Surrogacy Support — comprehensive guidance through a regulated process.

Surrogacy in India — the current framework

Surrogacy in India is governed by two laws working together: the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act 2021, with detailed rules notified in 2022. Together they:

• Permit only altruistic surrogacy — commercial surrogacy is illegal.
• Define strict eligibility criteria for intended parents and surrogates.
• Require all surrogacy arrangements to go through registered ART clinics and surrogacy clinics.
• Mandate insurance for the surrogate and clear legal documentation of parental rights.
• Restrict surrogacy to Indian citizens.

For couples who qualify, surrogacy is a clear, documented path with legal protections built in. For those who don't qualify, it isn't available in India under current law.

Who is eligible?

Intended parents must be:

• An Indian married couple (heterosexual), wife between 23–50 years, husband between 26–55, married for at least 5 years.
• OR a qualifying single Indian woman (widowed or divorced, between 35–45 years).
• Have a documented medical condition that makes pregnancy not possible or not safe.
• Not have any surviving biological, adopted, or surrogate child (limited exceptions for children with special needs).

The surrogate must:

• Be a close relative of the intended couple.
• Be married and have at least one biological child of her own.
• Be between 25 and 35 years.
• Have not been a surrogate before.
• Be medically and psychologically fit.
• Provide written consent.

The medical process — step by step

1. Eligibility documentation — medical certificates, marriage certificate, surrogate's identity and consent, insurance arrangement.
2. Mandatory counselling — for intended parents, surrogate, and their partners. Conducted by certified counsellors.
3. IVF cycle — intended mother undergoes stimulation, retrieval, and fertilisation with partner sperm (or donor gametes as permitted by the Act). Embryos are created.
4. Surrogate preparation — the surrogate's uterus is hormonally prepared for embryo transfer.
5. Embryo transfer — performed at the registered ART centre.
6. Pregnancy care — antenatal care for the surrogate at the registered centre. Standard obstetric monitoring throughout.
7. Delivery — at a registered facility. Parental rights vest in intended parents under the Act.
8. Post-delivery — birth certificate issued in intended parents' names. Surrogate is not the legal mother.

Legal documentation

Surrogacy arrangements require:

• A surrogacy agreement, notarised, covering the responsibilities of all parties.
• Insurance for the surrogate covering medical complications and post-delivery care.
• Certificate of essentiality issued by the appropriate authority.
• Eligibility certificates for intended parents and surrogate.

KIMS Fertility's regulatory team handles documentation alongside legal counsel; intended parents don't need to navigate this independently.

Cost considerations

Total program cost in India under the 2021 framework typically runs ₹15L–₹25L in 2026, covering:

• IVF cycles for the intended mother.
• Embryo transfer cycles.
• Antenatal care and delivery.
• Surrogate medical reimbursements (as permitted).
• Mandatory insurance for the surrogate.
• Legal documentation.
• Centre fees.

Costs vary by centre, complexity, and number of IVF cycles needed.

Emotional dimensions

Surrogacy is an emotionally complex path. Common questions: How will I bond with a baby I didn't carry? How does the surrogate feel about handing over the baby? What about extended family attitudes? These are real and require working through. The mandatory counselling sessions exist for this reason; they aren't optional or perfunctory in good practice.

How I work

My role in a surrogacy program is medical and coordinating. I handle the IVF cycle for the intended mother, the embryo transfer to the surrogate, and the obstetric oversight through pregnancy. I work alongside KIMS Fertility's regulatory team for compliance and alongside qualified counsellors for the emotional and psychological aspects. The aim is a process that feels supported and clear, not bureaucratic and lonely.