Surrogacy is the last resort for an infertile couple to have a child that is genetically related to them. It is one of the most controversial topics in the modern day. It is criticized with the term “baby-selling”. However, surrogacy has brought life into several families, who would not be able to have a child that is genetically related to them.
Surrogacy is an arrangement, whereby a woman called the surrogate mother impregnates herself with an embryo for the purpose of handing over the child to another couple. The process usually happens through a scientific procedure called in-vitro fertilization (fertilization happening outside the body).
The childless couple is called “commissioning couple” or “intended parents”. The mother is called the commissioning mother and the father is called the commissioning father.
The Egg (ovum) for the surrogacy arrangement comes from the commissioning mother or from an egg donor.
India is in the midst of passing legislation that allows altruistic surrogacy and bans commercial surrogacy.