Everything was ok till they planned to expand their family. When even after trying for six months to have a baby, noting happened, they consulted an IVF expert at the advice of the gynaecologist and within six months Arunima conceived. Today this mother of one-year-old Nitika can’t stop expressing her gratitude to the IVF expert. “Medical technology has changed so much for the better. Today we are very happy that we opted for this procedure. Though Nitin was positive about it from the day the gynaecologist suggested it, I was quite apprehensive at the beginning. But after having multiple discussions with the doctor, I felt confident. Today I would advise all those couples who are having trouble to have babies to give it a thought,” states Arunima.
When all other assisted reproductive technology fail to produce results, In Vitro Fertilisation, or IVF as it is popularly known, comes to the rescue of childless couples. IVF is the process of fertilisation by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish, and then transferring the embryo to the uterus.
Talking about the growth of IVF in India, Dr Manish Banker, Director, Nova IVI Fertility, says, “The past 14 years have seen India grow to become a preferred destination for infertility treatment. The pace of change is enormous and new challenges and issues are arising all the time. Currently, one in every eight couples has problems conceiving a child.This is largely due to the ever-changing lifestyle that young couples are leading. It is important that everyone involved in infertility research and treatment keep a close watch on what the future is bringing.”
Agrees Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour, Director of SCI Healthcare. “India by virtue of its large population projected to be 1.25 billion has a large number of couples who require assistance to achieve pregnancy. Infer tility in the country is rising in line with the global infertility trend,” she points out.
The success rate of the treatment varies widely and is different for different couples. There are a host of fac tors that determine the out come and that’s the reason average statistics may not be contextually applicable.
The age of the woman, the status of the uterus, actual IMAGES BAZAAR cause of infertility, the quali ty of the semen, the total number of embryos that have been transferred and cyro-preserved, the total number, the maturity level and the quality of eggs that are retrieved play a vital role, too, and the success or failure rate of the fertilisation and cleavage in the vitro procedure are some of the factors that affect IVF’s success rate.
Also selecting the right fertility centre is the first step to ensure success. There are a number of questions to ask regarding the cost and details of specific centres and fertility programmes. Ensure to check the credibility, cost, convenience, and details of the programme before making a decision.
Case in point is M Bhatia.Scientifically, it has been cited by experts as is near to impossible to bear a child after 10 failed IVF cycles; but here comes the miraculous child born after 15 failed IVF cycles. The hope of bearing a child finally conquers the fear produced by repeated failures of IVF cycles.
“The customised IVF protocols were developed for the patient which handled the unreceptive endometrium with the latest technology. The personalised treatment and IVF therapy led to the successful IVF cycle as Mrs Bhatia conceived the child who is one year old now,” shares Dr Manika Khanna, Gaudium IVF India.
Meanwhile, the debate continues to rationalise the IVF treatment so that each case should be analysed and treated with customised and scientific approach. Experts have been negotiating the need of developing a caseto-case treatment protocols rather than applying general IVF treatments on every patient as this approach not only leads to the failure of IVF cycles but also leads to the depression and loss of hope amongst couples.
