Surrogacy overcomes birth pangs, comes of age in city

In the majority of cases, uterus damage owing to tuberculosis, cancer or other diseases is the reason for opting for surrogates

After 14 years of marriage, and a few miscarriages, life dealt another jolt to a couple when the wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer and had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).

Their yearning for a child led to an answer; surrogacy.

"We had no option but get a child through a surrogate mother," the IT consultant said.

Barely months remain for the surrogate to give birth and the couple is ecstatic. The 40-year-old woman is as careful and anxious as she would have, if the child been in her own womb.

"At one point, when the surrogate mother was travelling from Bhuswal to Pune and developed severe contractions, the 40-year-old woman rushed to the city and made telephonic calls to ensure she gets prompt treatment," said Dr Neena Sathe, who is in charge of the first surrogacy centre in the city at Oyster and Pearl Tulip Hospital.

"It is an emotional experience. Our only criterion for selecting a woman for surrogacy was that she should be healthy," says the 40-year-old woman, who, along with her husband had scanned the internet for surrogacy sites, and consulted lawyers. They still find rules and regulations unclear about surrogacy.

"Everything does seem vague but we were fortunate that Dr Amita Phadnis, Director, ONP, Hospital offered us guidance," they said, requesting anonymity.

For yet another couple in their mid-40s, a medical condition called sagital venous thromobosis ( a blood clot in brain) dashed their hope of having their own child.

"My wife suffers from this condition and doctors have clearly told us any move to bear a child would prove detrimental to her health. How can I take such a risk? Adoption rules are getting stringent and since we wanted our own baby we decided to opt for surrogacy," the 42-year-old employee of an IT firm said.

... contd.

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