Huge demand for adoption in TN as infertility rises

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Rise in infertility cases and awareness of  adoption procedures has resulted in large queues of parents at adoption centers across Tamil Nadu, sources in adoption centers said.

“While there are 361 children available for adoption, we have received more than 1,167 applications from parents,” says Rangashree Srinivas the member secretary of Adoption Coordinating Agency, Tamil Nadu, an association of recognized or licensed agencies in Tamil Nadu.

“Infertility may be one of the cause for adoption. But mostly, it is awareness that has resulted in a spurt in applications. In earlier days, men remarry when there is no issue. But now people are aware of legal issues related to adoption and how simple it is to adopt a child,” she added.

Suganya, a social worker with the agency, says most of the parents who approach them are those facing problems of infertility. There is also a rise among single parents, mostly women who opt for adopting children. “Earlier there were one or two applicants but now we have nearly 13 to 15 applications,” says Suganya.

“There was also a case of a 25-year-old man who approached us for adopting a child. But as per rules those who are above 30 and below 45 are eligible as a single parent,” she adds.

Infertility specialist Gita Hari says the state has 15 per cent of couples who are infertile of which 60 per cent are male. “When their funds get exhausted and when they can’t go for donor egg, they resort to adoption as their only means,” she says.

She says cost factor also plays an important role as it costs Rs one lakh  to Rs 1.5 lakh for treatment of infertility. “Many try one or two cycles and some register and also come for treatment,” she says.

Usually, consumption of alcohol, stress, smoking as well as environmental pollution and chemicals add up the agony of infertility. She also blames pesticides for the cause of infertility in rural areas. “I have come across lots of cases from agricultural areas close to Thiruvallur. I believe it may be due to pesticides which may have resulted in low sperm count,” she says.

Currently there are 21 legal adoption centers in Tamil Nadu and two in Pondicherry. The children in adoption centers are classified as surrendered babies as well as abandoned babies.

Surrendered babies are those who have been discarded by women deserted by husbands, wives who have eloped with someone, unwed mothers as well as for many other reasons. There is a deadline for 60 days for the parents of the surrendered babies parents to lay claim to their babies. After 60 days, the child will be sent for adoption. There are a lot of parents who take back the children after 60 days.

“There were 13 children who were returned back to their parents of which one was male and 12 female,” Suganya says.

In the case of abandoned babies, they are handed over to child welfare committee who take over temporary custody before filing for abandonment certificate. A probation officer investigates and when the parents are not located abandonment certificate is issued.

Currently, there are 136 surrendered babies as well as 225 abandoned babies of which 101 are male, 258 female and two transgenders.

Interestingly, the demand for babies is such that parents have adopted children who are HIV positive turned negative children as well as those having cardiac problems.

But what happens to the children who don’t get adopted. “The children who can’t be placed are put under the care of directorate of social welfare, who send them to relevant homes,” says Suganya.