Surrogacy can be exploited: Dr. Firuza Parikh

Dr. Firuza Parikh, an Assisted Reproduction Specialist guides couples towards taking the alternate route to parenthood like surrogacy or Invitro Fertilisation, if the need arises.

In her session 'Expect the unexpected:Everything you want to know about designer babies', Dr. Parikh spoke at length about the boons and misconception associated with surrogacy. It isn't merely an act of renting a womb, but a scientific practice that is a tedious process for both the surrogate mother as well as the expecting parents.

Surrogacy is legal in India. Surrogates are compensated and they are well taken care of. Indian laws allow surrogacy and many clinics affiliated with the Indian Council of Medical Research conduct it in an ethical way.

Surrogacy can be exploited. ICMR has set some rules like that a woman can't be a mother ore than two times. But there is lacunae. Many a times the surrogates don't declare at a different clinic that have already done it.