The Union Health Ministry has amended the Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022, in terms of the requirement of staff and their qualifications at a registered surrogacy clinic along with the application and different procedures at the surrogacy clinic, under the currently enacted Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021.

The rule says that the surrogacy clinic should have at least one gynecologist, anesthetist, embryologist, and counselor. Also, the clinic can additionally appoint an extra worker at Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Level 2 clinics. This appointment is to be approved by the director, an andrologist, and should only take place when help is needed to assist the clinic administration.

The rule also added that a gynecologist should have a minimum postgraduate in gynecology and obstetrics and must have a document of performing 50 ova pick-up procedures and three of experience in the field. Meanwhile, an embryologist must be a postgraduate in clinical embryology from a known college or recognized institute with additional 3 years of human ART laboratory experience.  

Additionally, According to the Rule, surrogate mothers will only be allowed for abortion during the process of surrogacy by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. As per the sources, The ART (Regulation) Act was notified by the authorities on December 21, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act was notified on December 25, 2021.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/regulations-for-surrogacy-clinics-are-notified-by-union-health-ministry/92401970 )