Patna: The Bihar government has given legal approval to surrogacy after a long wait of four years. A 24-member monitoring board has been formed to supervise the process. This board includes doctors, MLAs, social workers, and women’s rights activists. It will make sure that all surrogacy procedures in the state follow the law and are done safely and fairly.
This decision comes as great news for couples in Bihar who are unable to have children. Until now, many had to travel to other states like Jharkhand or West Bengal, where the process was costly and difficult. With surrogacy now allowed in Bihar, couples can complete the process more easily and at a lower cost within their own state. Specialised clinics and IVF centres will also be set up in major cities like Patna.
Dr Dayanidhi, a member of the board and chief embryologist at Indira IVF, explained that surrogacy is when a woman carries a baby for another couple. The child is created using the couple’s sperm and egg through IVF and then placed in the surrogate mother’s womb. In India, only “altruistic” surrogacy is allowed, which means the surrogate mother cannot be paid except for medical and insurance expenses. Both the couple and the surrogate mother must sign a consent form before starting the process.
Not everyone is allowed to use surrogacy. Only married Indian couples, or widowed or divorced women in a certain age range, are eligible. Single men, live-in couples, unmarried women, and foreign nationals are not allowed to take part in surrogacy in India. Also, a woman can become a surrogate only once, and preferably she should be a close relative of the couple.
With this new board in place, the Bihar government aims to help more than 18% of childless couples in the state. The board will also help stop illegal surrogacy practices and ensure that all cases are properly checked and approved. This step is expected to bring hope to many families and make Bihar a leading state in ethical surrogacy care.
