A type of third party reproduction is known as surrogacy. In this process, the doctor implants embryos in the uterus of a woman who will carry the pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents. The doctor transfers the embryos created through IVF to the surrogate’s uterus after fertilization and incubation in the lab. The creation of the embryo is normally from the egg and sperm of the intended parents and this leads to the baby sharing 100% of its genetic identity with them. In some cases, the baby shares a 50% genetic identity with the intended parents as an egg or sperm donor is involved in these cases.
Reasons behind opting for surrogacy
A number of couples are not able to have a child genetically linked to them in spite of many efforts. These couples can become parents with the help of surrogacy. There are various reasons behind infertility and opting for surrogacy.
1. Unexplained infertility
There may be 4 or 5 rounds of IVF in case of any patient but pregnancy can fail even if everything goes great up to the transfer. The infertility doctors in Kolkata suggest going for gestational surrogacy if a woman’s eggs seem healthy and the embryos are of good quality.
2. Hysterectomy or genetic lack of uterus
There are many women who have to undergo a hysterectomy for medical reasons. Some women are also born without a uterus. These women are able to produce eggs for IVF, though they cannot carry a pregnancy. They can bring home a healthy baby with the help of a surrogate.
3. Uterine issues
There are problems in the uterine lining of some women, which prevent the proper implantation of embryos. Early miscarriages can happen because of this, even when there is proper functioning of everything else. Recurring fibroids and an unusually shaped uterus due to a genetic condition or injury are some other uterine issues that lead to the requirement of a surrogate.
4. Severe postpartum depression
A very serious issue is postpartum depression, which can lead to postpartum psychosis in extremely severe cases. After previous pregnancies, some women suffer from significant mental issues. The specialists at the best infertility clinic in Kolkata suggest them to choose a surrogate for the next pregnancy.
5. Life-threatening conditions
In some cases, there may be a substantial risk to a woman‘s life if she becomes pregnant. There may be several conditions behind this, which include placenta, accrete, severe diabetes, some heart defects or heart disease and kidney disease. In these cases, surrogacy proves effective.
