Woman accuses hospital of artificially inseminating her

VISAKHAPATNAM: Tension prevailed at

Padmasri Hospital

here on Wednesday when a

surrogate mother

’s family protested after she fell sick.


They alleged that the hospital management had cheated the woman by performing artificial insemination instead of fertilising the egg outside the womb.

Police said a surrogacy mediator, K Usha, had lured a woman identified as N

Nagalakshmi

, resident of Swatantra Nagar, with a promise of a “handsome compensation” if she played the role of a surrogate mother. The 32-year-old mother of three children accepted the offer as she was in dire financial stress and living separately from her husband following domestic disputes.

Nagalakshmi alleged that Usha had promised to pay Rs 20,000 for donation of eggs. Usha told Nagalakshmi that she needed to stay in hospital for about 30 days.

Dr

Sudha Padmasri

of Padmasri Hospital told TOI that the hospital was registered with the Indian Council of Medical Research (

ICMR

) for assisted reproduction technique. “I have obtained all necessary permissions from local authorities. I have not done anything illegal. The woman signed a legal document for surrogacy. The agreement was between the donor and the infertile woman. I am only a doctor,” the woman said.

She said the embryos was transferred on March 22. Sudha said as the pregnancy was successful with twin foetuses, the woman began demanding more money.

According to the complaint, Usha took Nagalakshmi to Padmasri Hospital in March. Usha had signed in the hospital register as Nagalakshmi’s caretaker. “They gave me so many medicines before I was taken into the operation theatre after 15 days. They said they were taking egg from my womb. They took my signature on several papers,” Nagalakshmi alleged.

It was alleged that the woman was subjected to artificial insemination. The doctor later informed the woman about the artificial insemination and offered Rs 3 lakh. “I was asked to carry the child and promised to pay the money after delivery. They gave the woman a mobile phone after the procedure. “ I contacted Usha and told her about the cheating. The doctor asked me to carry the child and gave me Rs 5,000 when I was crying,” Nagalakshmi said.

Nagalakshmi become weak a couple of weeks ago and escaped from the hospital. On May 6, she escaped from the hospital and met her husband Adinarayana, who took her to another doctor at Rajam town in Srikakulam district. The doctor informed Adinarayana that her condition was serious. Adinarayana took her to KGH. Nagalakshmi demanded that her pregnancy be terminated.

Adinarayana said his wife had undergone tubectomy and the doctors had reversed the procedure for surrogacy.

Progressive Organisation of Women (POW) state secretary P Lakshmi alleged that the woman was cheated by the hospital management.


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