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Now, a hostel for surrogate mothers!

Some months ago, Rubina delivered a baby baby. But this child wasn't her own. She had rented her womb out to a childless Korean couple.

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Surrogacy volunteers will be given lessons in computers, beauty and English speaking

AHMEDABAD: Some months ago, Rubina delivered a baby baby. But this child wasn't her own. She had rented her womb out to a childless Korean couple. After the baby was born, she stayed on at the hostel to help look after other women like herself.

It was Rubina's experience that inspired Dr Nayna Patel. Today, the hostel — a four bedroom bungalow — that Dr Patel set up not only takes care of surrogate mothers but provides computer, beauty and English-speaking classes. She has been practicing commercial in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques for the last four years.

"We want to help women coming here to get a clean and safe place," Dr Patel told DNA. At present, 10 surrogate mothers share the hired bungalow. So far, Dr Patel has handled cases for over 50 pregnant surrogates. Another 33 have already delivered babies for childless couples.

"No one in the neighbourhood raised objections when I hired the bungalow. They said that renting womb to childless couples is a noble deed, " she says. Dr Patel is now thinking of buying a bungalow so she can accommodate more surrogate mothers. "People are accepting surrogate mothers with no stigma attached," says Rubina. She herself, a  bank employee, came all the way from Kolkata. She needed the money for her son's heart ailment.

Today, Rubina not only helps Dr Patel but also handles things like providing the initial medications for pregnancy. A cook and cleaner take care of the food and overall cleanliness. Dr Patel drew up a special menu for the surrogate mothers. The expenses for the maintaining the bungalow and its upkeep are borne by the couples who use Dr Patel's services.

Dr Patel wants to make the surrogate mothers to be self-reliant. "Some of them want their children to study in English medium schools so I hired someone to teach them basic grammar and conversational skills." One surrogate mother, four months pregnant with the child of a Sri Lankan couple says, "I have never experienced hostel life. But sharing an accommodation with other surrogate mothers is a learning experience. We chat, exercise and teach each other different things."

However, a leading IVF practitioner Dr Himanshu Bavishi says surrogate mothers should not be kept away from their families." A family support system is very essential for any pregnant women," he says.

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