Increasing Demand for Surrogates in India

An increase in demand for surrogates (shift to the right)

This graph represents the demand and supply of surrogates in India. In previous years, demand was not that great and therefore, the supply of surrogates remained low. However, as the demand for surrogates has increased, the supply must increase too. This is evident through the fact that triple the number of agencies from 2005 (currently at 350) who provide customers with surrogates, have increased. The graph shows a shift in demand to the right, where the equilibrium price and quantity demanded and supplied has increased too.

After completing 3 trips to India, “Rhonda and Gerry Wile finally heard a sound they thought they might never hear: the heartbeat of their unborn child.” Rhonda, a 39-year-old nurse and Gerry, a 43-year-old fireman, got married in 2000. By the year 2005, the couple began to start conceiving. However, there was a problem; Rhonda had two wombs instead of one. A couple months later, she became pregnant only to find out that her baby had no heartbeat. The couple then tried artificial insemination, but had no hope. This is when the couple considered surrogating in India.

No agency has kept track of the number of surrogates who bear babies for foreigners. However, the proliferations of clinics throughout the country, which provide such services, have declared that there is a rising demand for surrogates in India.  Women who act has surrogates bear babies for other people, in return for money. This practice is legal in India.

Hrishikesh Pai, a vitro fertilization specialist says that India currently has 350 facilities that offer surrogacy, triple the number in 2005. Last year, surrogates made 1000 attempts in total to conceive a baby for another. It is estimated that the number will increase to 1500 and a third of these will be made for those who live outside India.

Rudy Rupak, the president of PlanetHospital, a California-based medical tourism company sent 600 couples or single parents up until August this year overseas for surrogacy. This is three times the number in 2008 and up from 33 in 2007. All of the people went to India except for seven who went to Panama. Most of the couples and singles were from the US, and others from Europe, Middle East and Asia, mostly Japan, Vietnam, Singapore and Taiwan.

Because of increasing demand from clients for eggs from Caucasian women, Rupak started to send donors to India from the Soviet republic of Georgia.

Most of the women who act as surrogates do so only to pay for debt. Some people in India are greatly against this act. . “They are using the vulnerability of the poor. Making (a woman) a child-producing machine is not acceptable to us,” says Ranjana Kumari, president of WomenPowerConnec. “There should be controls so it is not an open market as it is at the moment.”

The reason India is becoming such a popular place for foreigners to hire surrogates is due to the reasonable costs. Many believe it is almost half the price as what they would have paid a donor in the US. A gay couple from the US considered going to India because “India had better infrastructure, more high-tech facilities and the healthier lifestyle. (Most women) don’t smoke, they don’t drink and they don’t do drugs.” Both men wanted to be genetic fathers, so they both gave a sample of sperm. Within months, two surrogates were pregnant and both had their babies conceived. The couple spent a total of $60,000 including compensation of $10,000 for each surrogate. This was half of what it would have cost in the US.

After Mr. and Mrs. Wiles came to India for surrogacy, donor eggs fertilized with Mr. Wile’s sperm were implanted. Soon, a baby was born and Mrs. Wiles was thrilled. “We’ve had a very good experience with surrogacy and we’re definitely going try it again”, said Mr. Wiles.

As there is an increasing number for demand of surrogates in India, some people are becoming worried that many poor women will be exploited. Even though this is helpful for them to pay off for debts, this is certainly not the best option for poor women as many will have to be isolated from their families. India may need to consider putting a price floor to set a minimum wage. Poor women who have more than two children cannot survive with a wage of $20 a month.

After completing 3 trips to India, “Rhonda and Gerry Wile finally heard a sound they thought they might never hear: the heartbeat of their unborn child.” Rhonda, a 39-year-old nurse and Gerry, a 43-year-old fireman, got married in 2000. By the year 2005, the couple began to start conceiving. However, there was a problem; Rhonda had two wombs instead of one. A couple months later, she became pregnant only to find out that her baby had no heartbeat. The couple then tried artificial insemination, but had no hope. This is when the couple considered surrogating in India.

No agency has kept track of the number of surrogates who bear babies for foreigners. However, the proliferations of clinics throughout the country, which provide such services, have declared that there is a rising demand for surrogates in India.  Women who act has surrogates bear babies for other people, in return for money. This practice is legal in India.

Hrishikesh Pai, a vitro fertilization specialist says that India currently has 350 facilities that offer surrogacy, triple the number in 2005. Last year, surrogates made 1000 attempts in total to conceive a baby for another. It is estimated that the number will increase to 1500 and a third of these will be made for those who live outside India.

Rudy Rupak, the president of PlanetHospital, a California-based medical tourism company sent 600 couples or single parents up until August this year overseas for surrogacy. This is three times the number in 2008 and up from 33 in 2007. All of the people went to India except for seven who went to Panama. Most of the couples and singles were from the US, and others from Europe, Middle East and Asia, mostly Japan, Vietnam, Singapore and Taiwan.

Because of increasing demand from clients for eggs from Caucasian women, Rupak started to send donors to India from the Soviet republic of Georgia.

Most of the women who act as surrogates do so only to pay for debt. Some people in India are greatly against this act. . “They are using the vulnerability of the poor. Making (a woman) a child-producing machine is not acceptable to us,” says Ranjana Kumari, president of WomenPowerConnec. “There should be controls so it is not an open market as it is at the moment.”

The reason India is becoming such a popular place for foreigners to hire surrogates is due to the reasonable costs. Many believe it is almost half the price as what they would have paid a donor in the US. A gay couple from the US considered going to India because “India had better infrastructure, more high-tech facilities and the healthier lifestyle. (Most women) don’t smoke, they don’t drink and they don’t do drugs.” Both men wanted to be genetic fathers, so they both gave a sample of sperm. Within months, two surrogates were pregnant and both had their babies conceived. The couple spent a total of $60,000 including compensation of $10,000 for each surrogate. This was half of what it would have cost in the US.

After Mr. and Mrs. Wiles came to India for surrogacy, donor eggs fertilized with Mr. Wile’s sperm were implanted. Soon, a baby was born and Mrs. Wiles was thrilled. “We’ve had a very good experience with surrogacy and we’re definitely going try it again”, said Mr. Wiles.

As there is an increasing number for demand of surrogates in India, some people are becoming worried that many poor women will be exploited. Even though this is helpful for them to pay off for debts, this is certainly not the best option for poor women as many will have to be isolated from their families. India may need to consider putting a price floor to set a minimum wage. Poor women who have more than two children cannot survive with a wage of $20 a month.