts do not really agreewhether the time of day or year have aneffect on fertility rates when looking atthe big picture.

Bicycling doesn’t affect fertilityBefore you take a crowbar to your bike inanger, this myth needs a little explana-tion. Sitting on a bicycle saddle for morethan 30 minutes at a time - especially ifwearing tight bicycle shorts - raises scro-tal temperatures and temporarily affects

sperm production. It’s the raising of scro-tal temperatures that is mostly to blame.This is why it is ill-advised for men to fre-quent the hot tub or sauna when hopingto conceive. Even sitting with a laptop onyour lap for prolonged periods may de-crease sperm counts. The key is to takefrequent breaks from sitting, and whencycling, choose a seat that's not too hardor narrow and adjust it so that the weightis on your butt bones.

Lubricants won’t speed up spermLubricants decrease friction, which in-creases the pleasure of sex, but they won’thelp you get pregnant. In fact, using lu-bricants can actually be counterproduc-tive as they can interfere with spermmotility and may have ingredients thatare toxic to sperm. The same is true forlotions and even saliva. Despite this,many couples rely on lubricants for sex;steer clear of all such products when at-tempting conception. If an alternative isneeded, vegetable oils are sometimes rec-ommended to couples, but a doctorshould be consulted in determining thebest available option.

When it comes to weight, only an excess affects spermMost men know that obesity can affectsperm production, but the lesser-knownfact is that being too thin can reducesperm count as well. Being underweightis believed to affect sperm because it islinked to hormonal imbalances as well asmalnutrition. Findings from studiesshowed that men with an optimal BMI(Body Mass Index) of 20 to 25 had higherlevels of normal sperm than those whowere either overweight or underweight. Ifyou have a low BMI then it may not be abad idea to discuss healthy ways of gain-ing weight with a nutritionist or doctor.

Get busy with the factsInfertility is a topic shrouded in myth andmisconception. The few misconceptionspresented here only scratch the surfaceand it should therefore be the prerogativeof any prospective parent to get theirfacts straight before attempting concep-tion. Because, contrary to popular belief,getting pregnant is not always easy.

Male FertilityMYTHS

Get your fertility facts straight, because, contrary to popularbelief, getting pregnant is not always easy.

We had been married for 3 years whenI had an operation which led to us notbeing able to have biological childrenthe natural way. We started to lookinto possible infertility centers inIndia. It was fantastic having someonelocal (Hyderabad) who could actuallyhave a look at prospective clinics andfinally recommended Kiran InfertilityCenter in Hyderabad because the firstimpression he had of the clinic wasvery professional and helpful.Unfortunately, I had only producedtwo reasonably good eggs which ulti-mately failed to lead to a pregnancy.We were devastated, but the clinicgave us the option of using an Ameri-can egg donor they had worked withsuccessfully before.We were sent a picture of the lady withher beautiful girl. We immediately hadthe feeling that this was the rightchoice for us. The lady travelled to Hy-derabad a few weeks later, three goodquality eggs were implanted into oursurrogate and two weeks later we re-ceived the fantastic news - we were

pregnant!!!At the end of February we travelled toHyderabad again and on March 1 wefinally met our two beautiful boys. Asthey were four weeks premature theyhad to spend 4 days at a state of theart children's hospital just around thecorner from the clinic where theywere looked after perfectly.We then had to apply for passports forour sons which was a relativelylengthy process, but we got all thesupport we needed from Dr. Samitand his team. We are now back homewith our boys and can not imagine lifewithout them anymore.We are so glad we decided to go aheadwith the surrogacy process at KiranInfertility Center and will always begrateful to everyone involved in mak-ing our dream come true - everyone atthe clinic, the egg donor and of coursethe lady who was prepared to give usthe most precious gift of all - a familyof our own! To get in touch with Bret and Anna,contact Bret.Anna@yahoo.com

In today’s impatient and fast-paced society, stress seems tohave become a constant factor.

