WHO in 2009 defined infertility as “A disease characterized by the failure to establish a clinical pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse or due to an impairment of a person’s capacity to reproduce either as an individual or with his/her partner. Infertility is a disease, which generates disability as an impairment of function”. 15% of couples in India suffer from this “disease”. Yet only 20% of them can afford or access treatment. India has a total of 22 -23 million infertile couples today and the year 2020, it is estimated that 2,50,000 IVF cycles will be performed in the country.

Besides facing social pressures including domestic violence, infertile women or their parents bear the brunt of expenses incurred during their treatment. Government hospitals are equipped to offer only very basic infertility services, which do help a small percentage of couples. Advanced infertility services for the underprivileged sections of our society, are currently available mainly in private clinics in larger towns or cities.

If assisted reproduction such as IVF is required for treatment in rural India, couples have to visit centers of advanced infertility care, for which they may have to travel to the center of care or stay away from their homes. This increases the entire cost of treatment tremendously, with the added loss of finances due to absenteeism from work.

To prevent this loss, couples may be forced to undergo treatments in clinics which are nearby, maybe run by quacks not following standards of quality care or ethical practices. On the other hand in urban areas, women who undergo treatment may have to take time off from their careers, involving monetary loss whilst on leave. Those who continue to work and undergo treatment simultaneously, go through a lot of stress balancing their work and treatment, affecting their chances to conceive, whilst balancing their work with their treatment.

Thus there is an urgent need to offer financial support for infertility services to women, both in rural and urban areas. In the urban sector, infertility should be included in health insurance plans, so that women with careers or even home-makers can afford to undergo such treatments. In the rural sector, such treatment could be promoted with the help of the government through public private partnerships, till the government is ready to offer treatments in their hospitals. Other countries in the World do offer support for infertility treatments, both through their governments, or through insurance channels.

Infertility treatment as a very necessary component of woman’s mental and physical health, so that we can offer some assistance to this area of health which has been completely neglected. As a woman first and an infertility specialist later, I am keen to make this happen!

With over 3 decades of experience, we at Gynaecworld completely understand a woman’s world and are here to look after the medical hurdles that come your way. You are the center of all our efforts!!!

Book your appointment today at Gynaecworld, Kemps corner, Mumbai
Call: 02223802584
Email: gynaecworldfertility@gmail.com , gynaecworldservices@gmail.com
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