No International Surrogate

I had a brief conversation with the clinic today and as suspected, the law does not permit me to bring over a surrogate to India for a transfer - in my case, a frozen embryo transfer. Such a request was a first for the clinic. Although this is disappointing news, it's finally nice to know that option is a closed door.

However, I still remain positive and hopeful that the law will change. So far everything points towards that based on various conversations. Sounds like in the next few months or so, we might hear some news impacting single persons. For now, as I do everyday, I focus on the positives in my life. I appreciate what I have versus dwell on what I don't have. I continue to dream and plan. I continue to follow the dreams of my fellow SCI clients - it is such an immense joy becoming a parent but it is also a great joy watching other deserving people become parents. I continue to recommend SCI to married straight couples and hope that new singles and gay couples can work with SCI down the road.

It's too early to say now (my daughter is almost 3 months) but even if things don't work out in India, I'm confident I will have a third child - as long as my aging body and mind can keep up! Seriously! LOL!

Thank you for letting me share this part of my world with you!

Continue To Wait

I don't mind waiting really. I'm not in a hurry to have child #3 but for the sake of planning, it would be nice to know what my options are or will be in the future.

The clinic doesn't think there will be a problem with me bringing over a surrogate. I'm just waiting for confirmation from their lawyer. They initially asked me to provide details on my surrogate so they can have sufficient information to advise me whether I can bring her over or not. I am not sure what details they would like me to provide so I'm waiting for that list of details as well.

I also took the opportunity to directly email Dr. Radhey Sharma myself and get his perspectives on things. I just wanted to increase the amount of information I had on my situation. Nothing new - he advised me that the MHA is in the process of revising the earlier guidelines and suggested waiting a few more days or weeks.

So I continue to wait patiently. Life keeps me very busy - I wish I could be on parental leave forever. My daughter is almost three months and November seems too close for comfort! LOL!

Thank you for letting me share this part of my world with you!

Frozen Embryo Limbo

Dr. Shivani has been great in communicating with me regarding my frozen embryos. She advised me that they are proactively pursuing clarification on the status of the frozen embryos. I'm sure there are many who are in the same boat as I.

As mentioned, I'm still hopeful that these frozen embryos are available to me so I can bring over a surrogate. Initially, I was hoping they could ship my frozen embryos to my clinic here in Canada. You can ship your embryos to India so you would think they could be shipped back. But alas, I was advised that shipment was not possible.

I wholeheartedly trust SCI and am not questioning them, but I have read information online that contradicts that. Some clients of Indian clinics are writing that they can have their embryos shipped to North America - not sure if they are doing this legally but one would assume so. I'm curious how their clinics are able to do this. Also, I found the following Q&A quite informative - it speaks to this situation directly but it also comes from this side of the pond. It's what India decides that is the determining ruling one would assume.

So I'm a bit confused - it would be great if I could ship them to my clinic for sure. Of course, laws, regulations, etc. can change on the drop of a dime as we are experiencing right now. There could have been a loop-hole that they are sealing up tightly as I type this :) Nonetheless, this provides some hope in my eyes. For now, we continue to wait.

Thank you for letting me share this part of my world with you!

PS - Another article on the current surrogacy situation in India.