UK's Jassals are devastated after new surrogacy rules in India prevent them from seeking surrogates.
A London based Indian-origin British couple, Shital and Harvey Jassal, are unable to bring to life frozen embryos they shipped to India for surrogate babies three years ago. Worse, they are unable to ship them back to Britain, where they were made.
The impact of the proposed Commercial Surrogacy ban by the Indian government is being felt on the ground even before the Parliament has passed the bill.
After 10 years of trying, traumatic years of trying and treatment, Shital Jassal, 40, got pregnant with twin babies through IVF. At the time, she had also frozen seven embryos for the future.
After 23 weeks, the twins were still-born. Shital came close to losing her life during delivery.
With no other option for biological children but surrogacy, the embryos were shipped to India. Last year, the Jassals welcomed their surrogate daughter Anjali, who was born in Gujarat. Now they are trying to give her a sibling.
But a government notice to fertility clinics asking that all surrogate embryo transfers for non-Indian passport holders be stopped prevents that. With no permission being granted to do so, courier companies have refused to ship back the frozen embryos to Britain.
Mr Jassal, who is just out of chemotherapy sessions for cancer, has written several emails to the health ministry about the fate of their frozen embryos. He has received no response.
"What I am scared of is that they will be left behind in India. And we won't be able to use our human right, our embryo to complete our family," said an emotional Ms Jassal. "Please try to talk to parents like us, doctors to understand the scope of surrogacy."
In just one clinic in Gujarat's Anand, for instance, there are close to 110 such embryos. There is no clarity on whether those will be shipped back to where they belong.
Mr Jassal prays the ban on Surrogacy bill - yet to be passed by the Parliament -- will keep couples like themselves in mind.
"I have gone through terrible trauma, of nearly losing my wife, losing my twin boys, then fighting cancer. And now I won't be allowed to use the embryos that belong to me and my wife. Why I would I be denied this right overnight? "
Only a handful of women India, already pregnant now, will deliver foreign surrogate babies. The government has said no more frozen embryo transfers.
Britain does not allow commercial surrogacy, but a surrogate is entitled to medical and 'reasonable' expenses which could range from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds. India too, involves similar expenditure. But the difference is that in Britain, the surrogate mother can choose to keep the baby if she wishes to.