Wednesday, February 23, 2011

LABOR OF LOVE



        
            Surrogacy has always been a long debated topic.Surrogacy is an option chosen by couples usually as a last resort  ,when a Lady cannot  not conceive or carry a baby in her womb due to various reasons which may include a missing /abnormal uterus,multiple pregnancy failures ,breast cancer or any other factors.A surrogate mother carries the embryo which is implanted  into her  womb after the in vitro fertilization of the couple's egg and sperm respectively.So there is some sort of emotional satisfaction associated with the parents  that the 'baby' is biologically theirs.
       Now ,it's challenging equally both for the mother and the surrogate mother respectively to adopt this option.The mother always has the guilt that she has not carried the child in her womb and has not experienced the eternal feeling of motherhood ;while on the other hand the surrogate mother who has felt  the bonding with the child in the womb , cannot even experience the pleasure of motherhood by raising the child she gave birth to. The reason for me writing this post was because , recently ,I came across this programme named 'Labor of love ' on CNBC channel which played an interview of  a 52 year old lady named Crystal Sirignano who has been a 'surrogate mother'.This news made me just spell bound.The fact that a 52 year old lady conceiving itself was one shocking news and added to it was the fact that she  was doing it for none other than her own daughter!As I saw her glowing face reflecting  immense pride, speaking about her decision to conceive for her daughter,I was filled with mixed emotions of a strange sense of awkwardness and also appreciation.She narrated that her daughter Kendra Sirignano, who had some health issues had been going through depression continuously since 3 years for not being able to conceive and have her own baby.That's when she decided to get herself tested and do her share of help to her daughter for her happiness.Her statement stating that the doctor considered her uterus to be as strong and healthy as a 18 year old gal ,brought a smile on my face.The proud Grand Mother  has delivered not one ,but twins for her daughter.Her daughter on being interviewed ,said that she never ever considered  surrogacy as an option and that it was her mother's idea to conceive for her. She was very apprehensive with the fact that her mother's health would be posed to risk ,but her mother was very much  insistent and she felt  extremely grateful to her  for this brave step.We have read and heard ' Bhagavad Geetha 'that 'there is no other living God in this earth 'and we could reciprocate the favor done to us by anyone in life ,but not of that done by  our mother owing to the 9 months of struggle she would have gone to give birth to us.But after reading this, what would you say about  this mother who has gone one step ahead and even done it for her kid's kids at this age!
    
    PS: Additional links to the news :

21 comments:

SM said...

yes its very important for both females as well as families of both females.

Chapters From My Life said...

Amazing woman and very brave indeed. This just shows that a mothers love has no bounds and she would do anything for the smile on her child's face.
Hats off to mothers!!!

Amrit said...

Raji,

An awesome post. You bought a very very good story. Thanks

JAGDISH BALI said...

Off beat, nice, interesting, informative and racy post.

NRIGirl said...

I have mixed feelings about surrogacy... so no comments!

raji said...

@sm thanks
@Farila ..true a mother' slove is so unconditional .she can do anything for her child.
@A and Jagdish ji thanks for your comments.
@Nri,I can understand..:)even I felt a little awkward while seeing this story.

Amrit said...

Raji,

If you get a chance, please read my post on 'IVF, Stem Cell Research...'. I wrote it a long time back. Similar subject but different perspective. Read the comments sections - some people have give their own stories.

raji said...

I was there that time I think...I remember commenting too.That was a nice post A.

dr.antony said...

I appreciate the mother for the selfless sacrifice she was willing to do.
But this is a very difficult area.I remember the story of a Malayali woman who got conceived at an older age than this and delivered a beautiful young boy.She made headlines as the oldest mother who got conceived by IVF.Unfortunately,the child died after year in a bath tub.
Strange are His ways!

Underground networks of surrogacy agents, hospitals, and doctors have sprung up in recent years as infertile couples with money hire surrogate mothers to have babies for them.There are surrogate mothers who have delivered children for others,in return for money,not once,but many times. Medical world should be prohibited from using this technology for commercial use.

raji said...

@DR Anthony ,that was such a miserable story.I cannot imagine the plight of that woman after so much struggle at that age!Yes agree with you that surrogacy as a commercial purpose should be prohibited.It's not even good from the woman's perspective to repeatedly go through this preganancy.

Rachna said...

Surrogacy has so many ethical and emotional implications. But, it does provide an opportunity to those who want to have a part of themselves in their babies but can't have them. I am against wombs being sold to make money like a profession.

Meera Sundararajan said...

First time on your blog.. Nice! But you know I have some mixed feelings on surrogacy- I think it is this whole thing of wanting to have one's genes being replicated to call oneself a parent! I think of the millions of children in this world who are orphans, how much they would benefit if one of those couples having difficulty in conception were to adopt them... India, I am told is going to be the biggest hub of surrogacy and surrogate mothers! But this thing about the mother carrying her grandchild is interesting but not really a new phenomenon- people still "adopt" from their own families- but sure to each one their own...!

raji said...

True rachna ,but here my post was highliting more about the feelings and emotions from the mother's perspective ,who has conceived for her daughter.This was purely on emotional grounds.But yes ,as you said ,surrogacy for commercial purpose is not acceptable.

raji said...

@meera ,welcome to my blog and thanks for your comments.Yes ,even I feel adoption can be a better option than surrogacy.

M'Bai Madrasi said...

this post nearly made me speechless...for one second I was shocked by the boldness of the woman,,,,
Surrogacy is indeed a thoughtful topic these days,,,recently they did debate modifications in surrogacy law in the Indian Parliament
I too agree with Rachna

Anonymous said...

I am all for surrogacy. And If a mother does it for her daughter, there is nothing more noble.

Like everything else, even this got commercialized! But such events bring forth a hope in many.

R said...

thats very brave...but it asks for so much of a woman!

Shari said...

What ever the reason may be I am one of the people who are totally against surrugacy

Creativity said...

Wow!! Very Much Appreciable. Mothers Are Real Goddesses. Thanks A Lot For Sharing Raji :)

Mangala said...

Awesome post, Raji. I recently read about a lady who became a surrogate mother after her own husband disowned her and her kids, so that she could fend for her own two young kids, giving them a roof for their heads and a decent meal....

raji said...

@Mangala ,Oh ok..That too is such a sad story .I think some people resort to surrogacy as a final resort ,considering it a humble cause. At least, it is not as worse as prostitution.