Altruistic Surrogacy
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill (2016) is what regulates the surrogacy procedures in India. This bill serves to prohibit surrogacy on a commercial basis while allowing surrogacy to enable the infertile couples in India to build families. The FAQs are intended to make clear the procedures involved with altruistic surrogacy in India, the pros and the cons of the process, as well as points for the intended parents to keep in mind before taking their first step in that direction.
Altruistic Surrogacy – What is it?
Altruistic is the name given to the type of surrogacy when the surrogate mother bears the pregnancy without any monetary compensation other than the basic expenditure involved.
Altruism by definition is unselfish regard for others’ welfare. The name altruistic surrogacy, therefore, touches on the unselfish sacrifices, both emotional and physical, that a surrogate mother has to make through the process of bearing a child for another. Nevertheless, those that support surrogacy argue that all types of surrogacy are indeed altruistic in view of the fact that the physical and emotional sacrifice amount to the same in every case. Technically, however, it is the name given to those cases in which the only compensations made are for the expenses related to the pregnancy. As observed, a majority of such arrangements are between close friends and relatives.
Altruistic Surrogacy – How does it work?
The process of surrogacy is just about the same for altruistic as well as for commercial surrogacy. In the case of altruistic surrogacy, the intended parents prefer to deal with surrogates that they are already familiar with. In most cases, these women are close friends or close family members.
This arrangement is also known by the name of ‘identified surrogacy’ because the parents have already arranged a surrogate mother before working with a professional. This helps parents to stay ahead in the procedure as they no longer need the agent’s help in identification of a surrogate mother. Even here, it is recommended that the intended parents and the surrogate mother should work closely with the professional to complete all legal and medical requirements. This would help the process to go through without a hitch and also give requisite support to the surrogate mother.
Altruistic Surrogacy – How much will it cost?
Altruistic surrogacy is a cheaper option than commercial surrogacy. This is because there is no requirement for a compensation to be given to the surrogate mother. However, the expenditures with regard to the professional services and other variables will add to the cost of the procedure.
Given below is a list of the some of the services that will add to the cost.
- Medical expenses that involve embryo transfer, artificial insemination, the fertility treatment cycle cost, and labour and delivery costs
- Fees for egg or sperm donor if required
- Legal fees
- Counselling Fees
- Additional expenditure for travel to the doctor for appointments, maternity clothing and other expendables
- Agency fees
The final amount is dependent on many factors that include the laws of the state in which the parents and surrogate other are living, cost of living index, the surrogacy professional fees and the surrogate mother’s individual needs. It is a good idea to discuss the costs with a surrogacy professional before the start of the process.
Altruistic Surrogacy – What are the pros and cons?
When the match between the intended parents and the surrogate mother is a good one, the whole procedure can be a positive one with a happy ending. However, altruistic surrogacy comes with some challenges that the intended parents have to be wary about before entering into an agreement of this kind. Let us see what the pros and cons really are.
Advantages of Altruistic Surrogacy
- It is a less expensive option when compared to commercial surrogacy as the surrogate mother need not be compensated with any amount other than the basic expenditure.
- It is a legal option for intended parents in many countries around the world, especially in those places where commercial surrogacy is illegal.
- There is greater peace of mind enjoyed by the intended parents in cases of altruistic surrogacy because in many cases the surrogate mother is someone they know and maybe a close relative or friend. There is a stronger bond and better trust that prevails.
Disadvantages of Altruistic Surrogacy
- In cases where a match is found by the intended parents themselves, it is mostly always a close relative or friend. However, in the case of seeking help from professional surrogacy services, it is not always easy to find a match.
- Though the process of altruistic surrogacy may start off well, it may happen that the surrogate mother may feel emotionally exploited and underappreciated for shouldering such a huge responsibility. They may feel pressured to enter into this type of an agreement for which they do not receive compensation. Such situations can have a negative impact on the whole process.
- There is always a chance that the intended parents may feel that they have less control of the situation and be hesitant to make any kind of request to the surrogate mother as they are not paying her.
Altruistic surrogacy is perhaps the best way to grow a family and is a positive and rewarding experience when the surrogate mother and intended parents match emotionally. Nevertheless, it is best to be aware of all the legal and emotional complications for all the entities involved before entering into such an arrangement by seeking the best surrogacy counseling.