India’s fertility industry birthing new era

IndiGlobal Media takes a sneak peek into the fertility industry on World IVF Day

• As per estimates, 30 lakh people seek infertility treatment in India every year
• 5 lakh people opt for IVF/IUI treatment to fulfill their dreams of parenthood
• It is 43 years since the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, arrived on the scene in 1978
• The Indian IVF industry is a potential USD 12 billion market that is growing at a steady CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 20% Year on Year (YoY)

Mahesh Avadhutha

After a lull during the Covid-19 pandemic, India’s Fertility industry is looking up. While the health sector performed well during the pandemic, the fertility industry took a beating. However, the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Clinics and Banks spread across the country are blooming once again with couples making a bee-line.

The ART Bill and Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill in Dec.2021 has given a major fillip to the industry as in the past there was no regulatory body. As per unofficial figures, nearly 30 lakh people seek infertility treatment in India every year and around 5 lakh people opt for IVF/IUI treatment to fulfill their dreams of parenthood.

July 25 is celebrated as World IVF Day across the globe to commemorate the essence and significance of IVF in infertility treatment. It is 43 years since the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, arrived on the scene in 1978 as a beacon of hope, changing the history of infertility medicine forever. The Indian IVF industry is a potential USD 12 billion market that is growing at a steady CAGR(Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 20% Year on Year (YoY)

The ART bill comes over a decade after the Indian Council of Medical Research drew the bill’s first draft in 2008. The bill seeks to set minimum standards and codes of conduct for fertility clinics and egg/sperm banks in the country. It also mandates ART clinics and banks to be registered under the National Registry of Banks and Clinics of India and will act as a central database. States were told to look into the registration process and permissions for new ART clinics. The registration will be valid for five years and can be renewed for a further five years.

Sharing her perspective, Dr Shantha Kumari, President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI), stated that the new law will ring in good and ethical practices, put an end to exploitation, and enhance India’s image globally. India is sought after in medical tourism because of availability of best doctors, infrastructure and policies and henceforth fertility sector will also add to the image, she felt.

Dr Malti Madhu – Senior Consultant, Apollo Fertility, Noida, opined that ART bill will prove to be a big boon. However, certain provisions in Surrogacy law has resulted in debates, which the stakeholders would have to address in the near future, she said.

On this World IVF Day, we are looking at Fertility industry coming back to the pre-Covid times after a gloomy two-year period. Couples are now coming to the realization that the pandemic is here to stay, and time-sensitive procedures like IVF or other assisted reproductive treatments cannot be postponed for long.

Since IVF is a time-sensitive market, every week is crucial for the couples undergoing the process. The coronavirus impacted the clinics and fertility services including surrogacy pregnancies, IVF, egg freezing, etc.

Eliciting her views, Dr Preethi Reddy, Fertility Specialist, Birth Right fertility By Rainbow Hospitals, Hyderabad said that postponing the process will adversely affect the couples going for the treatment. We have done our best to sensitize and create awareness on this issue and luckily the situation has improved in a big way, the doctor stressed.

Dr Ramya Mishra Shukla – Senior Consultant, Apollo Fertility, Lajpat Nagar, Delhi, said, ” When the pandemic hit, all fertility issues were stalled. But now things have normalised. Patient awareness increased and many shed inhibitions. We are witnessing a surge in patients.”

Dr Sunitha Ilinani, Senior Consultant, Apollo Fertility, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, said that in post pandemic, a jump is being  seen in the number of couples wanting fertility treatment including IUI and IVF. During the pandemic, women only above 35 years of age visited clinics as any postponement would have affected their chances of motherhood, the doctor said.
It may be mentioned here that healthcare industry was at the busiest during the pandemic but the situation in the fertility sector was entirely the opposite.