If left unchecked, it can damageour physical and mental health. Learning how to effectively managestress can mean the difference be-tween being robust and full of life,or becoming susceptible to illnessand disease. Stress can weaken theimmune system and accelerate theaging process. The ability to relaxand rejuvenate promotes wellness,vitality and longevity.A healthy immune system regulatesour body’s healing process and pro-tects it against infections and dis-eases. When stress compromisesour immune function, it can result

in colds, flu, fatigue, cardiovasculardisorders and premature aging.This, in turn leads to increase inanxiety and depression. Protecting the immune system is avital part of living longer, feelingyounger and being healthy. Beat stress and slow down thehands of time with these naturalremedies.1. Walking and physical activityRegular exercise and a physical ac-tivity like dancing, gardening, cy-cling, swimming, or weightliftingstrengthens your immune system,cardiovascular system, heart, mus-cles and bones. It also stimulatesthe release of endorphins, improvesmental functioning, concentra-

tion/attention and cognitive per-formance, and lowers cholesterol,blood pressure, cortisol and otherstress hormones. Three 10-minuteworkout sessions during the dayare just as effective as one 30-minute workout, and a lot easier tofit into a busy schedule. 2. Yoga and stretchingThe slow movements and con-trolled postures of yoga improvemuscle strength, flexibility, range ofmotion, balance, breathing, bloodcirculation and promote mentalfocus, clarity and calmness.Stretching also reduces mental andphysical stress, tension and anxiety,promotes good sleep, lowers bloodpressure and slows down your

Recharge and Relax

NATURALLY

HeAltH & WellbeINg

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My InCrEDIBLE jOUrnEyAT KIrAn InFErTILITy CEnTrE

By Bret and Anna Parker

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heart rate.3. Hand hygiene. The most effectivemeasure in preventing the spreadof microorganisms that cause in-fections is good hand hygiene.Washing your hands with soap andwater as soon as you come homeand always before you eat greatlyreduces your exposure infections.In case you cannot wash yourhands when you are away fromhome, carry hand wipes or sanitiz-ers with you to control microbialexposure and transmission. 4. Laughter and humour. There istruth to the saying that laughter isthe best medicine. Laughing re-

duces stress hormones like adrena-line (epinephrine) and cortisol andbenefits your immune system byincreasing the number and activityof Natural Killer T-cells. These cellsact as the first line of defenceagainst viral attacks and damagedcells. Find humour in things andengage in activities that make youlaugh. 5. High nutrient diet. Eat foods richin antioxidants (like vitamins A, C,E and lycopene), omega-3 fattyacids, and folate. Antioxidants fightand neutralize free radicals thatdamage cells and cause heart dis-ease, cancer and premature aging.Omega-3 fatty acids (a polyunsatu-rated fat) help in preventing andcontrolling high cholesterol, hyper-tension, heart disease, stroke, can-cer, diabetes, depression,inflammatory and auto-immunedisorders. Folate prevents age-related cogni-

tive decline, damage to blood ves-sels and brain cells by lowering ho-mocysteine levels. It also ensuresDNA integrity (important as we ageand when pregnant) and promoteshealthy red blood cells. Foods sources rich in these three

magical nutrients are as follows:Antioxidants - pumpkin, sweet po-tatoes, carrots, grapefruit, blueber-ries, strawberries, watermelon,oranges, capsicum (red and green),tomatoes, broccoli, sunflowerseeds, almonds and olive oil.Omega-3 fatty acids - ground flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, soybeansand pumpkin seeds.Folate - dark green leafy vegetables(turnip greens, mustard greens,spinach, lettuce, etc), beans,legumes, asparagus, Brusselssprouts, beets and lady finger.6. Music. Listening to your favoritemusic is a great method of reducingstress and relieving anxiety. Yourpreference in music determineswhich types of soothing sounds willbest reduce your tension, bloodpressure, and promote feelings oftranquility. Pay attention to howyou feel when you hear a particularsong or genre of music, and keeplistening to the ones that produce arelaxing effect.7. Sleep. Getting enough soundsleep has a profound impact onyour stress levels, immune functionand disease resistance. A chroniclack of sleep can leave you feelingsluggish, irritable, forgetful and ac-cident-prone. You will have diffi-culty concentrating or coping withlife’s daily aggravations. Long-termsleep loss can also result in heartdisease, stroke, hypertension, de-

