Section 24
Duties of assisted reproductive technology clinics using human gametes and embryos.
The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021
About this Act
An Act for the regulation and supervision of the assisted reproductive technology clinics and the assisted reproductive technology banks, prevention of misuse, safe and ethical practice of assisted reproductive technology services for addressing the issues of reproductive health where assisted reproductive technlogy is required for becoming a parent or for freezing gametes, embryos, embryonic tissues for further use due to infertility, disease or social or medical concerns and for regulation and supervision of research and development and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(a) the clinics shall retrieve oocytes in such manner as may be specified by regulations;
(b) not more than three oocytes or embryos may be placed in the uterus of a woman during the treatment cycle in such manner as may be specified by regulations;
(c) a woman shall not be treated with gametes or embryos derived from more than one man or woman during any one treatment cycle;
(d) a clinic shall never mix semen from two individuals for the procedures specified under this Act;
(e) the embryos shall not be split and used for twinning to increase the number of available embryos;
(f) the collection of gametes posthumously shall be done only if prior consent of the commissioning couple is available in such manner as may be prescribed;
(g) the clinic shall not use ovum that are derived from a foetus, in any process of in-vitro fertilisation; and
(h) such other duties as may be prescribed.
Explanation.--For the purposes of this section, the expression--
(i) "fertilisation" means the penetration of the ovum by the spermatozoon and fusion of genetic materials resulting in the development of a zygote; and
(ii) "foetus" means a human organism during the period of its development beginning on the fifty-seventh day following fertilisation and ending at birth or abortion.