Nod to first surrogacy case in district

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nagpur District Medical Board, on Thursday, gave approval to the first ever case of surrogate mother in the district. The Board, constituted a year ago as per the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021, under the Chairmanship of Civil Surgeon Dr Nivrutti Rathod, had received four cases of surrogate mothers. The other members on the Board were Medical Superintendent Dr Seema Parvekar, senior Gynaecologist Dr Madhuri Thorat, senior paediatrician Dr Dilip Madavi and physician Dr Jayashree Vaidya. The couple (intending couple with male partner within the age group of 23-55 years and his female partner of age between 23 and 50 years), who can’t conceive, has to apply to the Medical Board. They have to search for a surrogate mother -- a woman between the age group of 23 and 35 years. While approving any case, the Board takes several aspects into account. “The main aspect is the age of the couples (intending and surrogate). Then, the surrogate couple should have at least one child; the surrogate mother should be fit and healthy; the gametes (sperm and ovum) should be of the intending couple,” explained Dr Rathod.

 

Once all this is ensured, according to Dr Rathod, the gametes are placed in the uterus of the surrogate mother. Under a legal procedure, the surrogate mother who grows the foetus in her womb, has to write down that she would handover the baby to the intending couple, she said. “The Medical Board takes an interview of both the couples. It is ensured, through the personal interview, that the surrogate mother is undergoing the surrogacy process without any pressure or lure. Before taking a decision on the application received by this office for getting Certificate of Necessity, Certificate of Eligibility,” In the case that got approval on Friday, the decision was taken unanimously by the board based on the medical report of physical and mental condition of the surrogate mother and the family interested in surrogacy.