pression, and anxiety. Sleep time iswhen your body and immune sys-tem do most of its repairs and reju-venation. Strive to get 7-8 hours ofsleep each night. 8. Positive thinking. Optimism cancounteract the negative impactstress, tension and anxiety have onyour immune system and well-being. Having a positive attitude,finding the good in what life throwsyour way and looking at the brightside of things enhances your abilityto effectively manage stress.9. Tea. Regularly drinking teathroughout the day can helpstrengthen your immune systemand your body’s ability to fight offgerms and infections. Both greenand black teas contain a beneficialamino acid called L-theanine,which can increase the infectionfighting capacity of gamma delta Tcells. L-theanine also promotes asense of relaxation, calmness andwell-being by influencing the re-lease and concentration of neuro-transmitters (like dopamine,serotonin and GABA) in the brain. 10. Hydrotherapy. Relaxing in a hotbath relieves sore muscles andjoints, reduces stress and tension,and promotes a good night’s sleep.Add some soothing music, softlighting and naturally scented bathsalts or bubble bath/bath foam tocreate an inexpensive and conven-ient spa experience in the privacyof your own home.

HEALTH RECIPETo get you started on immunity-boosting nutrients, try this recipefrom Monique N Gilbert. It is high inantioxidants, fiber and Omega-3fatty acids.Banana Strawberry Power Smoothie1 frozen ripe banana1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)1/2 cup orange juice1/2 cup soymilk2 tablespoons canned pumpkin1 tablespoon ground flax seeds1 tablespoon honey (optional)Blend all ingredients in a foodprocessor or blender for 1-2 min-utes, until smooth and creamy.Enjoy! Makes about 2-3/4 cups (2servings)

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MIRACLE MOTHERS

Surrogacy is the last option for infertile couples. India, since 2002, developed into thesurrogacy destination of the world. Recent events however threaten this unregulatedindustry as a whole, the livelihood of thousands of surrogate mothers and the lasthope of intending parents. A misplaced moralistic bias of the western media and aknee-jerk reaction by the government has thrown the entire industry in disarray.

Our Consultant Editor, Ratan Mani Lal, explains the complexities...

surrogACy

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Having a child’s of one’s own isthe most basic and overpow-ering desire of most individ-

uals. This desire is universalregardless of race and communityand has its roots in the very reasonfor human existence.Imagine the darkness in the lives ofthose who for some reason – biolog-ical or otherwise – cannot have chil-dren of their own through theirpartner. The trauma can be killingand in pages of history there arecountless tales when actually liveshave been lost and people have beenkilled on this account.But what if there is a possibility of aman - or a woman – to have a childof his/her own genetic make-upwith the help of someone who couldcarry the child for the entire periodof pregnancy and till childbirth, ofcourse at a consideration?The question has churned the mindsof many a writer and at the base ofmany a work of fiction. But today,the practice of women carryingsomeone else’s child for the full termof confinement has become abooming industry with many citiesin India having gained prominenceonly because of such clinics.According to a 2012 study by theConfederation of Indian Industry

(CII), the sector is worth $2 billion,despite being completely unregu-lated. The CII study estimated thatnearly 10,000 foreign couples visitIndia for reproductive services inover 3,000 fertility clinics acrossIndia. And nearly 30% of all such vis-itors are either single or homosex-ual. However, the actual economicscale of surrogacy in India remainsunknown because of the absence ofa machinery to regulate it.Surrogacy costs in India range fromRs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, or about USD15,000. In the US, it would cost atleast $80,000, the biggest expensesbeing living costs for the surrogatemother, insurance and legal fees. Surrogacy has not only arrived inIndia but arrived and established it-self in a big way with big bucks atstake. And with this growth has

come the clamour to regulate the in-dustry with the help of a statute Billhas gained. A draft Bill in this regardis under consideration of the Gov-ernment.If Government sources are to be be-lieved, the law should be such thatsurrogacy should be an option avail-able only to married, infertile cou-ples of Indian origin. This leaves outforeigners, who account for 40 percent of the surrogacy clientele, aswell as gay or unmarried couples.This hyper-activism on the part ofthe Health Ministry to put regulatorymeasures on surrogacy appears mis-directed, say IVF experts. Revisedvisa requirements introduced in Julyhave already resulted in foreignsame-sex couples and individualsbeing prohibited from surrogacy inIndia. The ART bill, expected to

