IVF treatments in India: Mired in controversies

Remember a case in 2012 in Mumbai when an under-aged girl who had donated her eggs at an infertility center using fake age proof, died later? The doctors in the case were initially tried for the murder of a minor

- DR SHWETA JAISWAL AND PROF DVR SESHADRI

Ultimately, after many harrowing intervening years, they were found to be innocent. Fast forward to 2022, and the drama has been repeating over the years in multiple states in the country at a regular frequency. Only the characters are different, and from case to case, there are a few variations in terms of details.

Manipulation and malpractices

These events are not only appalling for their cruelty to humanity but also bring our attention to various loopholes that exist in the IVF (in-vitro fertilization) practice in India. The services around IVF treatment are driven by the sentiments and desperation of childless couples to have babies. There is a lot of manipulation that goes on in IVF by various stakeholders, primarily donors (of eggs and sperm) and IVF centers.

Just as we have examined ways by which unscrupulous donors manipulate the system, there are instances of mercenary IVF providers and their doctors, taking advantage of hapless and desperate baby-seeking couples. Examine a recent case in Varanasi. An IVF specialist from Varanasi took lakhs of rupees from multiple patients, promising to make the aspiring mothers conceive babies through advanced IVF techniques-which eventually failed in every case.

The IVF promise is so lucrative that many Obstetrics and Gynecology doctors with no requisite specialist IVF training overnight converted their clinics/hospitals into IVF centers-sometimes without planning. They promise hope to couples who aspire to have babies. These couples subject themselves to endless ordeals and cough up enormous money, often to be left disappointed after many years of 'IVF intervention. This trend is visible across India-from small towns to large metros, where IVF centers are mushrooming at a rapid rate.