The image shows an office of a clinic offering service to help women with difficulties in having a baby. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Eight out of 50 married couples have been approved to obtain surrogacy services over the past year, Department of Health Service Support (HSS) director-general Boonruang Triruangworawat said yesterday.
Dr Boonruang said 50 couples have submitted surrogacy requests to the department since a new surrogacy law came into effect on July 30 last year.
Of the couples, eight requests were approved by a committee for protection of surrogate children while those filed by another 12 couples will be considered by this month, he said.
Dr Boonruang said that over the past 10 months, the Bureau of Sanatorium and Art of Healing has given advice to the couples, public and private hospitals and clinics about the surrogacy law and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) certification.
He said the purpose of the law is to make the surrogacy process legal for parents whose marriage is registered under Thai law.
If the intended parents are Thai and foreign, they must hold marriage registration for at least three years. The law prohibits commercial surrogacy, selling of eggs, sperm and embryos.
Surrogate mothers must be between 20 and 40 years of age. They must be related to one of the intending parents and have gone through one natural birth, but not more than three.
The limit for caesarean births is one. Surrogate mothers can’t provide the service more than twice.
Each case must be approved by the committee for protection of surrogate children chaired by the permanent secretary for health. Intending parents must be responsible for overall costs.
Selection of the child’s gender is illegal. According to the HSS, about 15% of Thai couples conceive children via the ART.
Dr Boonruang said those who provide the services or use the ART without permission will face prison for 1-10 years, a fine of 20,000-200,000 baht or both.
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This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.