come before Parliament next year,will tighten things further.Some feel this knee-jerk reaction bythe government will cause moredamage than good. There is a wide-spread belief that the government isresponding to a biased westernmedia and certain vested interests.The problem is that western moral-ity is clashing with Indian realities.This is not to say that there is noneed for regulation. Commercialsurrogacy has acquired the dimen-sions of an industry in India anddraws thousands of foreigners everyyear, largely because it is unregu-lated and cheaper than in othercountries. However, success storiesfrom centres in Gujarat, Maharash-tra or even Kolkata are accompaniedby harrowing stories of exploitationfrom elsewhere. In many cases, it isfound that surrogate mothers,mostly poor and illiterate, are often

made tolive in se-c r e c y ,crowdedi n t oc l o s e l yguarded“homes”and allowed limited access to theirfamilies. In a country with high ma-ternal mortality rates and few repro-ductive rights, surrogate mothers aredoubly vulnerable.However, the fact that this industryis a foreign exchange earner andgives direct and indirect jobs (andmeans of sustenance) to hundredsof thousands of people, has evokedstrong reactions with some organi-zations issuing a note of cautioncondemning surrogacy as such andurging people to go natural. On theother end is the group of women’srights activists who strongly feel that

surrogacy is an attack on women’srights, and this commercializationhurts the rights of women to theirbodies.The debate rages on, and in itsmidst, hundreds of hopefuls from allover the world flock to fertility clin-ics in cities across India in search ofsurrogate women who will carry thechild and deliver it to the paying par-ents. Experts who run surrogacyclinics reiterate that surrogacy inIndia is only available to womenwho cannot physically carry a child.It is not available to women who aretoo busy or too posh to push. “Such

The Centre for Social Research(CSR), an advocacy group forhuman and other rights, in a reportreleased in 2012, provides an in-sight into the rise of surrogacy inIndia, and the emergence of Indiaas a popular destination for cou-ples seeking surrogate mothers.The report, titled “Surrogacy Moth-erhood: Ethical or Commercial” issupposed to be based on a studyconducted in Gujarat. According to Manasi Mishra, headof research at CSR and the lead au-thor of the report, “Cheap medicalfacilities, advanced reproductivetechnological know-how, coupledwith poor socio-economic condi-tions, and a lack of regulatory lawsin India, combines to make Indiaan attractive option” for those seek-ing a child through surrogacy. Thereport says that there is a growing

demand for “fair-skinned, educatedyoung women” to become surro-gate mothers for foreign couples.The average cost of surrogacy, ac-cording to this report, is around$10,000-30,000 (about Rs 6 lakh toRs 18 lakh) which includes the re-muneration of the surrogate moth-ers, IVF costs, foods andconsumables, legal and doctors’fees, delivery cost and antenatalcare. The report notes that even this cost

is found to be “Extremely reason-able” by international medicaltourists, thereby prompting morecouples to seek such treatments inIndia.The report goes on to state the im-portance of passing the ArtificialReproductive Technology (2010)Bill soon, so that clear laws are inplace, which will clarify the Indiangovernment’s stand on surrogacy,and will prevent exploitation ofwomen in the name of surrogacy. Ittalks about the need to provide ad-equate health care facilities to thesurrogate mother, and providingthe baby with all amenities, irre-spective of the nationalities of thebiological parents. The legislationshould also cover the rights and du-ties of the commissioning parents,thus covering all three concernedparties within its ambit.

The CSR reportsurrogAte FIles - 1 Team IVF India reviews the status of surrogates. We profile

five such amazing mothers and their reasons for becomingsurrogates...Seema*

Seema responded to an advertisement seekingsurrogates in a local paper and her life changedthereafter. It offered her an opportunity to secureher children’s future which was not possible in thefinancial situation she was in.She discussed the whole thing in detail with herhusband, parents and even her brother and withtheir blessings decided to submit herself at thecentre.She is carrying a child and is well taken care of.She is happy not only because of the present butmainly because she is securing the future of herchildren. She feels that more women should agree to be-come surrogates. However she has no desire tomeet the intending parents and feels little or nolove for the baby growing inside her. For her it is abridge to a better life only.* Name changed

