Things You Must Keep in Mind Before Opting IVF or Surrogacy

IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and surrogacy are alternative methods of having a baby and can be resorted to when a couple cannot conceive the natural way. There are three things you must keep in mind before making a choice between IVF or surrogacy:

Surrogacy is opted for when the woman is unable to conceive by natural means and when there's no possibility of her getting pregnant whatsoever. Surrogacy can be of two types- full surrogacy and partial surrogacy. On the other hand, IVF works towards the treatment of infertility in one or both the partners, enabling the woman partner to conceive the child. IVF involves the fertilisation of a woman's eggs by the sperm of the intended father in a laboratory dish. The developed embryo (or fertilised egg) is then implanted in the woman's uterus.

Risks of surrogacy include multiple births, ectopic pregnancy (implantation of the fertilised egg in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, leading to miscarriage) and birth defects in the child, to name a few. As for risks associated with IVF, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (swollen and painful ovaries), multiple births, ectopic pregnancy, and stress can take place if IVF is opted for.
Surrogacy requires the fulfillment of complex legal processes, such as determining eligibility, matching profiles of surrogates with intended parents, finding of a potential surrogate and more, which require proper legal counselling. Besides the cost of surrogacy in India is higher than IVF.

IVF does not involve any such processes and is easier to carry out. The low cost of IVF in comparison to surrogacy makes it a much more viable option. Based on these factors, you can make the choice of a procedure that is best suited for you.