Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 13: For people who cannot have children via natural ways, surrogacy and/or egg donation have come over as a sheer blessing. Still, one must know that this process requires a lot of patience and further necessitates medical and legal knowledge and a strong support system.
Surrogates have the opportunity to aid a family in need while also having the option of being reimbursed for their efforts. In the end, it’s a win-win situation for everyone –the intended parents, the surrogate and every related person or entity. (For example, the fertility tourism sector in India was projected to be worth $ 2.3 billion at the peak of surrogacy for overseas IPs.)
Gaurav Wankhede, the founder of BecomeParents.com, a world-renowned surrogacy agency, further put across his point of view regarding international cross-border surrogacy. He believes that most of his IPs haves a budget of $35,000-$40,000. Numerous economic destinations allow surrogacy at an affordable price while still providing access to the best medical facilities and best in class ART quality (Artificial Reproductive Techniques). Kenya, a country that has recently emerged as a favourable hub for fertility tourism, is one of these locations where surrogacy services may be obtained at a very low cost.
How surrogacy proves beneficial for intended parents?
Surrogacy can help IPs of all types, including same-sex couples, married heterosexual IPs, and single parents. Gaurav Wankhede claims that surrogacy is in high demand in this part of the world. Here, he lists certain advantages that surrogacy and ART treatment in Kenya have over other possible options.
- Kenya has world-class medical facilities and IVF clinics run by highly renowned global medical service providers. Nairobi also serves as the regional headquarters of the United Nations, with around 120 foreign embassies based there.
- In Kenya, gestational surrogacy permits one or both parents to have biological ties to their children.
- Apart from participating in local safari tourism, International intended parents are invited to participate in the pregnancy. They are typically able to attend numerous key surrogacy stages, including the embryo transfer and being present during their child’s delivery.
- Kenya has a strong legal structure, with extensive surrogacy agreements in place to protect the intended parents’ rights during the journey.
- Kenyans are recognized for their good health and strong immunity. As a result, Kenyan surrogates are substantially healthier and fitter in comparison to surrogates in many other countries.
- It is relatively easy to find single mothers in Kenya, which is important for clients from Europe who prefer single or divorced surrogate mothers.
- Kenya further offers exceptional connectivity in terms of flights. Besides, Kenya is an English-speaking country, hence making the communication procedure easier
How surrogacy proves beneficial for surrogate mothers?
Over the last 15 years, surrogacy supporters have put in some strong efforts to make it essential for every intending surrogate mother to receive appropriate counselling. Her rights, obligations, and responsibilities are correctly explained before she gets on board as a surrogate mother.
Surrogacy can support these amazing women and their families in various ways.
- Surrogate mothers can discuss their prenatal experience with the intended parents and form a close relationship with them during the process.
- All surrogates who have delivered feel a great sense of individual fulfilment and pride in knowing that they have helped another family in such an incredible way.
- Surrogates usually establish lifetime relationships with the families they assist during surrogacy.
- When the surrogate mother bears the pregnancy, the IPs fund and compensate for all of the surrogate’s expenses (such as food and shelter)
According to Gaurav Wankhede, surrogacy can be a physically and emotionally demanding experience for both parties. However, all these efforts are justified in the end, given that feeling of turning one’s parenthood dream into reality.