A beautiful daughter for acouple from USA via KIC,India Surrogacy program

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comments disappoint and upsetthose who would have given any-thing to be able to carry a child andoften come to India with manylosses and many more hopes,” saysDr Nayna Patel of Anand, who runsAkanksha, the biggest such set-up inIndia in Anand, Gujarat.In fact Dr Nayana Patel can be cred-ited for giving India the tag of theworld’s surrogacy capital because ofthe fact that many hopefuls fromacross the globe have travelled toher clinic in Anand and gone backhappy and ever-grateful with theirown child in their arms. She shot tofame in 2004 after she helped a pa-tient have a baby by using thewoman’s mother (the child’s grand-mother) as a surrogate. She has alsoappeared on U.S. celebrity OprahWinfrey’s talk show in 2007. She hasproduced more than 500 surrogatebabies - two-thirds of them for for-eigners and people of Indian originliving in over 30 countries. According to Vidhi Rathee, whowrote in Indiamedicaltimes.com, ahealth care specialization portal, arecent survey reveals that poverty isnot the force behind choosing to bea surrogate mother as most of themand their husbands were alreadyearning modest income. She says

that in fact the main reason was thatsurrogacy gives the surrogate moth-ers an opportunity to invest insomething that was not possiblewith what they were earning. Theprime reasons for the surrogatemothers to sign in for surrogacycould be like paying off a loan, get-ting better housing facility, provid-ing better education for theirchildren and health treatment oftheir family members. This particular survey was con-ducted by Fertility Care India (FCI),an Assisted Reproductive Technol-ogy (ART) Bank; New Life FertilityClinic India – ART Bank in NewDelhi; ANA Med ART Bank, NewDelhi and Amma NGO / Kiran Infer-tility Centre, Hyderabad on 174 sur-rogate mothers from all over India.Through answers to pointed ques-

tions, the survey sought to know theresponses to issues like the reasonsto enrol to be a surrogate mother,problems the surrogate mothersfaced from families, where wouldthey put in the money received afterthe surrogacy completion and whatemotional and other changes dothey go through during the wholecontract period.According to Dr Samit Sekhar ofKiran Infertility Centre, since theissue of surrogacy has always beenshrouded by various concerns, “thesurvey gives it an all new dimensionby bringing forward views of the sur-rogate mothers, their experiencesand bursts the popular myth thatthey are coerced in any form ormanner.” Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour, founderand director, Surrogacy Centre India

Commercial surrogacy in India is legal. The availabil-ity of medical infrastructure and potential surrogates,combined with international demand, has boostedthe growth of the industry. Surrogate mothers receivemedical, nutritional and overall health care throughsurrogacy agreements.The Union Government, on its part, has been plan-ning to bring a Bill to monitor the services of AssistedReproductive Technology (ART) clinics and banks toregulate surrogacy in the country. For this purpose, adraft Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation)Bill has been formulated and sent to Ministry of Lawand Justice for concurrence. In March 2013, UnionMinister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam NabiAzad was quoted as saying that in order to monitor theservices of ART clinics and banks to help regulate sur-rogacy, the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) has already framed guidelines for accredita-tion, supervision and regulation of ART clinics andbanks.According to the government, there is need to ensurethat medical, social and legal rights of all concernedwere protected with maximum benefit to infertile cou-ples or individuals within the recognised framework ofethics and good medical practices. The proposedpiece of legislation also describes the procedure foraccreditation and supervision of ART clinics andbanks.The ART Bill has been hanging fire since 2008 whenthe first draft was prepared. It was revised in 2010 butis yet to get a final approval from the Union Law Min-istry following which it will go to the Cabinet for clear-ance. In earlier versions in 2008 and 2010, the ART Billrelied on contract law to establish a relationship be-tween the commissioning parents and the clinic. Inthe current version, the Bill states that a professionalsurrogate will be hired by a government-recognizedART Bank and not private fertility clinics, the currentpractice.According to reports, the draft surrogacy Bill also barshomosexuals, foreign single individuals and couplesin live-in relationships from having children throughsurrogate mothers in India. It also imposes age restric-tions on surrogate mothers.However, R.S. Sharma, deputy director general andmember secretary of the drafting committee of theproposed legislation, Indian Council of Medical Re-search (ICMR), says there are several ethical and legalissues which the Bill has to address. According to him,the Health Ministry’s mandate is clear: This Bill is onlyto help infertile couples and should act as a deterrentto commercial surrogacy. That is why in its currentform, the Bill addresses all issues pertaining to ethicsin commercial surrogacy.

