India's new outsourcing business - wombs

[atommom]

This is a troubling article, as it points out that the women of India aren't necessarily benefiting from this practice...

BANGALORE - It is a new dimension to outsourcing. An increasing number of couples are coming to India in search of cheaper fertility treatments, donor eggs and surrogate mothers. After turning to Indians to answer customer-service calls, the West, it seems, is now turning to them to carry their babies.

For couples looking for fertility treatment, India is an attractive destination. They can avail themselves of treatment at a relatively low cost. Besides, it is easier finding a surrogate mother here, and the cost of renting her womb to carry the fertilized egg is a fraction of what it would be back home.

In-vitro fertilization treatment involves the fertilization of the egg and sperm in a test tube. Once fertilized, the embryo is transferred into the uterus of the biological mother. In some cases, where the biological mother's medical condition does not permit her to carry the fetus, a surrogate mother does the job. In the United States, a couple would have to fork out about US$15,000 to the surrogate mother and another $30,000 to agencies involved. In India, they can do this on a smaller budget - the entire cost ranges between $2,500 and $5,000.

"Reproductive tourism" - as this trade is being referred to - is a booming business. Valued at more than $450 million in India, the industry is growing at a rapid pace. While exact figures are hard to come by, it is said that the number of cases of surrogacy has doubled over the past three years.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HF16Df03.html