Many women from the lower income groups have taken to egg donation to support their families. It is fast becoming a trade with touts and a well-developed mechanism to get the business going. Fertility clinics have also cashed in on the boom.

So, what is this 'egg donation' business all about? Majority of donations are driven more by money than goodwill. The physical attributes of a donor decide the price of service. Costs vary from Rs 4,000 to 10,000 per cycle of donation.

Parul Kotdawala, an In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) expert said: “Price is a tricky issue. If the woman has desirable physical attributes such as fair skin and good features, the donation will fetch anything up to Rs 10,000 per cycle of donation.”

Parul added: “On an average, three cycles are sufficient for egg fertilisation. But sometimes, the process might take as many as six cycles. The cost varies accordingly. Moreover, the physical characteristics of the donor, as per the demands of the prospective parents, play a decisive role in pricing. Since there are limited donors than buyers, the former are placed on a stronger footing in terms of dictating prices.”

During the entire process—right from the physical examination to donation—the donors do not have to be admitted in the hospital. Even the regular injections necessary for the production of a large number of ova can be taken at any nearby clinic.

The final stage requires the donor to visit the hospital where the egg-extraction is done in an hour. Therefore, the donors can maintain their anonymity as compared to those donating their wombs for surrogacy.

Most practitioners insist that someone from the concerned family donates the egg.

Dr. Jagruti Sanghvi, a renowned gynaecologist said: “There is a flourishing market for eggs in Ahmedabad. Agents are always on the prowl of probable donors.”

She said most professional donors come from the lower strata of the society, who do so purely for monetary reasons.

A professional donor said on the condition of anonymity: “It is only money that is the motivating factor. It has nothing to do with goodwill. I get paid for it plus all the overhead costs involved are borne by the recipient.”

Another donor pointed out that the agents typically try to locate prospective donors among the poor.