“The IVF (in-vitro fertilization) clinics or ART bankswill have no role to play in this contract. Currently, IVFclinics decide the amount and pay the surrogatemother a portion. This could be exploitative and so wehave changed this provision,” Sharma said.According to draft bill provisions, no woman less than21 years of age and over 35 years can act as a surrogatemother. The bill also, for the first time, states condi-tions for foreign couples seeking to hire surrogates inIndia.Under the draft, surrogacy is defined as “an arrange-ment in which a woman agrees to a pregnancyachieved through ART in which neither of the gametes(the egg or the sperm) belong to her or her husband,with the intention of carrying the pregnancy to termand hand over the child to the persons for whom sheis acting as a surrogate.”As per the Bill, all expenses of the surrogate motherwould have to borne by the infertile couple, includingher insurance. A surrogate, before being hired, has tobe medically tested for sexually transmitted diseasesand AIDS to ensure she does not pass on the infectionto the child.To streamline financial commitments between the in-fertile couple and the surrogate mother, the draft billsays a surrogate mother has the right to terminate herpregnancy at any time but if she does so without med-ical reasons, she will have to reimburse the cost to theinfertile couple which has hired her. If, however, thepregnancy has been terminated for medical reasons,no reimbursement would be needed. Also by law, asurrogate mother would have to relinquish all parentalrights over the child born out of the arrangement.The draft bill adds that a surrogate cannot undergoembryo transfer for more than three times for thesame couple. This provision aims to prevent commer-cialization of the service.

What does the law say?

surrogAte FIles - 2neetu

Neetu, 34, came to know about the possibility of be-coming a surrogate through a friend who herself hadbeen a surrogate. She told Neetu the pros and cons ofbecoming a surrogate mother. Hailing from Dehradun and settled in Delhi with twochildren Neetu’s life was no bed of roses. Her husbanda driver earned Rs 8000 per month, which after takingcare of rent, food, electricity, school fees and other es-sentials was hardly enough to plan for a secure future.For Neetu the possibility of earning Rs 2.5 lacs in alump sum was too good to be true. The discomfort of being pregnant for someone elsefaded as she discussed the possibility with her hus-band who agreed after much convincing, and Neetubecame a surrogate mother for the first time in 2012.She stayed at the Centre’s surrogate home, away fromthe prying eyes of neighbours for the entire durationof her pregnancy. “It was very comfortable and myevery need was taken care of,” she says. “My sons

came to visitme often andwe were alsopaid a stipedevery month,which supple-mented myhusband’ssalary.”She investedher money ina plot of landin Dehradunwhich shecould nothave beenable to afford otherwise. She wants to become a surro-gate again. “So that I can build my home, on my land,”she says with a twinkle in her eye.

Babies of Kiran InfertilityCentre’s Surrogacy Program

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(SCI) Healthcare, New Delhi, saysthat many myths continue to prevailabout surrogacy and surrogatemothers partly because of the lack ofauthentic publications and data onthis topic. The survey, according to SaurabhKumar, founder of FCI ART Bankand Sonia Arora, director of New LifeIndia, is the largest of its kind inIndia and the first where they andtheir friends have written down an-swers themselves.Says Dr Shivani Gour said, “Our sur-rogate mothers are generous womenand deserve to be treated with greatrespect. In a country where infertil-ity is a curse and where women needto be financially secured and em-powered surrogacy is a boon forthem and for the infertile couplesand single parents who experiencethe joys of parenthood.”Dr Gour says it appears as if thereare “unknown reasons” to removeIndia from the world map of surro-gacy benefits because of “vested in-terests”. If there are laws that restrictthe extent of surrogacy benefits or

bar people from abroad on somepretext or the other from derivingsurrogacy benefits, the entire med-ical tourist traffic that comes to Indiafor this purpose may be diverted toother countries such as Thailand orPhilippines.“The surrogate mothers need to beviewed with an open mind. You canclose the windows and darken yourroom or you can open the windowsand let the light in. It is a matter ofchoice,” says Atahar from ANA MedART Bank.Dr Sudhir Ajja, Founder-Director ofSurrogacy India, a private firm thatoffers surrogacy assistance to cou-ples, says, “It is extremely surprisingthat Director General of Health Serv-

ices has pro-posed anamendmentthat foreignersshould not beallowed. I failto understandwhy we aregoing back-wards. TheS u p r e m e

