Being pregnant and carrying a baby is an overwhelming experience for any woman. Feeling every little change in your body, movements of the baby and unconditional love in your heart… the feeling is all too intense. After all, it’s her baby… or may be not!! May be she is just a Surrogate, A carrier!
On a road off to Anand Station, many Indian and Foreign couples come over to Auto Rickshaws and Taxis asking one address: Sat Kaival Hospital or Akanksha Infertility Clinic! The clinic has boosted the average income of the Rickshaw walas, of the Hotels, of the Restaurants and many other small businesses; however, the most benefited parties are the Parents who come for the infertility treatment and the Surrogate mothers who embrace the modern technology and accept surrogacy. Both the parties are the most affected too. One has never felt the contentment of parenthood while the other is struggling with the time, money being the critical issue. Surrogacy brings happiness to both the homes. A Child to the couple and Money to the woman, the Surrogate.
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Meeting The Surrogates
Pushpa Pandya, was one amongst the first surrogates at Akanksha Clinic. She first feared; however with Dr. Nayana Patel everything was easy, says Pushpa. There have been 7 surrogacy cases from Pushpa’s family. She is very happy with the financial condition of the family now. Dr Nayana, the founder of the Hospital and Clinic is an IVF Expert, who has transformed Anand to a surrogacy hub that spreads Happiness.
Meera, a mother of three from Surendranagar has come to Dr. Patel’s clinic to overcome the financial crisis. She has delivered a baby boy 1.5 months ago to a foreigner couple. She says, “We did not have a home to live in. Had no enough money, besides I was healthy so thought of coming to Anand and become a surrogate. My husband and mother-in-law both are very supportive, they did not say no when I put forward this option”.
When asked whether she was afraid, she said laughing out louder, “I am a mother of three kids. What will scare me? I am not doing anything wrong. Dr. Ma’am is very good to us and doing great work so I am not fearful instead I am happy”. “I bought a house with the money paid to me, Dr. Ma’am paid money every other month and the couple bought me a gold earrings. Tell me which poor person would not love this, when in return you just have to be pregnant?”
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A surrogate is paid nearly 4.5 to 5 Lakhs, 4000 every month for 12 months, an LIC insurance including of their husbands, nutritious food, they are educated for 12 months with no extra cost and additional perks of getting festival gifts are always there. 5 Lakhs is a huge amount for people who hardly make 150-300 Indian Rupees a day.
I was happy when I spoke to Meena who is immensely satisfied with Dr. Patel’s contribution to her life and to the society. She kept praising Ms. Patel for she has contributed to make families happier than ever. What made me tearful was Rekha’s words.
Rekha is a mother of 5 year old daughter from Dakor and also a second time surrogate at the clinic. Recalling her struggling days she says “What will a person do when they have nothing to eat and no money to buy food? I did what a mother and wife should do. I thought about my family. People never wanted to talk to us because I was poor. I thought of my family’s happiness and becoming a surrogate was easiest and also mentally satisfying as at the end, I was happy to deliver a baby to the couple who were infertile”. “I bought a house, good clothes for my husband and kid and everyone speaks to us”. Disclosing the harsh truth of Life, she added, “Money is everything ma’am”.
Isn’t it so satisfactory at the end? A couple gets the unbelievable pleasure of holding their child while at the other hand finally the war with time and money has concluded. We should be happier while reading or writing this, as at the end what matter is looking at someone who has come across so much and is genuinely smiling!
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