Sample survey by South Mumbai college reveals mere 18% aware of surrogacy

South Mumbai's Nirmala Niketan college of Home Science recently conducted a survey on young and middle aged adults, about their opinion on surrogacy in India. Out of the 86 respondents, a mere 18% were aware of the different types of surrogacy.

The study was conducted by three MSc Part-I (Human Development) students – Paulomi Shah, Yashna D'Souza and Mansi Shedge – under the guidance of the college's Dr Kamini Rege, assistant professor, department of human development. The findings indicate that giving away a baby may prove to be devastating to mother's mental health.

The 86 participants were of mixed academic backgrounds – both experts and young adults (aged 18-35 years) and middle age adults (aged 36-60 years). Of the six experts, two were from the field of teaching (psychology and human development), two from medicine (gynaecologist) and two from social work.

Surrogacy statistics

An estimated 2,000 foreign babies are born to Indian surrogates each year, according to research in the forthcoming Patients with Passports: Medical Tourism, Ethics, and Law, by Harvard law professor I. Glenn Cohen.

The study showed that among young and middle age adults, only 17.5% young adult males (YAM), 8.8% young adult females (YAF), 15% middle aged males (MAM) and 11.3% middle aged females (MAF) were aware about the different types of surrogacy.

With regards to society, 8.8% YAM, 5% YAF, 11.13% MAM, 13.8% MAF said that there was little to no support, or even acceptance for surrogacy. Respondents stated that pressures including criticism, stigma and narrow mindsets, dominated the general attitude.

Additionally, the study pointed out that a surrogate mother develops such an emotional attachment to the fetus, that when the baby is born and given to his/her parents, the surrogate has health complications.

Many adults were of the opinion that surrogacy ought to be legalised as it benefits infertile couples. The experts surveyed felt that mainstream media is not making any attempts to bring surrogacy to the forefront of social discourse.

Dr Kamini Rege said: "The experience of researchers were enriching. The only challenges they faced were to get the experts' opinions, as they were reluctant to comment on the issue."