Comments
Researchers have found that surrogacy or ‘wombs for hire’ from foreign surrogate mothers has increased in the past five years, particularly by Indian agencies.
The research, published in The Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, reveals there is an increasing demand in the number of couples registering children to foreign surrogates.
“Parental orders” were granted following surrogacy — to transfer the child from the surrogate mother to the commissioning parents, The Independent reported.
This process, driven particularly by Indian agencies, has risen from 47 times in 2007 and 133 in 2011, the study said.
But the real figures are believed to be much higher, and experts have warned of the increasing exploitation of women living in poverty who undergo the pregnancies to raise money.
According to the study, women rent their wombs for about $16,000 to $ 32,000.
Commercial surrogacy is permitted in the US and in many other countries including India, where it was legalised in 2002.
But it is banned in Britain and only expenses may be paid — making it difficult for UK couples where neither partner is able to bear children or find women prepared to volunteer for the role.
“We have clinicians in this country who have links with overseas clinics. That was stopped with international adoption years ago. I don’t think the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have been strong enough on this,” Marilyn Crawshaw, Author of the Research and senior lecturer at the University of York, said.
“There is concern about child trafficking. The World Health Organisation held a meeting on this. Parents desperate to have children will pay thousands of pounds to foreign agencies to arrange the birth of their child.
Natalie Gamble, a lawyer specialising in surrogacy cases, said important regulations were in place to protect children at risk from international trafficking, but there were no safeguards in place for overseas surrogacy.
The practise follows a decline in international adoptions, which has plummeted to its lowest point in 15 years.
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.