DMC&H Ludhiana announces first ever government-permitted surrogacy case Under Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

Ludhiana, October 18, 2024: DMC&H, Ludhiana proudly announces the initiation of the first-ever surrogacy case under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, in its Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. This landmark case conducted under the expert supervision of Dr. Ashima Taneja, Professor & Head Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, DMC&H, Ludhiana.

Bipin Gupta, Secretary DMC&H Managing Society congratulated the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology for this achievement. Further, Gupta highlighted that, the commencement of this government-permitted surrogacy case at DMC&H Ludhiana underscores the hospital's leading role in reproductive medicine and highlights our dedication to patient-centered care and adherence to legal frameworks. By integrating modern medical technology with ethical oversight, DMC&H continues to serve as a trusted healthcare institution, offering hope to many couples who seek to build their families though surrogacy.

Principal, Dr. G. S. Wander said this achievement marks a significant milestone for DMC&H Ludhiana, reinforcing its commitment to providing advanced reproductive care while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, mandates that surrogacy services can only be availed by eligible couples with the permission of the authorities, ensuring the well-being of all parties involved. The Act provides a framework for ethical surrogacy practices, prohibiting commercial surrogacy and allowing only altruistic surrogacy, where no financial gain is involved apart from medical expenses and insurance coverage for the surrogate mother. The process requires thorough scrutiny and approval at multiple levels, including judicial oversight. Since 2021, this process had come to a halt and now restarted.

Dr. Ashima Taneja, Professor & Head, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology stated, "We are honoured to be a pioneer regulated surrogacy centre in this region, ensuring that the process is transparent, ethical and aligned with the latest legislative requirements. The confidentiality of all these parties involved is of paramount importance in this process.

Giving information about first surrogacy case, Dr Ashima said that, the surrogate mother, under our expert care, has completed the initial stages of pregnancy following a successful embryo transfer.

The Surrogacy process has been officially approved by the Department of Health Services, Government of Punjab, following all legal and medical protocols set forth in the Surrogacy (Regulation) 2021. 

Dr. Ashima Taneja played a pivotal role in ensuring that every stage of the approval process was closely monitored and adhered to, guaranteeing strict compliance with the law.