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 – 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.