While debates rage across the world over the exploitation of women who become surrogates in India, many daughters in the state are following in the footsteps of their mothers to rent their wombs and deliver themselves from poverty.

Renuka (23) recently delivered a boy for an Indian–American childless couple. Married at the age of 18, her in–laws never took her back after she delivered a child. She was staring at a life of being a domestic maid.

Renuka was led to the profession of surrogacy by her own mother Rekha. The mother had become a surrogate for an Australian couple to support her family as her husband was unemployed.

"I earned Rs 2.5 lakh with which I bought a rickshaw for my husband and bought a house for us. Surrogacy is a respectable profession and I had no qualms in recommending it to my daughter. Renuka has earned Rs 4.5 lakh and we have put it in fixed deposit to secure her son’s education and her well–being," said Rekha.

Dr Nayana Patel, who runs an IVF clinic in Anand, said surrogacy needs to be respected as a profession as 75% women who opt for surrogacy have unemployed husbands. "While we have had women bring in their sisters and sister–in–laws to opt for surrogacy and earn money, mothers endorsing this profession for their daughters is a stamp of approval," said Dr Patel.

Sharda (40) is another mother who has advocated surrogacy to daughter Sunita, who is now pregnant with the children of a foreign couple. "I became a surrogate twice and earned Rs 6 lakh. With this money, I got my three daughters married. With Sunita, the mother of a five–year–old, is facing financial crisis, I advised her surrogacy. She will be paid nearly Rs 4 lakh with which she can buy a house and help her husband who earns only Rs 2,000 per month," said Sharda.

It needs mention that while reports of exploitation of surrogates surface from many parts of India, remuneration for surrogates in Gujarat has recorded a significant rise. Ten years ago, a surrogate was paid between Rs 1 lakh to 2 lakh. Currently, surrogates earn Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh per pregnancy and more if they carry twins and if the commissioning couple is foreign–based.