Couples who intend to take the surrogacy route to become parents will have to buy general health insurance coverage for a surrogate mother for a period of 36 months, according to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules issued recently.
According to the new surrogacy rules the central government has made in mandatory for couples who wish to become parents through surrogacy to buy health insurance plans for surrogate mothers.
The insurance amount should be sufficient enough to cover expenses for all complications arising out of the pregnancy and also postpartum delivery complications.
According to the rules notified by the Union health ministry the number of attempts of any surrogacy procedure on the surrogate mother should not be more than three times.
“The government has also ensured that the number of attempts of any surrogacy procedure on the surrogate mother shall not be more than three times. A surrogate mother may be allowed for abortion during the process of surrogacy in accordance with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 in case of any complication as advised by the doctors,” the notification reads.
The surrogate mother may be allowed for abortion during the process of surrogacy in accordance with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
The rules issued recently also mentioned the requirement and qualifications for persons employed at a registered surrogacy clinic besides the form and manner for registration and fee for a surrogacy clinic.
Every private surrogacy clinic has to file an application for registration with a fee of Rs 2 lakh which is non-refundable. However, facilities under government-run institutes are exempt from such fees.
The gynaecologist shall transfer one embryo in the uterus of a surrogate mother during a treatment cycle. Provided that only in special circumstances, up to three embryos may be transferred, the rules said.
A woman may opt for surrogacy if she has no uterus or missing uterus or abnormal uterus or if the uterus is surgically removed due to any medical conditions such as gynaecological cancer.
One can opt out also in cases of multiple pregnancy losses resulting from an unexplained medical reason, or any illness that makes it impossible for a woman to carry a pregnancy to viability or pregnancy that is life threatening, among others.
