Centre seeks surrogacy data from states under new regulations
NEW DELHI : The Centre has asked states for comprehensive data on the number of successful pregnancies achieved through surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology (ART), including cases involving married, single, divorced, and widowed women. This request, part of an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the Surrogacy Act and the ART Act, introduced in 2021, was issued on 22 December, with a response deadline set for 1 January. The move follows reports on lapses by several IVF clinics across the country in complying with the rules, said an official from the union health ministry.
There have been instances of single women being denied pregnancy through ART and couples seeking commercial surrogacy, the official added. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, were framed to regulate the multi-million-dollar reproductive medicine industry, setting strict guidelines for surrogacy and gamete donation. The acts define who can access ART procedures, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
The new regulations also stipulate operational standards for clinics and ban commercial surrogacy, recommending a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakhs for violations. The law allows only altruistic surrogacy where no money is involved and where a surrogate mother is genetically related to those seeking a child. Under the new act, only a close relative of the couple can be allowed to undergo surrogacy.
An email sent to the union health and family welfare ministry was unanswered till the publishing of this story. Medical experts in the IVF industry lauded the move stating that this will help give a realistic picture of how successful the acts have been. “The
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