Delhi: Surrogate mother with twins dies at AIIMS, doctors demand strict surrogacy laws

By Priyanka Sharma

New Delhi [India], Sept 29 (ANI): Scores of medicos

practising at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (/search?query=All India

Institute of Medical Sciences) (AIIMS), Delhi (/search?query=Delhi) are

demanding stricter surrogacy laws after a 42-year-old surrogate mother, who

was 17 weeks pregnant with twin babies, died recently.

The woman is said to have medical history including tuberculosis,

hydrocephalus and depression.

The agitated doctors have put forth this demand in order to avoid such tragedies

during commercial surrogacy through firm rules and regulations.

Moreover, they have also published a case report in the latest issue of RFP India

Journal of Hospital Administration (/search?query=RFP India Journal of

Hospital Administration).

"The 42-year-old widow was referred by a private hospital (IVF center) to AIIMS

for consultation regarding complications related to the pregnancy. It was

revealed that she was a surrogate with 17 weeks period of gestation carrying

twins in exchange of monetary benefits and had concealed her past medical

history of tuberculosis, hydrocephalus and depression," said Dr Abhishek Yadav,

Assistant Professor at Forensic Department at AIIMS while speaking to ANI.

"The patient told about her history of consuming anti-depressant and she was

advised Medical Termination of Pregnancy (/search?query=Medical Termination

of Pregnancy) (MTP) by AIIMS doctors," he added.

"Before the commencement of MTP, the patient's condition worsened in the

labour room as she had taken a huge quantity of antidepressants. So, she was

shifted to Emergency for treatment where she passed away. Her body was

brought to the Mortuary of Forensic department for post-mortem," said Dr Swati

Tyagi, a forensic expert at AIIMS.

"Hence, regulations in the surrogacy law in India is the need of hour. As per the

guidelines of ICMR which were followed before the approval of Surrogacy

Regulation Bill, she was not a suitable surrogate to

carry fetus," she said

For a woman to be chosen as a surrogate, she has to undergo inquisitive

medical and laboratory examination, provide past history of any medical

condition, family history of a disease condition etc to rule out baby having any

genetic or chromosomal disease and all other conditions as per new Surrogacy Bill '' Tyagi added.

The popularity and utility of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are on the

rise due to an increase in the prevalence of infertility all over the world.

Surrogacy has emerged as a popular alternative

method of infertile couples, singles and even more professionals to have

children.

Surrogacy is a legal arrangement where a surrogate

mother contracts to carry and deliver a child for another couple or person. It

may be commercial or altruistic depending upon the factor whether the

surrogate receives financial benefits in exchange of the baby. Countries all over

the world are divided over the ethical implications of surrogacy.

India recently joined the group of countries banning commercial surrogacy and

permitting only altruistic surrogacy after the parliamentary approval of

Surrogacy Regulations Bill in 2018.

Health experts say that India has been a popular surrogacy destination

worldwide due to low cost, international standards of ART in the procedures as

well as no defined rules and regulations for citizens, non-residents and noncitizens.

Absence of strict regulating laws has been used by the mediators and touts to

financially exploit both intending couples as well as poor surrogates. (ANI)

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