Fake baby bumps aid couples to keep surrogacy under wraps

Available in every size and across price ranges, online shopping sites like Amazon and Aliexpress offer the artificial bellies, apart from dealers from across the country who make them as per the customer’s requirements. For Vijay Kumar and his wife, the false tummy or fake pregnancy belly was facesavers, when they chose to have a baby through a surrogate mother, as they decided to keep it a secret, not even divulging it to their parents. 

Vijay Kumar says, “My wife was also working and we had to keep the secret at home and the workplace. Getting in touch with suppliers in New Delhi, we sourced fake bellies for various stages of pregnancy.” His wife recounts that she wore the fake tummy made out of silicone during the entire term of the surrogate mother. Dr C Geetha Haripriya, a citybased obstetrician and gynaecologist and specialist in reproductive medicine and laparoscopic surgery, says that the belly comes in handy for couples opting for a surrogate baby, especially during family gatherings. 

“Couples find it extremely embarrassing to reveal that they are having a child through someone else. They encounter family members at functions and the fake pregnancy belly helps them keep the surrogacy a secret,” she says. She explains that after nine months, the wife will be admitted to the same hospital as the surrogate mother and will take the surrogate child home as her own. Made of silicone, the feel and touch of the fake bumps are like the real ones. 

Priced anywhere between Rs 3,100 to Rs 11,500 on sites like Amazon, the range varies depending on the size.  Sourced from China and Hong Kong, they come with straps to adjust the bump for the convenience of the user. In the recent past, celebrities have used the bellies to fake their pregnancy while having babies through a surrogate mother by claiming that they went abroad for the delivery. However, the trend has been picking up even among the common people in recent years, with many infertile couples choosing the surrogacy route. Ideal Artificial Limbs Solutions, which is based in New Delhi, has been receiving orders from a few couples from India and abroad. 

Agendra K from the company says that there has been a steady rise in the demand for the fake bump in the last two years. “We have been receiving many orders from Chennai and Bengaluru as well. Most of these are anonymous; we only receive details regarding the height and weight of the customers and then we dispatch the orders to the address provided.” The company offers bellies starting from Rs 5,000 and upwards, depending on the size. Hospitals carrying out surrogacy procedures also reach out to suppliers, says Dr Sumitra Aggarwal of Sumitra S1 Prosthesis based in West Bengal’s Howrah district. She says, “We have received orders from a few people directly from Tamil Nadu. We tailor make it to suit their requirements and the price varies according to the weight.”