December 15: Surrogacy and/or egg donation have proven to be a godsend for most of the individuals that have otherwise failed to conceive naturally. Still, one must keep in mind that this procedure needs a great deal of patience, as well as medical and legal understanding, along with a full-fledged support system.

Intended parents (IPs), Surrogates, IVF experts, Egg donors, and even the Surrogacy Agency that organises the process all have various perspectives on Surrogacy. Yet, the arrangement facilitates the dreams and ambitions of every individual involved in some way or another.

Speaking of surrogates, they have the chance to help a family in need while simultaneously receiving compensation for their work. Intended parents, on the other hand, get to witness the most awaited moment of their lives.

So, we can say that it’s a win-win arrangement for everyone concerned, even to the people and entities engaged in facilitating IP surrogacy visits, such as hotels, planes, attorneys, and local tourist operators. (At the pinnacle of surrogacy for international IPs, India’s fertility tourism industry was estimated to be worth $ 2.3 billion.)

Gaurav Wankhede, the founder of BecomeParents.com, a well-known surrogacy agency, expressed his thoughts on international cross-border surrogacy. Surrogacy, in his view, has evolved over the last seven or eight years, especially since several Asian nations have enacted harsher surrogacy regulations.

Gaurav Wankhede states that most of the IPs dealing with him come over with a budget of $35,000-$40,000, and that there are certain destinations that facilitate affordable surrogacy while still offering access to the finest medical facilities and best-in-class ART (Artificial Reproductive Techniques) services. Kenya, a country that has lately emerged as a popular destination for fertility tourism, is one of these places where surrogacy services may be obtained at a minimal cost.

Benefits of surrogacy for Intended parents

Surrogacy brings some significant benefits for IPs, irrespective of their sexual orientation, so, no matter if you are a same-sex couple, married heterosexual IP, or single parents, you can benefit from surrogacy in numerous aspects.

Gaurav Wankhede affirms that surrogacy is in great demand in this region of the world, and he goes on to highlight some of the benefits of surrogacy and ART service in Kenya over other possibilities.

  • Kenya is one of the most developed nations in eastern Africa, as well as the heart of medical tourism in the area, with world-class medical facilities and IVF clinics maintained by internationally recognised medical service providers.
  • Apart from participating in local safari tourism, international intended parents are invited to participate in the surrogacy journey and are typically able to attend several key surrogacy stages, including the embryo transfer and being there for their child’s delivery.
  • Single mothers are reasonably simple to discover in Kenya, which is crucial for European clients who prefer single or divorced surrogate mothers; Kenya also has outstanding air connectivity, making it an easily accessible destination. Furthermore, Kenya is an English-speaking country, making communication simpler.

Benefits of surrogacy for surrogate mothers     

Most of the Surrogacy supporters, according to Gaurav Wankhede, have worked hard over the last 15 years to make it mandatory for every intending surrogate mother to receive appropriate counselling in which her rights, obligations, and responsibilities are fully explained before she begins her journey as a surrogate mother.

Surrogacy can help these remarkable women and their families in many ways.

  • Surrogate mothers can talk to the intended parents about their pregnancy experience and develop a strong bond with them during the procedure.
  • Surrogates frequently form lifetime ties with the families they aid during surrogacy, and all surrogates who have delivered, experience a huge feeling of personal fulfilment and pride in knowing that they have helped another family in such an unbelievable way.

Surrogacy may be a physically and emotionally draining experience for both parties, according to Gaurav Wankhede. All the hard work, however, is ultimately justified by the sense of realizing one’s dream of becoming a parent.