India's government moves to curb surrogacy; Church welcomes restrictions

October 30, 2015

India’s government plans new restrictions on surrogate parenthood, to curtail the rapid growth of the lucrative industry on the subcontinent.

Under the government’s proposal, which would require parliamentary approval, surrogacy would be allowed only for infertile Indian married couples. Foreigners would no longer be allowed to engage an Indian woman for a surrogate pregnancy.

India has the dubious distinction of leading the world in commercial surrogacy. The abundance of impoverished women—who can earn an average of $7,500 for carrying a pregnancy to term—and access to medical care have drawn thousands of couples. As many as 1,000 Indian women become surrogate mothers each year.

Bishop Thomas Dabre of Poona, the head of the Indian bishops’ doctrinal commission, welcomed the prospect of some restrictions on the practice. "Hiring bodily elements is not morally right according to Catholic teaching because it commercialize the human body," he said. "Surrogacy violates the sanctity of marriage and human life itself because it is unnatural," he said.

 

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Further information:

• Bishop Dabre welcomes move to ban commercial surrogacy (UCAN)
• India draws praise for plan to end foreign surrogacy (CNA)