Gujarat: Girl born via surrogacy flown in air ambulance to parents

A Bengaluru-based couple was unable to meet their baby girl born via surrogacy in a Surat hospital on March 29 as the country went under lockdown in the wake of coronavirus. The couple finally managed to meet the newborn after she was flown to Bengaluru in an air ambulance.

Surat:A Bengaluru-based couple's joy knew no bounds when they held their baby girl, born through surrogacy in Gujarat during the lockdown, for the first time in their arms on Tuesday, after she was flown in an air ambulance to be united with them.

Though the child was born on March 29 via surrogacy at a hospital in Surat, her parents finally managed to meet her after 17 days as they were unable to travel to Gujarat due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, Dr Pooja Nadkarni Singh, who delivered the baby at a hospital here, said.

"The couple from Bengaluru approached us about a year back to have a baby through IVF and surrogacy. Though the girl was born on March 29, her parents could not come here. We finally arranged an air ambulance, which took the baby to her parents in Bengaluru," she said.

On Tuesday, Dr Singh herself took the baby to the airport in a vehicle and handed her over to doctors who had arrived in the air ambulance.

Ahmedabad Airport Director Aman Saini said the air ambulance had arrived from Delhi and all the protocols related to the safety of the child were followed.

"While passenger plane services have been stopped due to the lockdown, medical emergency services are permitted in such situations," Saini said.

Dr Singh did not reveal the identity of the child's parents due to privacy issues.

(With inputs from PTI)