Court has said commercial surro-gacy is a legal industry. SupremeCourt has decriminalised homosex-uality. Supreme Court has said thatlive-in relationships are legal. Whyanyone would want to ban foreign-ers or unmarried couples?”Here it needs to be noted that Indiais one of the few countries wherecommercial surrogacy is legal. Indiaopened up to commercial surrogacyin 2002. Surrogacy is illegal in coun-tries like Norway, Sweden, Franceand Germany but is allowed in Rus-sia, Georgia, Ukraine, Thailand andcertain states of the US. But in allthese places there are laws to regu-late surrogacy. In California State of

surrogAte FIles - 3Savita

“I came know about this facility through my sister inlaws daughter who became a surrogate and deliveredtwo babies. She suggested this to my sister in law, buther age being more than required and her health notbeing good, she suggested this to me as she knewabout my financial condition. I discussed it with myhusband who agreed after sometime.” I fought all odds and came for the test. I neededmoney by all means and so I started taking medica-tion. The payment was Rs. 3.5 lacks and the monthlyremuneration Rs. 3000I have three children, the eldest of them is my daugh-ter who studies in the 11th grade, another daughterstudies in 6th, and my youngest son studies in 3rdstandard. I got married when I was 15. We will be able to make a house with Rs. 1 lac in thevillage. I am going to get my daughter married off thenext year and so will use the remaining amount for herwedding. My daughter wants to study further, but wedo not have any money to support advanced studies.If by Gods grace I am able to deliver twins, and if thecouple for whom I am bearing a baby, pay me well, Iwill educate her so that she can earn her livelihood. Thousands of families have become happy due to the

initiative of Dr. Patel.Those who wanted ba-bies, got babies, thosewho wanted money havegot money. We are given ahygienic place to stay,clean environment, thereis a doctor and maids atout assistance 24/7, weare served home cookedfood which is full of nutri-tion, fruits and salads too,which we never had athome. A woman like me whose husband doesn’t earnenough, who doesn’t have a house to stay, who hasthree children to take care of would have committedsuicide by now. There were many who criticized me on taking thisstep, people still talk behind my back, but has anyonecome to me and said that he/she will take care of mykids, or give us a place to stay. I have come here for mychildren, and I know what I am doing is right. I fear noone now.”

surrogAte FIles - 4Durga*

Durga’s family is large. Her hus-band, a son, mother, father andbrother live together in a smallroom for which they pay a rentof Rs 2000 per month. She worksin a garment shop. Her husbandis a painter who earns Rs 300 perday and manges to find work for10-15 days every month. Herbrother assists him and con-tributes to the family kitty. She came to kow about Base Fer-tility through another worker ather place of work. She was offered Rs 2 lacs postdelivery by cheque and a stipendof Rs 3000 a month. Durga ishoused in a well appointed surrogate home,given proper meals, a regular medical check upand has access to TV. She alongwith other surro-gates are taken for a movie every week and a pic-nic every month.She prays to have a healthy child and does notfeel any emotional connect with the baby.“I am happy here and my family visits me on aregular basis. I am also learning tailoring so that Ican start my own garment business once I get themoney.”“That is after I buy a small plot of land and buildmy own house,” she adds with a small smile.* Name changed

INSTAR proposed Self RegulationINSTAR is India’s first research oriented associationof Third Party Reproduction in India with ethics,empower and research being its motto. Keeping inmind the welfare of surrogates, the Association rec-ommends the following:1) A minimum compensation of 2.25 lakhs for sur-rogate mothers irrespective of state/ city2) Full compensation after 28 weeks irrespective ofthe outcome of pregnancy.3) Post delivery care for 6 months free of cost in rela-tion to pregnancy.4) Post miscarriage care for 3 months free of costand compensation for next month of pregnancy andall medical expenses paid in case if miscarriage.5) Recommendations in case of unfortunate eventslike ectopic pregnancy/ hysterectomy or rarest caseof death6) Recommendations for Contracts: Local languageis a must.7) Condemns discrimination of girl child and followthe PCPNDT Act strictly.8) Local Guardian nomination is a must.9) Providing Life Insurance to surrogate mothers.

