India in the News
In the last couple weeks, India's booming fertility industry has been in the news frequently:
Activists have petitioned the Supreme Court to stop major internet sites from running ads for sex selection. The activists, including Sabu George, previously have been successful ending similar ads in print publications. But now they are taking on Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo.
Surrogacy in India is almost a half-billion dollar industry.
Paying for eggs is on the rise. Economically vulnerable women are more likely to provide eggs, and according to one expert, "desirable physical attributes such as fair skin and good features" result in higher payments. The report ended with:
Another donor pointed out that the agents typically try to locate prospective donors among the poor.
"As their husbands are easy to convince, they are approached first. However, with financial dealings involved in the process, husbands often force their will on their wives," she said.
Another investigative report concluded that egg providers are often cheated and misled. Prospective parents are becoming more selective about the traits of potential sperm and egg providers. Yet India has no law regulating the assisted reproduction industry.