NEW DELHI: Surrogates in India, who lend their wombs to others, are not the “poorest of the poor”, contrary to popular perception—and are better off—and even better educated than their similar-aged counterparts in the general population.
A study, which compiled the first empirical evidence on the socio-economic status of surrogate women in India, also found that most surrogates had smaller families with just one or two children.
The analysis was carried out by researchers from the French Institute of Demographic Studies, Paris, and the Indian Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai.
“That not the most deprived and uneducated women get into the business of lending wombs, says a lot about the recruitment of surrogates by clinics and agencies and also the specificity of women who apply for surrogacy,” Virginie Rozée, the project’s lead researcher, told this newspaper.
Since 2002, when commercial surrogacy was legalised, India has become one of the top destinations, with business estimated at $2 billion.
“Although surrogates are not powerless victims in need of aid, they have an unequal relationship with doctors, and parents from rich nations,” said Sayeed Unisa from IIPS, who assisted in the research.
She said the Centre made the right move with The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill but added the proposed law needs to look into the surrogate’s right to abort as well as post-natal care.
Caste no bar
71 per cent surrogates had income over $2 per day. 56 per cent of them had at least secondary- level education.
Surrogates came from both upper and lower castes.