the US, for example, the law requires that both the in-tended parents and the surrogate be represented by sep-arate legal counsel. Besides, The draft AssistedReproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill has beenthrough the motions of discussion by stakeholders and aseries of meetings have been held with all concerned.However, in view of the “grave and critical” concernsraised by stakeholders, the Planning Commission has rec-ommended substantive changes in the legislation and ad-vised the ICMR against pushing the draft Bill till theprocess of consultations was satisfactorily concluded. Ac-cordingly, the Centre will set up an expert committee forwider consultations on the draft Bill. The Planning Com-mission will coordinate the process of forming and facili-tating this committee towards developing an efficientregulatory framework and legislation. The decision cameafter a meeting on the issue chaired by Dr Syeda Hameed,Member, Planning Commission, and attended by repre-sentatives from the Planning Commission, Union Ministryof Health and Family Welfare, ICMR, Union Ministry ofLaw and Justice, the National Commission for Protectionof Child Rights (NCPCR), and Office of the Registrar Gen-eral of India, amongst others. While health and women’s rights activists feel that the ARTDraft Bill is designed to regularise and promote the inter-est of the providers (mainly the private sector) of thesetechnologies rather than regulate and monitor the currentpractices. The surrogacy industry, on the other hand, seeks to openup the market by removing any legal impediments in itssmooth functioning. Dr Nayana Patel agrees with the need for regulation butsays more bureaucracy will make it difficult for everyone.It will not only mean less commissioning parents fromoverseas but it will also impact surrogates, who will loseout on the only chance they have to change their lives forthe better.”Dr Rita Bakshi, chairperson of the International FertilityCentre in Delhi, feels that the strict norms of the proposedART Bill will see the activity moving to more conducivedestinations such as Thailand. She says there is no needfor the law to be discriminatory towards unmarried for-eigners when unmarried Indians are allowed this facility.“It is fair to expect that surrogacy should be allowed in thecountry of the commissioning couple because citizenshipof the child becomes an issue otherwise. Other than this,many restrictions imposed are not encouraging for busi-ness. A majority of our clients are from foreign countries.To expect this sector to not have commercial interest isnaïve. Surrogacy is very expensive across the world,” sheadded.“The surrogates in Anand have become empoweredthrough giving this beautiful gift to others,’ says Dr NayanaPatel of Aakansha. Surrogates vouch that with the moneythus earned, they have been able to buy a house, educatetheir children and even start a small business. These arethings they could only dream of before. For them it is awin-win situation.

Some centres allow a surrogate’sfamily to live together inaccomodation provided by them.

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Fertility clinics in Kolkataattract at least 50 patientson average every month.This is double that of 2011and is expected to doubleagain. The rush is spurredby cheap costs and a highsuccess rate. Infertilitytreatment in Kolkata costsonly a fifth of what it costsin the USA or UK but offersworld-class infrastructureand facilities. While a majorityare NRIs, other overseas appli-cants are from USA, UK, Japan,Bangladesh, Israel and WestAsia while there are a few Swissand Nigerian nationals as well.Another city clinic has a wait-ing list of 70 foreign couples.Besides the huge popularity itenjoys among childless cou-ples across the world, India'ssurrogacy business has alsoled to a transformation ofcountless lives and families.True, there is a need to regu-late the sector, but if the newlaw tightens rules as sug-gested by the Government,then it will clearly impact theindustry and put off clientscoming from overseas. Hope-fully, the law-makers will con-sider the stakeholders’interests in totality.

surrogAte FIles - 5Hansa

“I read an interview about a surrogate child when Iwas in Ahmedabad, I contacted the doctor and camehere and conceived for the first time two years ago.This is my second pregnancy as a surrogate.”Hansa is a mother of two biological children. Her hus-band left her for another woman some years ago. Shelives alone in Ahmedabad with her children. She wasworking in a canteen, desperately trying to make endsmeet before becoming a surrogate. From the money she got from her first surrogate preg-nancy she managed to buy a small house in Ahmed-abad and is educating her children. For her it was adream come true as with the limited resources shehad, a house was an impossibility. She wants to savethe money she gets now for her daughters marriage.

“I love my children dearlyand whenever I think ofthem I take extra care forthe child in my womb.”Her children know andunderstand what she doesand have no complaints.“The biggest satisfactionin becoming a surrogateis the happiness I give tosomeone who cannothave a child. It is theirblessings which havechanged my life com-pletely.”

Dr Samit Sekhar with twins born out of surrogacy at KIC, Hyderabad, India.